massage the figures

Dude's comments yesterday about Labour membership figures yesterday got me thinking about where these 32,000 extra members Labour claim to have gained since May actually are (a third supposedly from the Lib Dems remember).

Why haven't we seen them at the conference? Line them up ate to the podium to tear up their membership card and condemn the con dems. Otherwise we will assume you have only got what we can see, half a dozen people and a feeble minded canine blogger!

The figures revealed in the leadership ballot result work out at 177,559 members, that's 559 more than they reported in may 2007.

Meanwhile I am informed that Lib Dem membership has increased by over 4000 since May, while just 500 have resigned or failed to renew their membership.

So it looks like Labour's story of mass defection is as much spin as their stories of Charlie Kennedy's imminent transfer to the red team.

Give it up lads, it's fairy stories like this that have stopped people believing anything you say.