I only knew this because of Richard Wyn Jones’s excellent “The Fascist Party in Wales?” www.uwp.co.uk/book/the-fas...

That is fascinating - a little like trying to leave Audible and they offer you an extra free credit to stay… or “one month free”.

A sort of release valve for disappointment.

This is why I remember arguing that it was a mistake for Compass to open itself up to non-Labour members - because ‘the Party’ would immediately stop listening and it would lose its influence. And it did.

It’s not principle: pluralism may have been the right goal. But that’s just how Labour works.

I also understand why people stay, ofc. The grand history of ‘the Movement’, with its iconic figures and moments is a powerful emotive link and core to many if not most members’ self-understanding. “It’s our party”, etc.

If you leave, the pull remains strong - reflexively saying “we” in critiques

Yes! I wrote about this! (Chapter 7 of the linked magazine)

www.bath.ac.uk/publications...

He had one job

In a tale as old as time, moderate socdems & liberals arm the Freikorps to defeat the Red Menace and are shocked when the guns are turned on them.