McNicol commits to recruiting 10,000 new volunteers in target seats this year

In his conference speech this morning Labour General Secretary Iain McNicol committed Labour to recruiting 10,000 new volunteers in the party’s 106 target seats in the coming year – just shy of 100 new volunteers per seat. That follows up on last year’s commitment to 100 organisers working across the country within a year (the party is on course for 110 by the end of 2013).

McNicol told conference:

By next year, we will go further our organisers will work with our candidates, and mobilise 100 new activists in every battleground seat.

Ten thousand activists taking action by this time next year. That’s my pledge. This is a movement on the march. This is what the inspiring Arnie Graff has been showing us across the country.

That level of volunteers could have a real impact in marginal seats – especially considering the rapid shrinking of the Tory Party (which has halved in since since 2005). McNicol also spoke about aiming for constituency parties with in excess of 1,000 members, which – it seems – he hopes might be boosted by  the Collins review into Labour’s relationship with the trade unions.

McNicol made clear that his aim was to build a movement party – built on relationships and trust rather than transactions. We will know in a year’s time whether or not that has proved to be successful. 10,000 new volunteers campaigning in the seats Labour needs to win in 2015 would certainly be a start, as would aiming for the voters – and seats – that will deliver Labour a majority. It certainly seems like McNicol has been influenced by the Fabian Society’s research on building a Labour Majority.