Party membership needs a rethink, it's getting ridiculous.

My friend, who's a Lib Dem, was telling me how her local branch is struggling with new members who don't actually agree with the party's core values joining just to push through specific motions. It’s frustrating when you’re trying to build consensus on sensible policies, and suddenly you’re dealing with an agenda that seems completely out of left field.

This isn't about gatekeeping, it's about ensuring that parties can actually function and represent their members effectively. We need to look at how membership works. Maybe a slightly longer waiting period for new members to vote on significant issues, or perhaps a more robust onboarding process that clearly outlines party principles. It shouldn't be so easy for people to join with the sole intention of disrupting.

It seems like a fairly simple fix, but the implications are huge for how politics operates.