I can't help thinking it is another old-fashioned and profoundly un-democratic principle to have to declare a nominal allegiance prior even to voting. But there again, I am a serf in a neo-feudal kingdom, so what do I know?!

Maverick, I'm not aware of anything that would stop anyone in the UK joining all the parties and then voting in a leadership contest. (Oh, I forgot, the Tories don't let their members join in the voting, only the MPs can vote - that's their idea of democracy!)