The Telegraph and Argus, daily newspaper for Bradford, West Yorkshire, has reported on our new research paper @Parliament: the failure of MPs to connect on Twitter:
Not all Bradford politicians are totally convinced social media is the best way to get across their political message
Four of the five Bradford MPs are using Twitter to communicate with constituents with one boasting more than 94,000 followers, a survey has shown.
Bradford West MP George Galloway is among the most prolific users of Twitter – ranking in the top five politicians in the country in terms of followers.
Numbers of followers can change continuously but as of yesterday Labour leader Ed Miliband had more than 171,000 and Prime Minister David Cameron more than 142,000, Labour vice-chairman Tom Watson boasts more than 100,000, followed by Mr Galloway on 94,794 – ahead of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg on 94,346.
A study by centre right think tank Parliament Street, which aims to break down the barriers between Parliament and the electorate, said social media offers MPs the unique opportunity to engage constituents and cultivate a “normal persona”.
Keighley MP Kris Hopkins is the only non-convert to the worldwide phenomenon.
Mr Galloway said social media was pivotal in his by-election campaign.
Mr Galloway said: “I’ve been on Twitter and Facebook for a long time. I have 94,700 Twitter followers and rising.
“I tweet many times a day and it provokes lively response. And it isn’t vanity.
“The social media were crucial in my by-election victory in what, I’d argue, was the most sophisticated digital campaign in British politics. Twitter is a crucial way of reaching not just supporters and getting your arguments and campaigns to people unfiltered.”
Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe said: “I have been on Twitter for a few months now and it is a useful tool with constituents, and I also have a Facebook page and new website.”
Bradford East MP David Ward said: “It is one of the many forms of communication with electorate and it has been some value, but there cannot be any substitute for face-to-face contact.
“If MPs are using it as an additional tool that is great but too many are using it as a substitute to spending time in the constituency.”
Shipley MP Philip Davies said: “It is important MPs are accessible to their constituents rather than just going through the medium MPs want, it is important to communicate the way constituents want. It is about being as accessible as possible.”
More than half of MPs are using Twitter, according to the report.
Mr Hopkins said he remained sceptical about its value.
“I am not yet a convert to Twitter, as I don’t believe the solutions to the challenges we face in Keighley, Ilkley and beyond can be properly discussed and debated in a mere 140 characters,” he said.
The think-tank said Twitter allowed MPs to strike a balance of political debate and every day life, allowing voters to relate to them.
It adds: “It does seem the successful utilisation of social media helps to break down the poor image politicians have of being aloof and divorced from the real world.
“The sheer run away success of some backbench MPs shows there is a large, and growing, number of people who are ready to listen to MPs so long as they are accessible and interesting.
“The challenge facing MPs is to make sure they use social media in such a way as to show these qualities.”
The original article can be read here.
