Labour MPs get Twittering

The technology, which has been created by Labour’s retained digital agency, Tangent One (www.tangentone.com), will enable MPs to easily upload communication targeted at constituents onto Facebook and Twitter, as well as e-mail them through these web interfaces.

 MPs will be able to keep these sites up to date using Tangent One’s ‘Interactive Web Creator’ content management system, and reflect their social networking status to followers on these websites.

The Labour Party and Tangent One have drafted and will distribute to MPs this week a manual to communicate how to best use these social media websites to engage with constituents.

Tom Watson MP, said: "This is a great initiative that will make it easier for Labour MPs to engage with their constituents online.

"Labour MPs will be able to update their constituents on what they are doing on a regular basis through Twitter and Facebook.

"It will help our MPs communicate with local people where they are and in a way that they want."

Greg Jackson, Tangent One’s CEO, said: "Twitter has grown tenfold in the last year and actually has higher penetration in the UK than the US.  With twitterers like Stephen Fry and Barack Obama, and Government Minister Tom Watson using it as a serious engagement tool it has gained enormous prominence, so it’s offering a real opportunity for all MPs to enhance their dialogue with constituents.”

 www.tangentplc.com