Becoming more informed in politics can be daunting. There’s so much information to consume and it comes at you so fast that it’s easy to become intimidated and give up. Here are some of the best politics-related Twitter handles, in no particular order, to get you up to speed on British politics
Electoral Reform Society
Well, this may be tooting our own horn a bit, but I think we have some pretty cool Twitter accounts. Follow our main account for all the news on Electoral Reform in the UK, to see the articles we’ve written for our website and to find out about what we’re up to. Follow ERS Cymru and ERS Scotland to find out about our work in Wales and Scotland respectively.
@electoralreform, @erscymru, @ersscotland
Britain Elects
I’m sure at some point or another everyone has wondered whether everyone else agree with them. Is the current Prime Minister popular? Does Labour look set to win the next election? Do people agree with my view on healthcare? Different polling companies ask questions in different ways, so can have different answers. Britain Elects aggregates surveys and polls, which have been verified by the British Polling Council, to get an overview of the mood of the country. So regardless of whether these surveys cause you to rejoice or despair at the current zeitgeist of the country, it’s always good to stay informed.
Britain Elects also previews upcoming elections, including local council by-elections – a level of analysis often lacking in the press.
@BritainElects
TLDR Politics
If you don’t know what TLDR stands for, it means: Too Long Didn’t Read. Sometimes there are articles that look really important and I feel like I should read them, but I don’t have the time – they’re too long and I didn’t read. TLDR tries to make news stories as short as possible so you can stay informed and save time. They write short articles and film snappy videos. While of course at the ERS we’re mostly focused on UK news, TLDR also has Twitter handles for the US, EU and the rest of the world. If you’re looking for bite-sized up-to-date news TLDR politics is the best place to go.
@TLDRNewsUK
Ballot Box Scotland
Ballot Box Scotland took inspiration from Britain Elects, but focuses on Scotland. As well as covering polling, Ballot Box Scotland is a great reference for easily accessible election results. Their work presenting local Single Transferable Vote and national Additional Member System results is often far clearer than the local councils counting the votes. An impressive body of work for a voluntarily run site.
@BallotBoxScot
Simple Politics
Simple Politics advertises itself as a conversation starter by posting simple updates on British politics. These updates could be anything from future rail strikes or the pros and cons of onshore wind. Updates are very short and can be read in less than a minute, so if you’re looking for expeditious updates on British Politics that leave you to better informed than before, look no further than Simple Politics.
@easypoliticsUK
Election Maps UK
As any opponent of First Past the Post knows, election maps often decide who wins in First Past the Post elections. As boundaries move, groups of voters are included or excluded in each seat, changing the political make-up of the seat and the likely result. Election Maps UK specialises in mapping results and polls, something vital as the UK goes through a boundary review.
@ElectionMapsUK
Electoral Reform Memes
From complicated jokes about the finer points of electoral system design, to crude roasting of First Past the Post, Electoral Reform Memes has everything you need to put the LOL into PsephoLOLgy
@electoralmemes
Also…
Special mentions go to Victorian Election Violence @VictorianEV_UK An ESRC/AHRC project based at Durham University that explores the regular violence that went alongside elections between 1832 and 1914. UK Parliamentary Constituencies (since 1885) @parlconst maps the evolution of the UK’s Parliamentary Constituencies.
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