MPs could be forced to change Twitter usernames before election

David Singleton, PR Week UK, 25 November 2009, 06:00am

Dozens of MPs may be forced to search for a new Twitter name as the general election approaches.

Top tweeter: Kerry McCarthy

Ninety-three MPs from all political parties are on Twitter, of whom 39 have put the letters 'MP' in their usernames.

But when the House of Commons dissolves for the election, MPs standing for re-election instantly become Prospective Parliamentary Candidates and are not allowed to refer to themselves as MPs.

Labour's new media campaign spokesperson Kerry McCarthy is one MP affected by the issue. PRWeek has learned McCarthy plans to write to the serjeant-at-arms for clarification.

Social media experts said MPs could face a headache. Game Changer consultant Victoria Roberts has helped to develop the agency's new social media training course for politicians.

She said: 'MPs have the option to change their Twitter names at any time, but only if their chosen name is still available. Their former name then becomes available for others to take.

'This could launch a land-grab for names to silence tweeting MPs. Name-changing MPs will also find themselves unable to receive messages and tweets sent to their former name, which is a massive waste of all their branding efforts to that date.'

Tags:

You must log in to use Clip & Save

All Comments

Ed Callow - 26 November 2009

There's surely an interesting point to be raised here about whether having 'MP' or 'mp' at the end of a username is enough to constitute 'referring to yourself as an MP'?

It's not too difficult to imagine a PPC arguing that the 'MP' simply refers to, eg, "My Page", is it?

Geoff Adlam - 26 November 2009

Why don't they change user names to Fred Bloggs exMP?

Matt Wardman - 26 November 2009

It's not a complete waste - all they need is a final tweet pointing to the new one.

Luke Young - 26 November 2009

Actually, you can just change your Twitter username. If they are worried about losing the one with the -MP suffix, they can just register a second account, and swap the usernames over.

Jonathan Sheppard - 26 November 2009

Clarification? MPs know they cant use websites with MP in the address once an election is called. Same should apply for twitter. Though hardly an issue given not one MP can show how many of their twitter followers is from their constituency? I have 15,000 followers. Am I more influential because of that? Of course not!