Political platforms online

There was a time when having your say in the political process meant putting pencil to paper at election time, or writing a letter to your local MP. As with so many other areas of life, though, the internet has changed all that.

Whether it’s at a local or a national level, it’s now easier than ever to check what your elected representatives are up to, see how well the services paid for by your taxes are being delivered, have an influence on the political agenda or simply make your opinion heard.

In this feature, we’ll show you how email, online tools and the vast amount of information available on the web can help you bring real influence to bear on issues that affect you.

You can find your local MP on the United Kingdom Parliament website. Use the three search boxes on this page to search using your postcode, part of your MP’s name – ­ if known ­ or by the name of your constituency. The name of the MP and their political party will appear on the next page. Most MPs have their own website – ­ the address will be given along with a link you can click on to email them.

Once you’ve found out the name of your local MP, click on the MPs by Alphabetical List link on the left-hand side of the web page. Click on the Biog link next to an MP’s name for a brief biography, including current posts and areas of particular political interest. Their contact details will also be listed here.

Additional information on MPs, their areas of responsibility and any campaigns they’re involved with can be found on their own websites. Some have a dedicated news section to keep constituents up to date on local issues ranging from Post Office closures to securing funding for development of local stations. Some, such as those MPs mentioned in the section entitled Top of the Blogs, may also write an online diary and many will have an email newsletter you can subscribe to. All MPs run advice clinics, where constituents can meet them face-to-face to discuss issues of concern to them ­ the times, dates and locations of these will also be found on their website.

Keep tabs on your MP
For more information about what your MP’s responsibilities to his or her constituents are and information on how they can help, it’s worth reading the You and Your MP factsheet on the UK Parliament website. Click on the You and Your MP factsheet link under the Members/Elections Series heading.

To track down Members of the Scottish Parliament, visit The Scottish Parliament website, click on the MSPs, then use either the interactive map to find an MSP or follow the Use your postcode to find which MSPs represent which postcode.

If you live in Wales, find which member of the National Assembly for Wales represents your area using the postcode search under the Find your Assembly Member heading. Meanwhile, you can find contact details for members of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Click on the Membership link towards the top of the page, then on Constituency Map and use the clickable map to find elected officials by constituency. Click on a member’s photo for their biography and contact details.

To check what your MP is up to, go to the Register of Members’ Interests on the House of Commons website. This will list any employment, overseas trips they take, any property and shareholdings owned by the MP, among other things.