The dangers of politicians being "too online" – or not online enough
Matt Chorley | BBC
In early 2015, flower crowns started appearing on Ed Miliband’s head. Petals and hearts were photoshopped onto the then-Labour leader by the "Milifandom", a movement of young, mostly female, voters sharing romanticised images on Twitter to protest against Miliband’s "distorted media portrayal".
This was the brainchild of Abby Tomlinson, a 17-year-old sixth-form student who called him "Milibae". The hashtag #Milifandom trended. Then Labour lost the 2015 election.
David Cameron, whose Conservatives increased their number of seats, boasted: "Britain and Twitter are not the same thing." Tomlinson later admitted her hopes for Miliband in No. 10 had been dashed, turning her into a "political pessimist" who realised that winning over voters online "doesn’t happen in a day, a week or even months, it’s going to take years".
More than a decade on, she is again using social media to promote a Labour leader, but this time in the heart of government. She works in Downing Street as head of content for Andy Burnham. The government has invested heavily in social media strategy, with strategists believing platforms like Instagram and TikTok can play to Burnham’s communication strengths and sense of humour.
Videos of Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch tearing into the budget or mocking ex-PM Sir Keir Starmer have gone viral. Nigel Farage (Reform UK) boasts the biggest online audience of any UK party leader, while the SNP has long mobilised its online army for independence campaigns.
In Wales, newly installed Plaid Cymru is still experimenting with its social media approach, using memes alongside more serious content.
