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Useful Internet Tools for Staff
Updated and revised 31 December 2008
The internet is a big place, and buried within it are some immensely valuable tools for MPs and their staff, many built outside official channels by groups like MySociety, a charitable project which builds websites that give people simple, tangible benefits in the civic and community aspects of their lives.
Tom Steinberg, director of www.mySociety.org, guides you through some of the sites that he thinks are key. As he points out 'by the time you've made use of these tools your jobs will be so easy you'll be begging for photocopying to fill up your time.'
1 - TheyWorkForYou email alerts at
www.TheyWorkForYou.comThis is a brilliant, searchable, annotatable version of Hansard built by volunteers. One of the most powerful tools it has is the ability to send emails whenever certain words of phrases crop up. Just use the search box on the homepage, and then click 'Email me when the word 'hats' is spoken in parliament'. Remember, to search for phrases, you need to put double quote marks around your words. Lastly, it can also email you whenever your MP says anything in the House - a handy way of keeping tabs!
2 - The Public Whip at www.publicwhip.org.uk
This makes the complex process of working out who voted which way on which divisions into a doddle. You can search by Member or by vote (with the most recent controversial divisions listed on the homepage). Very useful indeed is the 'search by policy facility' which gives you a list of all divisions which have taken place on that policy subject. For example, the 'smoking ban – in favour' section gives you details of divisions on this matter, such as those which took place as part of the GLA Bill back in 1999, the Tobacco Advertising Bill in 2002 and the Health Bill in 2005. Apparently it's become the default tool for the parliamentary librarians, so be smart and keep an eye on it.
3 - TheGovernmentSays at www.thegovernmentsays.com
Every day the departments and agencies of government pump out endless press releases. TheGovernmentSays makes keeping tabs on these as easy as can be - scanning through a day's releases can be done on one page in just a few seconds. Furthermore, you can also set up email alerts to send you information whenever a word or a phrase crops up in a government press release.
4 - Google News Alerts at www.google.com/alerts
Yet another email alerts service, Google closes the circle of Total Information Awareness by sending you emails whenever words or phrases crops up pretty much anywhere in the media. If that's too often, it can also email you once a day or once a week with a round-up of when your chosen word is used. It doesn't yet have a lot of local press, but for all the major news sources it is brilliant.
5 - WriteToThem.com at www.writetothem.com
Need to find out which councillors, assembly members, MEPs or MSPs also represent one of your constituents? Just plug their postcode into WriteToThem.com and you'll get the complete list. Also handy as a tool to give people when they phone up demanding action - they can easily raise a stink at all levels of governance, not just parliamentary.
6 - PledgeBank at www.pledgebank.com
A worthy and innovative idea, PledgeBank lets you say things like 'My MP will come to this event, but only if 20 people pledge to come along', or lets your constituents say things like 'I will organise a resident's association, but only if 5 other people on my street will come to my house to talk about it'. It is a powerful, free and instant tool to help your constituents get things done in their area.
7 - Meeting Wizard at www.meetingwizard.com
Is arranging multiple people's diaries for the most trivial of meetings giving you a headache? Try MeetingWizard and watch your 'diarizing' problems vanish in a puff of smoke.
8 - Fix My Street at www.fixmystreet.com
Grumbling constituents everywhere will love Fix My Street, a website which allows them to report local problems (graffiti, fly tipping, potholes, dead cats, etc) and will then send on a message to relevant council. Obviously, if a constituent has a specific problem, you shouldn't recommend they use the site instead of your MP, but getting the site's address out and about might lessen the casework you receive on the more minor local problems so your caseworker can get on assisting other constituents.
9 - What Do They Know at www.whatdotheyknow.com
If you're browsing for statistics or information of interest, take a look at this site which includes all the Freedom of Information requests from members of the public. If your MP has a portfolio, it's worth browsing through the FOI requests made to the relevant public authority every now and again (and a lot more than government departments and councils are covered!) It also allows anyone to members of the public to make quick and easy FOI requests, but they must bear in mind their request and response will be published on the site.
10 - Groups Near You at www.groupsnearyou.com
Still being tested, Groups Near You is an internet tool which helps people in the same neighbourhood get to know each other by joining existing groups or starting new ones. It's a useful way for you (and particularly constituency organisers) to keep tabs on what's happening in the community and find out what people are talking about. Come election time, you'll be on the lookout for new community associations, campaigns, resident's associations and other gatherings for your MP to speak to and be photographed with.
CD/BT/December 2008
Originally added:
KL/May 2005
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