The importance of direct personal communication with constituents and the press has now been officially recognised.

One of the principal objectives of the House of Commons Commission’s Strategic Plan is “to improve public understanding and knowledge of the work of the House and to increase it accessibility”.

Most people have access to the internet either at home, at college, at work or in a public building such as an internet café or a library. The time is right to take advantage of this technology by making use of these extremely effective communications tools in order to communicate the work being carried out by MPs on behalf of their constituents and to enable the public to feel truly involved in Westminster life.

So important is this topic, that a new allowance has recently been introduced to allow every MP to develop their communication links.