How will new media affect the general election?

12:30 21st January 2010

New media and the internet will become important factors in a British general election for the first time this year.

That is the opinion of Matthew McGregor, director at internet advisors Blue State Digital, who said in a blog for Reuters that new media could be used to persuade voters which box to mark on the day of the election.

Mr McGregor said new media could give parties the power to "energise and organise their supporters across the country to bring in unprecedented and powerful community campaigns".

Politicians could learn from the way Barack Obama used new media in his victorious presidential campaign, he added. The US President has more than three million followers on his Twitter account although the man himself does not post the updates.

A general election must be held by June 3rd 2010 but health secretary Andy Burnham let slip that May 6th 2010, the same date as the local elections are held, was the chosen day.

Mr McGregor said politicians would have to be more careful than ever of what they say in public, citing the example of London mayor Boris Johnson, who told a Labour supporter with a flip cam that he could not deliver a promise he had made about transport.

He said: "Another factor affected by the explosion of new media outlets will be the 'gotcha' moments in this election."