Effective communication between politicians and constituents vital for sustained political participation, experts say

The way politicians communicate with constituents has never been more important than during the Covid-19 pandemic, say experts. Dr Nikki Soo of Cardiff University led a study with Dr James Weinberg and Dr Kate Dommett at the University of Sheffield, which investigated how people reacted to different communications they might receive from an MP. Politicians typically receive thousands of queries every year from constituents raising concerns or asking for action on a specific issue. The results of the study showed that personalised responses to enquiries through letters, emails and social media messages could significantly improve citizens' satisfaction with their representative and likelihood of engaging with a politician again in the future. Quicker but less personal responses could only marginally improve satisfaction. There was little variation in outcomes depending on which form of communication was used. Dr Nikki Soo, based at Cardiff University's School of Journalism, Media and Culture, said: "Our research shows the importance of effective communication between politicians and the public.