Simon Usherwood on the role of social media in the Brexit campaigns.
As in all aspects of modern politics and indeed all aspects of the modern world, online activity is a crucial aspect of referendum campaigns. The possibilities of un-mediated messaging directly to voters and of creating interactive and participatory communities combine to offer a powerful incentive to move into online spaces for all political actors. In a referendum – a contest with a binary outcome – the potential to engage and mobilise supporters for a referendum vote is even stronger, so it comes as no surprise that the British referendum on the EU is being hotly contested online.
Over the past year, we have looked at the content and structure of online materials being produced by the various ‘single-issue’ groups involved in the referendum as part of the ESRC’s “UK in a Changing Europe” programme. We have focused our energies on tracking nine groups. From the ‘Remainers’ camp we have Conservatives in Europe for Britain, StrongerIN, Scientists for EU, Labour for Europe; while from the ‘Leavers’ camp we have Grassroots Out, Vote Leave, Leave.EU, Labour Leave, Conservatives for Britain. These groups, we believe, will continue to play a central role in not only producing content on the referendum but also in motivating voters to go to the polls in June. This is all the more true because, ever since David Cameron confirmed that he would not force his MPs to hold the same line as the government, it has been clear that this will not be a party political contest. Although parties will certainly be involved, this one will be fought between ad-hoc constellations of campaigners, who might more normally be found on the opposite sides of political debate.
