Web links: Chapter 25

How to find MPs

The page listing all MPs has a search window to find an MP according to postcode, constituency or name. Have a go at finding out who the MPs are for Aberdeen. You can find out more about parliamentary constituencies here, including links to reviews of constituency boundaries. You can find statistics and data about each constituency on this page, which includes exhaustive constituency profiles. The Constituency Explorer enables you to explore a wide range of social, demographic and political variables between constituencies.

Constituency work

Constituency work is framed under a number of conventions, such as the fact that MPs tend to only deal with issues from their own constituency. This briefing gives a detailed account of what these conventions are and how constituency matters are dealt with by MPs, including an explanation of casework. The topics raised for casework often fall within the same policy areas, so the library has a number of briefings of advice to MPs in specific areas, such as immigration and housing. This w4MP guide gives practical tips on how to deal with casework. Issues of data protection are particularly important as MPs are often entrusted with confidential and personal information about their constituents, as explained in this briefing.

Reporting on MPs’ constituency work

MPs are the best people to talk about their constituency work. Thus MPs’ individual webpages and social media are often the clearer account of the work MPs carry out in constituency. Having found the MPs for Aberdeen above, find out what their personal websites and social media are, and compare the work of the five MPs. Do some seem more active than others? How similar are the issues they tend to deal with? Many MPs also publish small reports about their activities. See for example MPs’ personal websites, which usually include very rich information and data about their activities. See for example Chi Onwurah MP’s account of her casework, or Andrew Jones’ 2015 annual report.

Back to top