I follow about 1,000 people on Twitter, an picking a Top 50 was almost impossible. In the end I decided that one of the main criteria would be to pick ones that made me smile, entertained me and informed me. I did think about not ranking them, but what’s the fun in that, and you know how I like my lists! You will see a lot of surprising choices in this list – people you would think I wouldn’t rate at all. But that’s the thing about Twitter. It challenges your preconceptions about people.
- @TomHarrisMP
Tom Harris is the Labour MP for Glasgow South and the man who wrote one of the most brilliant blogs in the history of Christendom. He has a very dry and ironic sense of humour, which he deploys in most of his tweets. He’s not afraid to criticise his own party and challenges a lot of key orthodoxies. Consistently entertaining, he’s also the author of WHY I AM RIGHT & EVERYONE ELSE IS WRONG, a collection of his blogposts.
- @Smithjj62
Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has become a good friend of mine over the last couple of years. People seem to like our double act on Sky News and I have learned that Jacqui has a very well developed sense of humour, which from time to time descends into the gutter. She’s a great defender of the Blairite legacy and interacts which her followers in a way most politicos don’t.
- @NadineDorriesMP
Nadine is the ultimate Marmite politician, but come what may she says what she thinks and that’s why she has such a following. She doesn’t seem to have a brake mechanism, which makes you want to read everything she tweets in case you miss something. She also displays a certain vulnerability which even those who detest her politics have come to respect.
- @PeterWatt123
Peter Watt made the headlines when Gordon Brown sacked him as General Secretary of the Labour Party back in 2007. Since then he has become Labour’s voice of sweet reason. His articles are consistently brilliant and the warmth of his personality comes across in everything he tweets.
- @TheJamesWhale
James Whale only joined Twitter around six months ago but he’s taken to it like a duck to water. Never knowingly undercontroversial he tells it how he sees it, no matter what the consequences. Hugely entertaining, just like LBC drivetime show.
- @CampbellClaret
Another person you either love or hate. Personally, I have huge respect for him and love his diaries. He and I share a lot of personality traits and I see myself in a lot of what he tweets. I love his Burnley obsession and his openness about depression. And despite his blind Labour loyalty, he is also a superb observer of the political scene.
- @PaulWaugh
Usually first with breaking political news, he can also be very cheeky in is political observations on Twitter. Has singlehandedly turned round the fortunes of PoliticsHome and the House Magazine. And a bloody nice bloke.
- @Joey7Barton
Comes across on Twitter as a very different person to the one you see on a football field. Eloquent and with a good observational eye, he also delights in commenting on political and news events, often to good effect.
- @StephenNolan
The best talk show host in the country, he love to interact with his followers. Not afraid to tell it like it is, Nolan is another radio personality who attracts loyalty and hatred in equal amounts.
- @Brit_Battleaxe
I am responsible for getting Christine Hamilton on Twitter, so blame me. Lord i knew not what I did! Seriously, her personality shines through on Twitter and she had taken to the medium like a duck to water.
- @KerriSackville
Kerri is the bestselling author of WHEN MY HUSBAND DOES THE DISHES & THE LITTLE BOOK OF ANXIETY. She’s Australian and has a brilliantly acerbic sense of humour.
- @TobyHarnden
Toby is the Daily Mail’s Washington Correspondent and is one of my main sources for comment on foreign news. But he also tweets about personal things. He’s a best selling author too.
- @GuidoFawkes
Politicians follow Guido for fear of not knowing what is being said about their colleagues – and them. Difficult to match what he does on his blog, but he’s a must follow for all Westminster watchers.
- @ZoeqsWilliams
Zoe and I agree on very little, as is apparent from our Sky News paper reviews, but we get on very well together and her tweets are always filled with humour and mischief. She’s a fully paid up guardianista, but don’t let that put you off.
- @50ShadesofShit
A spoof of 50 Shades of Grey and utterly hilarious. And filthy. Very filthy.
- @JohnPrescott
I would never have believed that John Prescott would take to any form of social media, but how wrong I was. If you ignore the partisan Labour tweets, he shows a real human side and a warmth which never really came across when he was in frontline politics.
- @SallyBercow
The Nadine Dorries of the left, Sally has no embarrassment threshhold and is totally cavalier in what she tweets. Consistently controversial and entertaining, she is much more vulnerable and sensitive than she lets on.
- @PiersMorgan
Often unintentionally hilarious, Piers is undoubtedly owner of the largest ego on Twitter – and there’s a lot of competition for that accolade. But he’s fun and isn’t afraid of interacting with his followers.
- @TheOllyMann
Half of the Answer Me This podcast team, he’s also a regular on my Sunday show on LBC. He has the kind of moonface which always seems to be smiling, and exudes goodwill to all people.
- @TimMontgomerie
A must read if you want to keep up to date with goings on in the Conservative Party. Often controversial and always opinionated – exactly what you want on Twitter…
- @JohnRentoul
Uber Blairite commentator of the Independent on Sunday. Always got something interesting to say and deserves a place in this list if only for his series of Questions to Which the Answer Is No.
- @NickdeBois
Independent minded Tory MP for Enfield North. Not afraid to go against the grain and has a great senseof humour.
- @ShippersUnbound
One of my favourite political journalists, always has a pithy comment to make and takes himself none too seriously.
- @JuliaHB1
My LBC colleague only joined Twitter recently but has taken to it like the proverbial duck. Prone to gutter tweets, which endears her to me no end.
- @KatyScholes
Who? She works for me at Biteback Publishing (or @Bitebackpub, as she would tell me). Uberlesbian, mind like a sewer and very, very funny. Her Indian Diary on this blog was one of the funniest things I have ever published.
- @ReporterBoy
Giles Dilnot is a funny guy. Seriously funny. Looks like a geek, talks like a dream. You’ll know him from the Daily Politics and 5 Live Up All Night.
- @Donal_Blaney
Donal is the nearest thing we have in this country to a Fox News commentator. Lover of all things American and hater of all things socialist.
- @ShelaghFogarty
Lovely, nice, good natured and a good friend. And above all a classy broadcaster.
- @AFNeil
One of the nicest broadcasters around, and so plugged in politically you want to devour every juciy nugget he offers on his Twitter feed.
- @NickyAACampbell
His book on his adoption remains one of the best books I have ever read. I love his sense of humour on and off air.
- @ChrisBryantMP
You might be surprised by me picking him in this list, but he knows how to keep his Twitter followers entertained and isn’t afraid to offend. Isn’t quite so keen to admit hwn he’s wrong, but who is?
- @Tracey_Crouch
Another independent minded MP who tells it how it is onTwitter. She’s brilliant at the personal stuff too.
- @Get_Mummy_A-Gin
Twitter feed of a very bad mother. Laugh out loud hilarious, she probably speaks for most mothers… What a terrible thought!
- @Conor_BurnsMP
Loves to drop Margaret Thatcher’s name at every opportunity, which is alone a good enough reason to be included in this list. Good at avoiding his Twitter feed being just a political PR machine.
- @MehdiRHasan
No one does Twitter spats like my old sparring partner and we love him for it. Just wind him up and let him go. It’s hugely entertaining, I promise.
- @GabyHinsliff
The yummy mummy of political journalism, Gaby has thrived by going freelance and moving out of London. She can be acerbic and very humorous as well as entertaining us with anecdotes from her family life.
- @StellaCreasey
Feisty Labour MP. A good example to other MPs as to how to use Twitter.
- @SteveHiltonGuru
If you want political advice, the Guru is your man. And he’s always right. Always. Since he left, look what has happened to Dave!
- @BigBigBen
Outspoken Northern born 6’6 hunk, former Tory, and now living in Spain. Hilarious tweets when he is pissed!
- @NotBig_Sam
If Sam Allardyce tweeted, this is how it would be. Very funny spoof account. And filty with it.
- @Corrie_Corfield
Radio 4 announcer who doesn’t tweet like one. Ever.
- @DavidGoldWHU
The very polite and totally interactive joint chairman of the world’s greatest football team.
- @TobyPerkinsMP
A newly elected Labour MP, he is one of the few politicians to offer a real personality on Twitter. Yes, he can be partisan but happily tweets about non political stuff too.
- @TheJamesMax
Another of my LBC colleagues, James Max is at home defending bankers or talking about his dog Barney. Always happy to offer an opinion, he loves Twitter and is only marginally less prolific than Stan Collymore.
- @MrJamesOB
James O’Brien and I agree on virtually nothing, so I like to read his tweets to know what I should disagree with. He is a fellow LBC presenter and does a fine line in humour too. Quite funny for a lefty.
- @WMaryBeard
I first met Mary Beard on Any Questions and despite her leftist feminist stances I became a fan. A brilliant writer and historian she is an original, and she has a great personality which comes across well on Twitter.
- @NotCardinalSeanBrady
Hilarious spoof account which pokes fun at the Irish Catholic church.
- @OwenJones84
Highly entertaining cheeky chappy lefty who can rarely see any good in anyone on the right. Revels in the image he has created for himself, and always enjoyable in a Twitter spat with his many enemies.
- @Tom_Watson
Murdoch’s nemesis has become someone impossible to ignore on social media. Possibly the most prolific political tweeter. Doesn’t just tweet politics and is willing to talk about all sorts of personal issues.
- @StanCollymore
Prolific, and wiilling to stand up to those who racially abuse him. A complex character, but a brilliant football pundit.
