Top 100 Independent Tweeting Bloggers 2015

Here's the other list you've waited 365 days for - the top 100 independent tweeting bloggers' list of 2015. Some definition issues first - how do you define "independent"? I play with a fairly loose definition. I.e. If a blog is maintained regularly (i.e. in the last month), isn't attached to an established media outlet, and is filled with political content, it's in. Party blogs like ConHome and LabourList are out as they're professional outfits with paid staff whereas similar for the LibDems and UKIP on this list are volunteer efforts. But, I hear you cry, can't you say the same for Guido? Yes, but it is a self-funding indie affair. Moving onto MPs, while plenty maintain a blog very few of them use it politically. If they talk about politics and ideas, they're in. If they merely recycle press releases about dog shit removal, then no. Lastly, it has to be self-maintained in the sense that freelancers without a home to lay their hat are out.

I know, it's not a perfect definition by any means, but it will do. Right, on with the list!

1. (1) Alastair Campbell (331k followers)
2. (3) Guido Fawkes (174k followers)
3. (4) Louise Mensch (94.9k followers)
4. (5) Iain Dale (68.1k followers)
5. (6) Left Foot Forward (60.1k followers)
6. (9) Wings Over Scotland (45.8k followers)
7. (15) Douglas Carswell (42.6k followers)
8. (12) Bella Caledonia (42.1k followers)
9. (NE) Nick Tyrone (40.9k followers)
10. (14) Open Democracy (40.7k followers)
11. (10) Political Scrapbook (40.5k followers)
12. (11) The F-Word (38k followers)
13. (16) Richard Murphy (33.1k followers)
14. (18) Labour Left (29.1k followers)
15. (19) Mike Smithson (26.3k followers)
16. (20) Exaro News (25.7k followers)
17. (34) Coppola Comment (23.9k followers)
18. (25) Another Angry Woman (18.9k followers)
19. (32) UK Media Watch (18.7k followers)
20. (29) Pride's Purge (17.3k followers)
21. (26) Libcom (16.9k followers)
22. (22) Labour Uncut (16.9k followers)
23. (27) LibDem Voice (16.7k followers)
24. (35) Disabled People Against Cuts (16.6k followers)
25. (31) Jon Worth (15.9k followers)
26. (24) Archbishop Cranmer (15.5k followers)
27. (NE) Chi Onwurah (15k followers)
28. (38) Carl Gardner (14.1k followers)
29. (NE) Exposing UKIP (13.6k followers)
30. (NE) Steve Topple (13.4k followers)
31. (37) Lenin's Tomb (13.1k followers)
32. (45) Paul Flynn MP (13.1k followers)
33. (33) The Commentator (12.8k followers)
34. (NE) Paul Bernal (12.7k followers)
35. (NE) Neil Clark (12.5k followers)
36. (42) Angela Neptustar (12.5k followers)
37. (NE) The Optimistic Patriot (12.4k followers)
38. (60) Lallands Peat Worrier (12k followers)
39. (36) Mark Thompson (11.9k followers)
40. (47) John Redwood MP (11.7k followers)
41. (50) Hopi Sen (11.4k followers)
42. (54) The Enlightened Economist (10.9k followers)
43. (75) Mainly Macro (10.9k followers)
44. (49) Sarah Ditum (10.7k followers)
45. (57) Big Brother Watch (10.2k followers)
46. (59) Mark Pack (9,481 followers)
47. (56) Kate Belgrave (9,145 followers)
48. (NE) I'm a JSA Claimant (9,000 followers)
49. (65) The Void (8,255 followers)
50. (68) Welsh Not British (8,214 followers)
51. (62) David Hencke (8,085 followers)
52. (NE) Novara Media (7,608 followers)
53. (NE) Tim Bale (7,446 followers)
54. (71) Left Futures (7,277 followers)
55. (NE) Anthony Painter (7,022 followers)
56. (67) A Dragon's Best Friend (6,948 followers)
57. (RE) Bloggerheads (6,901 followers)
58. (73) Zelo Street (6,880 followers)
59. (NE) Dilly Hussain (6,403 followers)
60. (78) Karen Ingala Smith (6,334 followers)
61. (74) Chris Dillow (6,202 followers)
62. (77) Stephen Tall (5,935 followers)
63. (79) Flip Chart Fairy Tales (5,873 followers)
64. (NE) Social Abjection (5,411 followers)
65. (NE)  5 Pillars (5,400 followers)
66. (NE) David Skelton (5,385 followers)
67. (NE) Twll Dun (5,266 followers)
68. (NE) Bloggers 4 UKIP (5,255 followers)
69. (89) Bright Green (5,222 followers)
70. (83) All That Is Solid (5,152 followers)
71. (NE) Look Left (5,089 followers)
72. (NE) Kate Godfrey (4,933 followers)
73. (95) Vox Political (4,806 followers)
74. (88) Tim Worstall (4,722 followers)
75. (86) Liberal England (4,691 followers)
76. (NE) All That's Left (4,303 followers)
77. (NE) A Room Of Our Own (3,931 followers)
78. (96) Rob Marchant (3,860 followers)
79. (NE) Political Sift (3,815 followers)
80. (90) Anna Chen (3,770 followers)
81. (NE) Genders, Bodies, Politics (3,754 followers)
82. (NE) Chelley Ryan (3,629 followers)
83. (NE) Neil Scott (3,504 followers)
84. (NE) SCOT goes POP! (3,393 followers)
85. (93) Lisa Ansell (3,382 followers)
86. (NE) Public Policy and the Past (3,322 followers)
87. (NE) Bishop Hill (3,122 followers)
88. (NE) Think Left (3,048 followers)
89. (NE) Joel Taylor (3,002 followers)
90. (NE) Sarah Brown (2,965 followers)
91. (NE) Cllr Alice Perry (2,941 followers)
92. (NE) Tom Owolade (2,925 followers)
93. (97)  Liberal Burblings (2,882 followers)
94. (NE) Jade Azim (2,818 followers)
95. (100) Luna17 (2,736 followers)
96. (NE) Bob from Brockley (2,663 followers)
97. (NE) The Thoughtful Campaigner (2,606 followers)
98. (NE) Dick Puddlecote (2,554 followers)
99. (NE) Revolution Breeze (2,549 followers)
100. (NE) Labour Hame (2,443 followers)


This list proved more consuming this year because of the massive amount of churn that has occurred over the last 12 months. The 2014 list was starting to resemble the mainstream commentators' one what with sclerosis at the top and few new entries. In 2015 there has been a huge shift: loads of people have simply packed it in. Some, like Tom Watson and Harry Cole have gone on to do other things, and a few others are people I've missed in previous years, but mainly large numbers of bloggers have simply stopped. I make it 41 new entries, which is crazy.

That also means the list is a little rough so, by all means, treat this as a beta build. If you know of anyone who regularly blogs politically and has more than 1,611 followers on Twitter let me know and the list will be duly updated.

Update 10th January
Well, that was a bit previous of me. Folks have got in touch with me thick and fast to - gleefully, in some cases - point out where I've gone wrong and who got missed off. Still, we got there in the end. The same observations apply, of course, except the threshold is now 2,443 followers as held by Labour Hame. This is the moment when a smart arse turns up in the inbox with two dozen names that have passed me by. Anyway, this is the updated list and the same observations apply. It's amazing to think 40 people who were with us last year have stopped blogging on their own personal platforms - no one has dropped off the list because they couldn't muster enough followers. It can't be that everyone's been made deputy leader of the Labour Party, or has got a professional writing gig somewhere. There has to be something going on. Suggestions welcome.