Britain First Has Quietly Become The Most Popular UK Political Party On Facebook

The far-right party’s social media operation is getting seriously powerful. Whether that actually changes anything is a different matter.

1. Britain First’s Facebook page now reaches millions of people a week, giving it a bigger audience than some national newspapers.

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Britain First

The Facebook page of the British National Party splinter group has exploded in popularity during the last four weeks, gaining over 230,000 likes in the last month to take it to a total of 336,000 fans.

That’s mainly thanks to an incessant stream of extremely popular posts that mix Islamophobia with pro-military memes and messages proclaiming love for the monarchy.

All this leaves Britain First, which is standing candidates in Wales and Scotland for the forthcoming EU elections, as by far by the most popular UK political party on Facebook, with more fans than the Conservatives and Labour combined. Even UKIP, which has been crowing over the success of its social media strategy, can’t hold a candle to this lot.

During the last week millions of UK residents will have been exposed to a piece of Britain First content – more than buy physical copies of newspapers such as The Independent or The Guardian in any seven day period.

2. This is how many Facebook likes UK political parties have.

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In total there have been almost 3.3 million interactions with the page in the last week. And each of those interactions prompts a story in a user’s newsfeed, broadcasting the party’s name even further.

And Britain First is continuing to add around 8,000 followers a day.

3. Why has this happened? Well, Britain First is very, very good at creating a certain sort of viral content.

 

Britain First could give the other parties a lesson in political messaging on Facebook: they have a clarity of message, use simple designs and rely emotive content.

As for what they’re actually preaching, well that’s another matter. But analysis of the recent posts suggests fans of Britain First are five times more likely to engage with Britain First on Facebook than fans of more mainstream political parties.

5. Whether this online support translates into actual votes is a different matter.

Britain First

Britain First

 

The party has already been chastised for registering “REMEMBER LEE RIGBY”, a reference to the English soldier murdered by Islamic extremists, as an official party slogan, against the wishes of Rigby’s family.

6. Still, it does confirm one thing: the best way to get your PayPal party donation address out to the masses is to post a picture of Princess Diana and beg for likes.

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Britain First

If this is too much then check out the parody Britian First page.

Read more: http://buzzfeed.com/jimwaterson/britain-first-has-quietly-become-the-most-popular-uk-politic

Britain First Has Quietly Become The Most Popular UK Political Party On Facebook

britain first, Facebook, uk politics

Nigel Farage Has Successfully Convinced The Public That He’s A Man Of The People

UKIP feels confident enough to attack the elite education of its critics because its supporters don’t care about Farage’s background.

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Luke Macgregor / Reuters

2. Nigel Farage’s UKIP has gone on the attack against The Times after the newspaper claimed his expenses are being probed.

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A post on the party’s website highlights six journalists at The Times who have various degrees of influence over the newspaper’s political coverage. The UKIP attack focuses on the journalists’ backgrounds, saying “most have family or personal connections to the Conservative Party” and the majority are “from immensely privileged backgrounds”.

What’s particularly impressive is that these attacks are coming from a party led by a public school-educated former City trader. But as exclusive BuzzFeed polling shows, this doesn’t matter because, despite his background, UKIP supporters and the general public alike see Farage as a genuine man of the people fighting against the establishment.

3. YouGov asked the public to guess whether each of the major political party leaders went to private school.

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Just 36% of the 2,076 people questioned in the BuzzFeed/YouGov poll correctly guessed that Nigel Farage went to private school, despite him happily talking about his time at London’s prestigious Dulwich College on many previous occasions.

This falls even lower among people who say they will vote UKIP at the next general election: just 31% of potential UKIP voters believe Farage was privately educated, with 38% saying he went to a grammar school and 25% believing he went to a comprehensive.

In fact, out of the four politicians only Ed Miliband was educated at a comprehensive school. But just 13% of the public know this – the majority think he went private.

4. When YouGov asked voters whether their preferred party leader was in “in touch with normal people” the results again showed resounding backing for Farage.

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An impressive 77% of UKIP supporters say Farage is in touch with normal people.

This compares to just 37% of likely Conservative voters who feel David Cameron understands the concerns of a typical member of the public.

5. Whatever the reality, the perception among UKIP supporters and many potential backers is that Nigel Farage is a man of the people.

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Suzanne Plunkett / Reuters

And this gives him the cover to attack others with similarly privileged background for their supposed membership of the establishment.

Read more: http://buzzfeed.com/jimwaterson/nigel-farage-has-successfully-convinced-the-public-that-hes

Nigel Farage Has Successfully Convinced The Public That He’s A Man Of The People

nigel farage, uk politics

21 Teachers Who Couldn’t Quite Believe That Michael Gove Got Sacked

Gove is no longer education secretary. Teachers are pleased.

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Olivia Harris / Reuters

1. Teachers in schools across the country are reportedly breaking out into spontaneous dancing upon hearing that Michael Gove has been sacked.

Debbie @dollydebz Follow

My Head Teacher is currently dancing around her office with a huge grin on her face. #Gove #GoveisGone

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2. Those who could contain themselves moved quickly to spread the word to their colleagues.

sophie @sophiehumphrey Follow

mrs moat just ran out of the room squealing with excitement because she found out michael gove has been removed as education secretary

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3. The news spread from classroom to classroom like wildfire.

John Hyde @JohnHyde1982 Follow

Email from teacher friend: “my colleague has just run into my classroom to tell me the good news. Yey!!!!!!” #reshuffle #gove

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4. As the news spread, so did the dancing.

Gemma Finnegan @uragod2me Follow

Genuine joy in the staff room at the departure of Michael Gove. I may do a little dance.

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5. For some, it was the birthday present they had always wanted.

Suzanne Evans @SuzanneEvans1 Follow

Happy Birthday to my wonderful sister, a teacher who"s just had her best birthday present ever – Gove going from Education. #reshuffle

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6. For others, it was Christmas.

Jim Thompson @JZThompson Follow

Just got to be the one to tell my retired teacher Dad that Gove has left education. That"s Christmas sorted.

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7. Teachers are reportedly prone to suffering spontaneous outbreaks of shrieking and whooping when informed of the news.

Joe Dromey @Joe_Dromey Follow

Heard news about #Gove when a woman in queue behind me let out a piercing scream of delight. She"s a teacher. Says it all. Good riddance

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8. Some just about managed to suppress their whooping.

Hilary Scott @nosylocaljourno Follow

Certainly a pleasure to inform a room of primary school teachers that #Gove has gone. They just about stopped themselves from whooping

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9. Others just let it all out.

Bob Hughes @wordbib Follow

Just heard Gove is gone, and genuinely most of this room of teachers and teaching staff just celebrated.

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10. Some waved a fond farewell.

Unity Lawrence @unityl Follow

Bye bye Gove. Please take your free schools with you. I"m a proper teacher now so I can have real feelings about this. #GoodNews

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11. In some staffrooms, teachers openly wept with joy at the news.

scabbycat63 @sarahpayne63 Follow

Teachers weeping with joy at Gove"s sacking. Hurrahhhhhh

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12. Pupils around the country looked on and tweeted reports of the celebrations.

Nicole @D0rkvad3r Follow

My English teacher just found out that Gove has been moved from minister of education and literally jumped for joy

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13. At some schools, Gove’s departure seemed to bring everyone closer together.

Rob Baker @RobBakerEthMus Follow

There"s a definite buzz of excitement and optimism amongst staff at my school this morning, following the news of #Gove"s departure.

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14. The news gave some teachers a new lease of life.

Jo Purkess Beckett @beejow Follow

What a great way to reenerggise a tired and jaded staffroom just before the end of term….. Gove is out!

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15. For many teachers it was the best news they’d had in a while.

Lorna Sheridan @thelaugh78 Follow

Gove has gone! Best news I have had all year ha x

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16. Saeed Rashid @saeedrashid Follow

Amazing news Gove is out…. British education can get back to being great again

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17. In some schools there were high-fives all around.

Ronnie @68ron Follow

Teachers here high-fiving each other in the corridor in between lesson 1 and 2 celebrating #Gove "s departure

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18. Some teachers made party plans for tonight.

Hannah @missradders Follow

GOVE OUT. When we having the party?

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19. Champagne sales are set to spike around the country.

Andy Digitonal @digitonal Follow

Every single friend of mine in the teaching profession will be getting drunk on champagne tonight. #Gove

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20. miketidd.com @tiddtalk Follow

Gove has gone – summer is definitely here now! Champagne anyone?

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21. Binty @BintyMustard Follow

Apologies now for all who aren"t teachers….today"s twitter is going to be taken over by celebrating teachers. *pops champagne cork* #Gove

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vine.co

Read more: http://buzzfeed.com/jonstone/22-teachers-who-are-very-very-happy-that-michael-gove-got-sa

21 Teachers Who Couldn’t Quite Believe That Michael Gove Got Sacked

champagne, gove, happy, Michael Gove, rejoyce, teachers, tweets, Twitter, uk politics

26 Times Alex Salmond Wore The Same Tie

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Here’s Scotland’s first minister, Alex Salmond. And he’s got swag.

Andrew Milligan/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images

 

He looks like a man you can trust. But you know what he needs? A new tie.

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Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images

1. Because it appears that he’s rather fond of this tie that showcases the Saint Andrew’s Cross, which doubles up as the Scottish flag.

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Clive Rose / Getty Images

3 August 2014

2. At first you’re like, “Why are you hassling him? The referendum’s coming up. Let it go.”

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Quinn Rooney / Getty Images

1 August 2014

3. But seriously though.

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Handout / Getty Images

14 June 2014

4. You could even forgive him for wearing it this time too, because he was presenting the white paper on Scottish referendum.

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Jeff J Mitchell / Getty

26 November 2013

5. But now we know the tie is not just for speeches. He also wore it when eating.

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Mark Runnacles / Getty Images

23 September 2013

6. Even though he had been wearing the tie onstage just two days earlier.

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Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images

21 September 2013

7. And at the Ryder Cup tournament.

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Warren Little / Getty Images

14 July 2014

8. At this point you start wondering whether the tie has mystical powers.

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Clive Brunskill / Getty Images

7 July 2014, Wimbledon

9. HE EVEN WORE THE TIE WHEN HE MET THE QUEEN.

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WPA Pool / Getty Images

Yes, we’re sure.

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WPA Pool / Getty

10. And again when he gave a speech in May.

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Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images

21 May 2013

11.

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Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images

7 November 2012

12. And he’s even worn the tie at least twice in front of the prime minister. Oh dear.

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Ian MacNicol / Getty Images

15 October 2012

13. And he wore it at this Ryder Cup too.

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David Cannon / Getty Images

27 September 2012

14. Oh yes, and at Wimbledon. Again. And David Cameron was sitting in front of him in the crowd again. Wonder if he said anything.

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BBC / Via bbc.co.uk

8 July 2012

15. He’s taken the tie to film festivals.

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Martin Grimes / Getty Images for Disney

30 June 2012

16. It’s gone out for strolls.

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WPA Pool / Getty Images

5 June 2012

17. And here it is at Wimbledon. Again. This time, hanging out with a former prime minister.

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GLYN KIRK/AFP / Getty Images

3 July 2011

18. And oh yeah, here it is with David Cameron. Again.

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WPA Pool / Getty Images

25 June 2011

19. But the tie’s been there for the good moments. Salmond brought it along when he got re-elected.

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Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images

18 May 2011

20. And heated moments too, such as when Salmond was taking questions at the Scottish parliament.

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David Cheskin/PA Archive/Press Association Images

23 December 2010

21.

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Rafa Rivas / AFP

13 September 2010

22. The tie also accompanied Salmond to talks with the prime minister and Nick Clegg just after the coalition government came to power.

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WPA Pool / Getty Images

8 June 2010

23. And here’s him wearing it in 2009. It’s 2014 now, by the way.

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Andrew Milligan/PA Archive/Press Association Images

14 October 2009

24. By now, he’s probably thinking, “I wonder how long I can get away with wearing the same tie again and again without anyone noticing.”

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David Cheskin/PA Archive/Press Association Images

2 September 2009

25. It’s really just surprising that Salmond’s not bored of the tie yet.

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David Cheskin/PA Archive/Press Association Images

10 September 2009

26. Because yes. We’re really bored of it. #RetireTheTie

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David Cheskin/PA Archive/Press Association Images

24 August 2009

Read more: http://buzzfeed.com/sirajdatoo/retire-the-tie-alex-salmond

26 Times Alex Salmond Wore The Same Tie

alex salmond, indyref, scotland, scottish referendum, uk politics