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Video: Ann Widdecombe's
political experiment

MP Ann Widdecombe is in for a busy few weeks 'tweeting' and
blogging as she gets her constituents to tell her exactly what they
would like her to do for them.

The Maidstone and the Weald MP is taking part in a three-week
experiment from Wednesday to try and find new ways to engage people
in politics.

Miss Widdecombe's constituents will be able to use a new website to
vote regularly on issues, including the war in Afghanistan, how Ann
should vote in Parliament, whether they would like more of a say in
politics and what they really want from MPs. Miss Widdecombe will
publicly decide what she will do in response to the votes.

She said she will also be delving into the world of
micro-blogging on Twitter.

Miss Widdecombe said: "Twittering and blogging demand so much
consistent updating they become thieves of time. So I wouldn't want
to do those forever - but I am prepared to see if they do improve
contact and if they do improve take up. If they do, a moderate
amount of it may be built in to the way we communicate."

At the last General Election, just over 17 million people who
were registered to vote did not bother to do so. In the Maidstone
and the Weald constituency, around 34 per cent of those registered
did not vote – just over 25,000 people.

"I will judge whether the experiment is a success or failure by
whether or not people who don't normally vote participate. If all I
get is the usual people contacting me then I will judge it a
failure," added Miss Widdecombe.

Constituents will be able to demand action on any topic they
choose by petitioning her. The sponsors of the most popular
petitions will be invited to pitch their idea for change to the MP
culminating in a public meeting on Monday, December 14 at 7pm in
Maidstone.

The whole experiment - which is also being carried out by
Sheffield Labour MP Richard Caborn - is being filmed for a BBC 2
documentary which will be screened next year.

Follow the story of the People's Politician from November
25 online at the BBC's blogs
section.