Favourite Websites
From Democracywiki
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Your site here?
Feel free to nominate your own website here!
Mary Crowley
Chief Executive of the Parenting Education Support forum
Nominated: Department for Education and Skills
Why? The huge and regularly updated Department for Education and Skills website enables me to keep an eye on what is new in education. It publishes all the consultation documents, recent speeches from ministers and a parents section which even provides an agony aunt, Auntie Eunice, who is quite sensible about home-school matters. Recently it has featured extensive news about the Children and Young People's Unit, the new cross-departmental policy unit headed by Althea Efunshile.
Natalie Fenton
President of the Association of University Teachers and Senior Lecturer in Communication and Media studies
Nominated: Media Channel
Why? This nonprofit site is concerned with the political, cultural and social impacts of the global media. It features criticism, breaking news and investgative reporting from hundreds of organisations worldwide. When nine conglomerates dominate the global media, sites like these are vital to empower innovative independent media projects and interrogate worldwide communications. Really useful sections on women's media, sex race and cyber democracy as well.
James Graham
Campaigns and Press Officer of the New Politics Network
Nominated: TheyWorkForYou
Why? This site has been entirely set up by volunteers, yet it is better than anything Parliament itself has to offer. TWFY basically lists everything you MP says in Westminster and allows you to add comments to speeches. It is well integrated with Public Whip which lists how MPs voted in a more accessible and versatile format. Both sites work hand in glove to enable you to see what your MP gets up to in your name!
Samantha Heath
Chair of the GLA Environment Committee and the Labour Group leader in environmental issues. The GLA are currently working on bringing recycled, and thus affordable, computers to london.
Nominated: Advice Guide
Why? I intend to direct people to the Citizens Advice Bureau site. It gives clear advice to many people in different languages. Most local authorites have websites now and www.camden.gov.uk stands out as ( as far as I know ) the only website in london where you can pay your rent online. The community led Battersea Power Station, is very interesting in campaigning terms.
Owain James
NUS President.
Nominated: BBC Education
Why? In my job I find the education site particularly useful. But the site as a whole keeps me up to date with the latest events, allowing quick understanding of how an issue has developed and remarkably neutral reporting. It also keeps me up to date with the world, rather than just the UK. Most of its stories on Africa are barely covered by the broadsheets. Its only downside is that Wales still lose at Rugby when I check the results. If they could arrange that it would be perfect!
Also pretty impressive is the new NUS site.
Geethika Jayatilaka
Parliamentary Officer for the Fawcett Society
Nominated: iVillage
Why? I first got into ivillage when living in the US and there is now a UK version. It has sections on politics and news, on careers and jobs, and on health - it covers all of life's essentials. In just one site you learn how to sell yourself in job interviews, where to invest your savings ( if you have any!) and how to mix a good Bloody Mary. Also www.epolitix.com is every parliamentary officers dreams!
Pete Moorey
Parliamentary Officer of the Electoral Reform Society.
Nominated: Vacher-Dod
Why? The Vacher Dod website is essential for all political anoraks. It's updated daily with information about all party political and government appointment, resignations, etc. And has pages of information about members of the different UK political institutions. It's not the best designed politcal site - but it's usefulness definitely makes up for its lack of flashy design.
Martin O'Donovan
Director, Unions 21
Nominated: BBC
Why? It is simple, easy to navigate and directs you to whatever information you want very quickly. The BBC site just edged ahead of the new Unions 21 website www.unions21.org.uk the online forum for building tomorrow's trade unions. (Unlike the BBC's jounalists, I am not expected to be impartial.)
Rachelle Jailer Valladares
Vice Chair of Democrats Abroad, a member of the Democratic National Committee and the Vice President of the Association of state Democratic Chairs.
Nominated: The On Politics section of the Washington Post
Why? On Politics provides comprehensive information and up-to-date coverage of American politics and elections. The election is broken down into the 50 states and gives the most comprehensive information available on congressional and senatorial races. The post Roundtable gives interesting viewpoints on issues of importance on the day - today's was about the texas primaries where there are two Latino Democrats running. There is also a daily round-up of the political news by Howard Kurtz and a Federal Diary for those of us who can't deal with the fact that we are living outside of the Beltway.
On the whole On Politics is just what an American poltical news junkie ordered!
Helen Wilkinson
Chief Evangeliser of Elan Centric a community for businesses, indivduals and organisations that operate in an elancentric way.
Nominated: Fast Company
Why? The new economy magazine in the states - it's a community, a network, an ideas forum and comes with great tools and content for new economy evangelists interested in learning, careers, and generally shooting the breeze about the challenges we face.
For the more humourouss side of the new economy try F*cked Company, a site which brings irony and tragi-comedy to bear on some of the casaulties. Still my venture is not f*cked (just yet). So give it a visit after these two!
Shaun Woodward MP
Nominated: ACLU
Why? As the generation of US citizens civil liberties, this active and comprehensive site not only reflects the struggles that should be the UK's crusade in the twenty first century, but it ignited my ambition to ensure those fighting against discrimination in Britain, be it on grounds of race, age, sexuality or any other reason, make common cause to pool their strength.
