Activist launches Labour Party Twibbon for Twitter users

by Ben Bold, Brand Republic 31-Jul-09, 11:35

LONDON - Labour Party supporters can now show their support for the party on Twitter after an activist created a Twibbon -- a Twitter application that allows social networking users to show their support for a particular cause online.

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Commonly dubbed a "Twibbon" for its combination of the words Twitter and ribbon, it has already won the support of political figures including Labour's John Prescott.

The Labour Twibbon, created by Labour supporter @david_taylor, has to date been adopted by 133 Twitter members since its launch on 17 July, including the former deputy prime minister Prescott and MP Kerry McCarthy.

Twitter users who sign up to the scheme agree to have Labour's red rose logo superimposed as a badge on the bottom right of their profile picture.

Twibbons have been used by advocates of numerous political causes around the world.

The Conservative Party also has a Twibbon, created by @PhilCane. It enables supporters to wear the party's scribbled-tree logo in the corner of their profile picture. To date it has 38 supporters.

However, Tory leader David Cameron is unlikely to join Twitter, let alone sign up to the Twibbon scheme, given his comments this week on Absolute Radio's 'The Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show'.

Asked about Twitter by O'Connell, Cameron said: "Too many twits might make a twat." He later apologised for his use of the swear word.

The gaff prompted Labour's Prescott to write about it on his party's grassroots blog Go Fourth, while some commentators think the quip was planned by Cameron.

In the piece, Prescott asserted that Labour is a progressive party embracing social media. He called on Cameron to: "Get on Twitter, open up, and be yourself."

Other parties also have Twibbons. The Green Party's Twibbon has 2 supporters and the Communist Party's has 11.