SOCIAL media is revolutionising the way politicians work. But it should only be used for political debate – not for launching questionable attacks on opposition parties.

As shown with Nick Clegg’s visit to Oxford yesterday, political debate can be robust and engaging without resorting to wild accusations and unwise analogies.

It is no wonder there is a climate of political apathy when these squabbles and incidents are played out through social media for all to see.

Modern technology means politicians can reach far more people than ever before but they need to temper that with responsibility. They need to concentrate on the issues at hand and focus on getting their own views across rather than attacking others. Then we might see the electorate returning to the ballot box in greater numbers.