The Independent has published a list of the Top 100 UK Twitter users. However, they don’t seem to be listed in order of activity or followers. The numbers listed in the index are all messed up…Perhaps the list is ordered in terms of ‘political kudos’? Who knows. If anyone can summarise the methodology used by PeerIndex, please leave a comment below this story…

The ‘Top 100 UK Twitter users’

1. SARAH BROWN – Campaigner (Tweets as SarahBrownUK)

The wife of the former Prime Minister has been recognised for some time as “the first lady of Twitter”.Read More

PeerIndex rating 93
Authority 95
Activity 69
Audience 99
Follows 5,992
Followers 1,124,391

2. RICHARD BACON – Broadcaster (Tweets as RichardPBacon)

With 1.3 million followers, the BBC Radio Five Live presenter is one of the most followed figures in the UK media…Read More

PeerIndex 92
Authority 95
Activity 58
Audience 99
Follows 3859
Followers 1,314,316

3. EDDIE IZZARD – Comedian (Tweets as eddieizzard)

Former transvestite comedian whose wardrobe has mellowed as his ambition has broadened.Read More

PeerIndex 89
Authority 93
Activity 69
Audience 99
Following 132
Followers 1,743,188

5. UMAIR HAQUE – Economist

Director of the Havas Media Lab, blogger for the Harvard Business Review and author of The New Capitalist Manifesto…Read More

PeerIndex 80
Authority 74
Activity 94
Audience 96
Follows 261
Followers 97,620

6. RUSSELL BRAND – Comedian (Tweets as rustyrockets)

The Essex-born comic and dandy has done much of his recent tweeting from the US, where he is busy making movies with Helen Mirren and being married to Katy Perry.Read More

PeerIndex 79
Authority 79
Activity 35
Audience 99
Follows 53
Followers 1,770,006

7. TINCHY STRYDER – Musician (Tweets as tinchystryder)

The self-styled “Star in the Hood” merges the banal and the inspirational in his Twitter output…Read More

PeerIndex 78
Authority 45
Activity 63
Audience 90
Followers: 191,248
Following: 218

8. HILARY ALEXANDER – Fashion director (Tweets as HilaryAlexander)

Those who consider the Daily Telegraph an authority on style mop up the musings of its fashion team via the feed of its doyenne, Hilary Alexander.Read More

PeerIndex 76
Authority 69
Activity 82
Audience 97
Follows 603
Followers 131,072

8. ZEE M KANE – Technocrat (Tweets as Zee)

The editor-in-chief of The Next Web epitomises the Twitter appeal of the techno-guru.Read More

PeerIndex 76
Authority 70
Activity 97
Audience 87
Follows 2,658
Followers 23,861

10. FEARNE COTTON – Radio presenter (Tweets as Fearnecotton)

The Radio 1 pop-presenter has no doubts about the best way to get through to her target youth demographic.Read More

PeerIndex 74
Authority 23
Activity 34
Audience 99
Follows 193
Followers 1,311,540

11. GRAHAM LINEHAN – Comedian and actor (Tweets as glinner)

Comedy treasure whose feed is a treasure-trove of artsy and political links.Read More

PeerIndex 74
Authority 66
Activity 87
Audience 95
Followers: 82,043
Following: 1,345

12. DUNCAN BANNATYNE - Entrepreneur (Tweets as DuncanBannatyne)

The Scottish businessman – a long-term resident of the BBC’s Dragons’ Den …Read More

PeerIndex 72
Authority 66
Activity 66
Audience 98
Follows: 186
Followers: 252,694

12. FELIX SALMON – Financial journalist (Tweets as felixsalmon)

Bridging the gap between precision journalism and statistical rigour on one hand, and, on the other, being a rather approachable, funny bloke, Felix Salmon is one of Reuters’ star bloggers.Read More

PeerIndex 72
Authority 66
Activity 89
Audience 84
Follows: 747
Followers: 14,215

14. IMOGEN HEAP – Musician (Tweets as imogenheap)

One of the first musicians to use social networking to increase her profile and audience, the singer-songwriter now has 1.5 million loyal follower …Read More

PeerIndex 72
Authority 71
Activity 26
Audience 99
Follows: 33,567
Followers: 1,468,629

14. JEMIMA KISS – Technology journalist (Tweets as jemimakiss)

Part of the technology team at the Guardian, Kiss specialises in media and …Read More

PeerIndex 71
Authority 64
Activity 89
Audience 86
Follows: 565
Followers: 19,568

14. ALAN SUGAR - Entrepreneur (Tweets as Lord_Sugar)

The plain-spoken Apprentice boss speaks more plainly than ever when he’s tweeting ..Read More

PeerIndex 71
Authority 65
Activity 59
Audience 98
Follows: 38
Followers: 265,553

14. MIKE BUTCHER – Technology guru (Tweets as mikebutcher)

Editor of TechCrunch Europe, Butcher has been called “king of dotcom commentators”.Read More

PeerIndex 71
Authority 64
Activity 89
Audience 86
Follows: 3,918
Followers: 19,805

18. BEN GOLDACRE – Doctor and science writer (Tweets as bengoldacre)

Bestselling author, full-time doctor, and “Bad Science” correspondent for the Guardian, Goldacre is a “zealot for evidence based thinking” .Read More

PeerIndex 70
Authority 61
Activity 85
Audience 95
Follows 534
Followers 83,415

18. DON TAPSCOTT – Writer and speaker (Tweets as dtapscott)

The co-author of Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything Tapscott is a sought-after consultant and commentator …Read More

PeerIndex 70
Authority 63
Activity 89
Audience 86
Follows 3,535
Followers 20,494

20. JOHANN HARI – Journalist (Tweets as johannhari101)

Award-winning commentator for i and its sister paper, The Independent, Hari isn’t afraid to stand up to ideological bullies…Read More

PeerIndex 69
Authority 61
Activity 80
Audience 89
Follows 583
Followers 34,679

20. TIM HARFORD – Business journalist

22. RICHARD DAWKINS – Scientist and author

22. ALAN RUSBRIDGER – Newspaper editor

22. RIO FERDINAND – Footballer

25. DAVID MITCHELL – Actor

25. KRISHNAN GURU-MURTHY – Broadcaster

25. RORY CELLAN-JONES – Journalist and broadcaster

28. BRIAN COX – Scientist

28. PAUL STAINES – Political blogger

28. JONATHAN ROSS – Broadcaster

28. ROBERT LLEWELLYN – Actor

32. CORY DOCTOROW – Blogger

32. JIMMY CARR – Comedian

32. PAUL WAUGH – Journalist

32. ROBERT PESTON – Journalist and broadcaster

32. ROGER HIGHFIELD – Science journalist

37. SASHA WILKINS - Fashionista

37. SIMON PEGG – Comedian

37. SUNNY HUNDAL – Blogger

37. BORIS JOHNSON – Politician

37. LILY ALLEN – Musician

43. EMILY BELL – New media guru

43. INDIA KNIGHT – Journalist

43. LUCY P MARCUS – Businesswoman and campaigner

43. FAISAL ISLAM – Journalist

47. ARMANDO IANNUCCI – Writer, producer, director

47. DAVID BRADLEY – Scientist and writer

49. TIM BRADSHAW – Digital media journalist

49. ALBERTO NARDELLI – Digital entrepreneur

49. DOMINIC CAMPBELL – Social media expert

52. HENRY WINTER – Football journalist

52. SUSANNA LAU – Fashion blogger

52. IAN POULTER – Golfer

55. ALAN CARR – Comedian

55. JOSIE LONG – Comedian

55. PAUL MASON – Journalist

55. THEO PAPHITIS – Entrepreneur

55. TIM MINCHIN – Comedian and composer

60. CHARLIE BECKETT – Journalist and broadcaster

60. MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE – Comedian and broadcaster

62. MARINA DIAMANDIS – Musician

62. MARY PORTAS – Retail consultant and broadcaster

62. OLI BARRETT – Entrepreneur

62. PIERS MORGAN – Broadcaster

62. ROBERT ANDREWS – Digital media expert

67. ALASTAIR CAMPBELL – Author and diarist

67. DR EVAN HARRIS – Science campaigner

67. IAN BETTERIDGE – Technology journalist

67. SUNDER KATWALA - Political activist

71. ALEKS KROTOSKI – Academic, journalist

71. DAVID ROWAN – Journalist

71. IAIN DALE – Writer, broadcaster

71. JON SNOW – Broadcaster

71. TOM WATSON – Politician

71. CHRIS MOYLES – Broadcaster

71. JOHN RENTOUL – Political journalist

78. MARTHA LANE FOX – Entrepreneur

78. PETER JONES – Entrepreneur

78. PHILLIP BLOND – Political thinker

81. NIGEL WARBURTON – Academic

81. WILL STRAW – Campaigner and editor

81. MICHAEL ACTON SMITH – Entrepreneur

81. LAURA KUENSSBERG – Journalist

81.HARI KUNZRU – Author

86.EVAN DAVIS – Broadcaster

86.PAUL KELSO – Sports journalist

88. ANNIE MAC – Broadcaster

89. KATIE PRICE – Celebrity

89. CAROLE BLAKE – Agent

91. SAMIRA AHMED – Broadcaster

92. MICHAEL VAUGHAN – Cricketer

93. JACK WILSHERE – Footballer

94. JOHN PRESCOTT – Politician

94. SALLY BERCOW – Speaker’s wife

96.CAITLIN MORAN – Journalist

97.MARK RONSON – Musician

98. DOM JOLY – Writer and comedian

99. LORRAINE CANDY – Editor and fashionista

100. KEVIN PIETERSEN – Cricketer

Read More

This month, the Library of Congress formally announced a plan to digitally store every single tweet ever twittered. Due to it’s use as a news reporting tool and event record, a twitter archive could serve as an fantastic resource for future generations to look back to us and study our social culture.

Twitter processes more than 50 million tweets per day. The Library will receive all public tweets-which number in the billions-from the 2006 inception of the service to the present.

“The Twitter digital archive has extraordinary potential for research into our contemporary way of life,” said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. More »

Hugo Chavez, the current President of Venezuela has joined the rest of us on Twitter despite trying to block the website just a month ago. His political influence in South America (partly due to his use of Venezuela’s oil wealth and his adversarial relationship with the United States) have given him a comparatively high geopolitical profile.

Chavez has not announced what his new account will be, but unfortunately for him it looks like the screen names @hugo, @chavez and @hugochavez are all being used. Chavez said: “I’m going to have my online trench from the palace to wage the battle. I’ll provide information and even respond to my enemies.”

Other heads of state on Twitter include President Barack Obama (with 3.7 million followers!), the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, although ironically Twitter makes the extra effort to verify the accounts of western leaders (a service that isn’t available to dictators).

I was watching the news this morning (unusual, I know) and they were discussing the power of social networking as a tool for winning votes.

Apparently there is the apathetic age band of 18-25 who are the ones the main parties in the UK are after.  Most are busy having fun, at uni, on the dole, or generally just not interested.  But after the Obama’s election in 2008 which used every social media under the sun, the UK politicians are keen to keep up to date and so are now faceboooking, tweeting or youtubing in aid to connect with that apparent care free slice of society.

So with the election looming we will see the usual newspaper, television and radio campaigns but along side that we will have stories of a tweeting Gordon Brown, a David Cameron Facebook group and maybe if we are lucky, an amusing youtube video of Nick Clegg having a skateboarding accident.

It doesn’t surprise me at all and I wouldn’t be too surprised either if ‘micro payments’ start to emerge via a Conservative In-App purchase or Labour widget with games on…

But all this technology isn’t all bad… Surely hearing the mundane from the Prime Minister is a good thing… What I worry about though it that it won’t be the actual leaders tweeting but rather a marketing agency just making it up to fit a certain campaign which is a shame as simple tweets about the rubbish cheese sandwich the prime minister just had does make him more human, more approachable and more likely to get my vote.

Got a boring background on your Twitter account, or are you just not able to do what you want to it? Well this new application TwiBack allows you the user to do so many different things to your background you won’t know where to start!!

The options that are available to you include:

You can set the Twitter background for your birthday date and it will appear right on the selected date and time!

Upload your photos to Twiback and they will load automatically, each day, month, week or even each hour! You don’t need to waste time on it anymore!

Rotate your pictures to make your page look even better!

We’ve recenly joined at Twittercounter.Com

What is it? On the site you will see the progress of your twitter account on a daily basis, Monthly Basis by showing statistic on a graph form. You can also see the status details of account, numbers of followers, joining date etc.

what is more interesting on this is the Prediction, They were able to predict your future number of followers the next day, After a month and Twitter Rank,, Mine is Twitter Rank (top 100): 347,047 very bad!! i might include someday at their most popular Twitter users.. anyway look furtively, on what i am telling you about. Presenting my Twittercounter

Check it out at http://twittercounter.com/

Find out which of your Twitter updates made people follow or leave you. Simply enter your Twitter ID in the following form.

Simply enter your twitter name and they analyze your 200 latest updates and flag those up that made people follow or leave you.

Of course there are more factors that make people come or go, but it is an interesting indicator about the effect your tweet might have had on the world.

TweetEffect is a test – you could call it a hack to try out some of the Twitter API functionality mixed with free Yahoo and Google services. Maybe this will go places, maybe it won’t.

Check it out at http://tweeteffect.com/

**STAR APP OF THE MONTH**

SCREENR – Instant screencasts for twitter:

Create up to five minute screencasts for your followers as you tweet.  Each video is ready to tweet in seconds and uses a web based recorder meaning you do not have to download.

The recording software works on both PC and Mac and plays everywhere on the web including iphones!

And the best thing is that its totally FREE!

Twitnest

Its hard to describe what twitnest is… you have to see it for yourself

At first the screen is a blank page and a simple login box.  Enter your Twitter username.  Then watch your nest gather.

• You can zoom in & out on the right side
• Drag anyone around to get a better idea of their connections
• See everyone that connects to each other
• Play with auto-groups (see below)
• Drag the page around to see more

You have types of modes in the bottom right.

• Mouse allows you to drag the page or items on the page
• Who knows whom lets you click someone and it darkens those not connected and highlights those connected
• Autogroup – this cool tool starts shrinking the communities into groups with a slider where you control the size and colors the icons for easier vision

This is an interesting tool that lets you see connections in a different way and visualize their connections

Tweetmixx is a Twitter service brought to you by Mixx.com. Tweetmixx cuts through the clutter of Twitter by bringing content front and center as well as allowing you to focus on topics that interest YOU.

Once logged in you can see all your tweets along with the content which it links to.

Users can also add interests in order to get updates from people from that category, see the top tweets and view the trends on twitter web!

Check it out at http://www.tweetmixx.com/