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Politicians Are Finally Discovering Instagram

They've figured it out. The key way to win votes is by being normal on Instagram.

It's 2015 and politicians have understood how the internet works. The key to winning votes is Instagram, probably.

Stephen Hammond, the Conservative candidate fighting for re-election in Wimbledon, has figured it out. Hang out with cute animals.

Or talk to people with mysterious objects that could have appeared in Harry Potter.

He should probably give some tips to Conservative party chairman Grant Shapps, who mostly uses his Instagram account to prove he's out speaking to people.

This photo's pretty good, though.

Lynne Featherstone, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Hornsey Wood Green, is starting to get the hang of things.

She just needs to stop posting party posters.

And Labour's shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt exclusively uses his Instagram to show off his political life.

The SNP MSP Humza Yousaf is pretty political on Instagram too. Here he is mocking The Sun for writing about a colleague of his and including a picture of another Asian woman.

The same goes for Conservative candidate for Hertsmere Oliver Dowden. Prime example:

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg is still figuring things out, after joining about a month ago. Someone else is clearly taking all of his photos – which is slightly cheating – but they're pretty great.

But there's plenty of politicians who've figured out how to win at Instagram. Namely, try and forget you're a politician and make people feel jealous about how great your life is.

Because that's how normal people use Instagram.

Check out this sunset from the Labour candidate in Liverpool Wavertree, Luciana Berger.

She gets extra points for Instagramming from a Chvrches gig.

Luke Pollard, Labour's candidate in Plymouth Sutton & Devenport knows it's cool to laugh at himself.

And here's Labour leader Ed Miliband preparing for an Easter Egg hunt with his kids.

Justine Miliband has joined Instagram too, and she's pretty great on it.

James Cleverly, the Conservative candidate in Braintree isn't afraid to show off some skin after getting a hair cut.

Alison McGovern, the Labour candidate fighting for re-election in Wirral South does great with this #throwback.

We thought we'd found our favourite political Instagrammer in Labour MEP for West Midlands Siôn Simon, because he's even included his dog in his Instagram avatar. That's real love.

But then we found the account for Stella Creasy, the Labour and Coop candidate for Walthamstow. It has cats.

More cats.

And she does politics without being patronising.