MPs on X are continuing to copy in the accounts of a raft of major charities that have stopped using Elon Musk’s controversial social media platform, research has found.

The number of posts by MPs mentioning charities on X has fallen over the last year, as politicians and charities alike have either quit it entirely or stop using the social media platform for promotion amid concerns around division and the promotion of far-right views.

This has included the departure this month of Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who has also directed her department to no longer use the platform.

I've decided to leave this platform and my Department will too.

A platform originally designed for free speech and expression now favours abuse and misinformation over meaningful debate.

It isn't healthy for our democracy or our communities and I don’t want to support it.

— Lisa Nandy MP (@lisanandy) July 2, 2026

But those MPs using the platform and mentioning charities are still copying in the accounts of those that have stopped posting on the platform, found the research by PoliMontor.

It looked at MPs posts between August last year and May this year, which covers a period where the charity sector X-odus stepped up markedly.

Major charities that no longer use X referenced by MPs include the RSPCA, which states on its X account that “we're currently focusing on our other socials and will only be moderating DMs here”.

Despite no longer being active on X, which was formerly Twitter, MPs referenced the RSPCA’s account 68 times.

Other charities with ‘hibernating’ accounts on X still being referenced by MPs include Cancer Research UK, which last posted in December 2025, Breast Cancer Now, which stopped posting in January, and the British Heart Foundation.

Age UK, Stroke Association, Wildlife Trusts and the NSPCC are among other charities still being referenced by MPs despite putting their X accounts into hibernation.

“While many charities and even ministers like Lisa Nandy have decided to publicly quit the platform due to concerns over abuse, misinformation and a perceived rise of right-wing political content following the change of ownership, hundreds of MPs in Westminster appear not to have noticed,” said PoliMontor.

Its managing director Sam Cunningham added: “With dozens of charities going into hibernation on X, it begs the question will they ever return, and we if not where will they go and how can they best balance taking public positions on the use of social media while engaging increasingly digital democracies and institutions and remaining visible to their millions of supporters.”

Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIN are still being used by charities, such as The Wildlife Trusts, which has flagged up these accounts on its hibernating X account.

We value respect, trust & integrity - so we have taken the decision to fly the nest. For wildlife news, find us here:

Email https://t.co/OieQZbqShA
Facebook https://t.co/uARY4eJGlD
Instagram https://t.co/yezb0lQvsG
LinkedIn https://t.co/Jjbq02rmJM
Threads https://t.co/hA4y8GkBla pic.twitter.com/Wfsx0dpCjn

— The Wildlife Trusts (@WildlifeTrusts) January 20, 2026

Bluesky is also being used more frequently by charities, with research in May last year showing that more than 40 UK charities had left X for this platform over the previous three months.

X's declining importance to charities

PoliMontor found that amid falling use of X, MPs’ mentions of charities declined by 62% between January and May this year.

The most mentioned charities all remain on X. These are the Royal British Legion, Samaritans, Trussell and Parkinson’s UK. All received more than 100 mentions each.

MPs have mentioned the YouGov Top 100 Charities over 2,148 times in the past 12 months, albeit with a decline of 37% compared to the 12 previous months.

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