#55: The TikTok Influencer Making Sense Of Sussex Devolution

– Episode #55

Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Charlotte (@thatisnewstome) – Political content creator

Can TikTok explain local government reorganisation better than official comms teams?

As England undergoes its biggest programme of local government reform in half a century, it is likely that young(ish) people will discovering devolution and council reorganisation through short-form videos on social media rather than official consultation.

In this episode, Richard Freeman speaks with Charlotte (@thatisnewstome), whose TikTok and Instagram explainers have attracted a growing audience by making devolution, council restructuring and local politics accessible, engaging and surprisingly entertaining.

Charlotte explains how she researches complex government proposals, distils hundreds of pages of consultation documents into digestible videos, and why she believes people deserve to understand the decisions that will shape their communities.

Together they explore why Sussex has become one of the country's most intriguing devolution stories. From competing proposals for new unitary councils to debates over Brighton's boundaries, housing growth, local identity and mayoral powers, Sussex has become a national case study in the opportunities, and tensions, created by fast-track change.

If people are learning about major constitutional change from independent creators rather than official communications, what does that say about the future of civic engagement?

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• Why Charlotte started explaining politics on TikTok and Instagram
• Making devolution understandable for everyday audiences
• Why government communication has struggled
• The difference between devolution and local government reorganisation
• Why Sussex has become a national devolution case study
• The politics behind competing council boundary proposals
• Housing, planning and Brighton's proposed expansion
• Why local identity shapes public opinion
• The future role of Sussex's elected mayor
• Whether social media is changing democratic participation

Major constitutional reforms only succeed if people understand what is changing and why. Charlotte argues that accessibility is now as important as policy itself.

Behind changes to councils and elected mayors lie fundamental questions about democracy, accountability, identity and how local services are delivered.

The county's debates over geography, housing, planning and local identity illustrate many of the tensions emerging across England's wider devolution programme.

Communities care deeply about where they belong. Administrative efficiency may drive reform, but people's emotional connection to place remains a significant factor in public debate.

Independent creators are increasingly helping people understand public policy, reaching audiences who may never engage with official consultations or traditional political reporting.

Complex government reform needs clear explanation. Making politics understandable is becoming an increasingly important part of democratic participation.

"People shouldn't have to read 250-page PDFs to understand what's happening where they live."

"Get informed, not overwhelmed."

"Sussex has become one of the most interesting places to watch."

"Politics becomes much more engaging when people can relate it to everyday life."

"This is the biggest change to local government in 50 years."

Charlotte is the creator behind @thatisnewstome, an independent TikTok and Instagram channel dedicated to making politics and public policy easier to understand. Drawing on extensive research into local government, devolution and elections, she produces short-form explainers that translate complex policy into clear, accessible content using graphics, humour and everyday analogies. Her work has built a growing audience interested in understanding how national decisions affect local communities.

Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Charlotte (@thatisnewstome) Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey Production management: Letitia McConalogue

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