Writing the Wrong

More on writing to your MP

The natural first step in any lobbying exercise is to write to the person with the power to resolve the situation.

Letter-writing meetings are often a good idea, because even with the best intentions, people don’t always get around to writing the letter on their own. There are a few things to remember:

• Be polite and stick to the point. It might be frustrating, but you’ll get a far more useful reply.
• Give the person you are lobbying a good reason to listen to you, for example your potential vote?.
• A letter will get more attention than a postcard as it shows you’ve put more effort in.
• Avoid exaggeration as it does more harm than good.
• Keep a file of correspondence, both of your letters and the replies.

Your MP can help you by doing the following things.

• Ask oral questions: these are tabled two weeks in advance to a government department and are drawn by ballot. There is only time for 10 - 15 questions to be answered.
• Ask written questions: they can ask an unlimited number of written questions, usually to get information from a government department. This can be done on your behalf.
• Write to a Government Minister/European Commisioner on your behalf.
• Sign an Early Day Motion (a kind of parliamentary petition).

MPs will answer letters from their constituents before any other, as this is their duty. However, in most cases they will forward your letter to the relevant Minister, government department or party spokesperson and hence you are likely to get a standard reply. Often this reply will have little relevance to the original points that you raised, so it is better to ask specific questions and to inquire about your MP’s personal opinion. Try spreading letter writing around the group with each person addressing only one important point in their letter.

If you don´t get the response you want, don´t just sit there and take it. Pick up your pen, or put fingers to keyboard, and restate your case, if necessary pointing out the errors in the reply.

Contact details

You can find your MP, MSP, AM or MEP’s address through the following sources:

MPs Post: write to them at House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA Or call 020 7219 3000 for their constituency address Full details:Theyworkforyou.com

MEPs Post: write to them at European Parliament UK Office, 2 Queen Anne’s Gate, London SW1H 9AA Or call 020 7227 4300 for their constituency address Full details: European Parliament website

MSPs Post: write to them at The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh EH99 1SP Or call 0131 348 5817 for their constituency address Email: firstname.surname.msp@scottish.parliament.uk Full details: Scottish Parliament website

AMs Post: write to them at National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff CF99 1NA Or call 029 20 825111 for their constituency address Full details: Welsh Assembly website

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