Writing to the House of Commons
How many times do you email your MP each year? Once? Twice? More often?
S/he is your representative, and it is crucial that you get your points across….
There are 22 MPs in the North East (16 Labour and 6 Conservative) and one of these is YOUR representative. Please write now, asking him / her to stand up for the NHS.
Please check out our Action page here for details about our current campaigns and include these in your email, ask for a pledge of support, add specific questions, mention that you are a supporter of KONPNE, provide your name and address, specifically request a reply and copy us in (konpnortheast@gmail.com)….
It is very straightforward – and CRUCIAL that your voice is heard.
15 minutes, twice per year….but, working together, we can make a difference.
There is a list of local MP email addresses on our Links page here; alternatively, you can find the name and email address of your MP by entering your postcode here.
Writing to the House of Lords
When writing about a Bill, it is useful to note that there are around 188 cross-bench peers who sit in the Lords – targeting this group to gain their support for crucial amendments is often a good strategy. These peers are not aligned to a specific political party.
DOs –
Be respectful regardless of your feelings about the House of Lords or peers.
Speak from your personal experience and from beliefs that most people would hold (not solely from left-wing ideology).
Keep your email short and warm – praise whatever good work they have done and draw on any association you may have with where they are from.
DON’Ts –
Don’t be conspiratorial and don’t impute evil intentions on politicians, NHS leaders or businesses – it gives them a reason to ignore you.
Don’t relate to them as though they are your representatives, but as though they are good-faith people who have a responsibility to do the right thing.
Write a short and warm email to up to five House of Lords peers (see reasons below), by following the following steps –
a – Clarify the Bill or issue that you are writing about. Also, tell them that your email is not part of any mass emailing, but your personal email to them because you care about this issue.
b – Inform them why this issue is important to you (eg: very briefly, in one or two short sentences, describe your or your family NHS treatment or eg your work in the NHS)
c – Tell them why you think they will do the right thing. Do a quick google search on your peer, and identify one or two of his / her interests. Alternatively, click on https://www.theyworkforyou.com/ to find one good thing about your peer. Adding something positive allows them to feel like they’re appreciated (NB Do not spend long researching this – a cursory mention is all that is needed to personalise the email a little eg: “I am aware that you are a very well known member of the Lords, and that you have experience in and have demonstrated your interest in educational, environmental and health matters. I know that you speak out on a range of important key issues, and I am sure that you agree that the future of the NHS is a key and fundamental issue for us all”. )
d – If appropriate, provide specific information on the Amendment number, or how you wish for them to vote
e – Thank the Peer, tell them that you hope to hear from them soon, and sign off
f – If available, enclose a briefing document
g – Hit send….. and job done **Please note two technicalities: please send your emails separately (the House of Lords email system blocks mass mailings of over 6) and if your Peer(s) has a generic House of Lords email address (contactholmember@parliament.uk), then please add FAO (and then name your Peer) in the subject box of your email.
h – email us at konpnortheast@gmail.com – let us know about your contact, and the response from the Peer
Click here to read the article from Green Peer Natalie Bennett re the Parliamentary process and hints on writing to the Lords
KONPNE are grateful to Johnbosco Nwogbo at the national campaign group “We Own It” for guidance on the email content – this is much appreciated. More about the “We Own It” organisation is here
Register of Members’ Financial Interests
The main purpose of the Register is to provide information about any financial interest which a MP has, or any benefit which he or she receives, which others might reasonably consider to influence his or her actions or words as a Member of Parliament. Click here to read.
Donations and loans to regulated individuals
For information from the Electoral Commission regarding donations and loans, click here
Thankyou
Thank you @EmmaLewellBuck (South Shields) for your support to the NHS in the North East over many years – with a special mention of your work and commitment to the Save South Tyneside Hospital Campaign
and
Thank you @KateOsborneMP (Jarrow) for supporting the #SOSNHS coalition from the start.
konpnortheast.com 