Campaigning Handbook
How to meet effectively with your elected representative (in person or virtually) Guide for local cycling campaigners Version date: 09 December 2020
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How to meet effectively with your elected representative (in person or virtually) Do you want your Member of Parliament or other elected representative to do something about an issue that’s important to you? Maybe it’s a national matter – insufficient government funds for cycling, say, or the need for stronger legal protection for vulnerable road users? Or perhaps it’s about your local area – a missing link in your off-road cycling network, or plans for a new housing development that don’t even mention active travel? How do you put this on your MP’s agenda? This guide looks at one of the best techniques: meeting them, either virtually or, when social distancing relaxes, in person. Note: for ease of reference, we’re using the term ‘MP’ throughout, but the principles in this guidance are relevant to meetings with all parliamentary/assembly representatives, MSPs in Scotland, MSs in Wales and MLAs in Northern Ireland.
Contents Meeting v writing ................................................................................................................................3 Step 1: research your MP ..................................................................................................................3 Step 2: consider what you want your MP to do and whether they can actually do it ....................4 Step 3: first contact ...........................................................................................................................4 Step 4: arranging to meet..................................................................................................................5 Step 5: preparing to meet .................................................................................................................5 Technology......................................................................................................................................5 Your pitch........................................................................................................................................5 Step 6: the meeting ...........................................................................................................................6 Step 7: after the meeting ..................................................................................................................6
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Meeting v writing So, you’ve identified your cause and want your MP to use their clout to advance it; or, in a new campaigning push, Cycling UK is calling on you to contact them. You could, of course, write a letter or email and leave it at that. Indeed, Cycling UK regularly invites supporters to send off template emails through an automated system that finds your MP for you and dispatches the message in a flash. This approach has its merits: MPs represent their constituents and need votes, so inboxes stuffed with messages from their electorate speaking with one voice can and do lead to action. But there’s a particular challenge for mass letter-writing/emailing campaigns. If every message is a carbon copy of the others, there’s always a risk that MPs will glaze over, not engage and simply start relying on standard responses prepared for them by their central office. Personalising a template in some way helps here – and Cycling UK almost always makes it possible to do this – but it’s sometimes difficult for your MP (or, in practice, their staff) to filter out individual comments from the mass. There is, however, an especially good way to filter yourself out from the mass, and/or to make the mass real for your MP, and that is to arrange to meet them, ask them to act and hold them to it. In the past, meeting your MP face-to-face would entail visiting their ‘surgery’, either by appointment or dropping in. In times of social distancing, however, your only likely option is an online discussion. This is no longer a novelty: it’s now standard practice for MPs to work, meet and communicate remotely. In turn, this means that the human-to-human benefits of seeing and listening aren’t entirely lost.
Step 1: research your MP Before you meet your MP, find as much as you can about them. This kind of research is very straightforward nowadays. These websites will help: • • • • •
www.parliament.uk (Westminster) www.parliament.scot (Scottish Parliament) www.senedd.wales (Welsh Parliament) www.niassembly.gov.uk/ (Northern Ireland Assembly) www.theyworkforyou.com/ (a site that takes open data from the UK Parliament and presents it in a way that’s easy to follow).
You’ll soon learn not only their name, contact/social media/website details, constituency and party, but also their voting record, the questions they’ve asked officially, spoken contributions and any roles and responsibilities. Apart from the basic details, note anything to suggest they have some political leverage over the matter you’re raising, or a personal interest in it. Are they, for instance: • • •
a member of the cabinet/shadow cabinet a minister in a government department (e.g. Department for Transport or Environment) a member of a committee (e.g. on transport or road safety)
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signed up to an all (cross) party parliamentary group (e.g. on cycling / walking, health or air pollution1)?
An MP’s own website might tell you more about their past careers and favourite pastimes. Use this intelligence to your advantage. Barristers may be hooked in by the prospect of legal reviews and reforms, medical doctors by moves to improve public health and physical activity, while genuinely ‘keen cyclists’ should completely sympathise when you tell them how frustrating your local cycling network is. If you can, check through their comments on social media for a feel of their views, if any, on active travel, health and transport infrastructure etc. Most also publish newsletters and press releases, some from their party, others from their office. Browse through them too (you could, perhaps, subscribe).
Step 2: think about what you want your MP to do At this stage, it might be difficult to decide on the best and most realistic scenario for your cause once you’ve alerted your MP to it. But, as you’re after something more concrete from them than simply noting your concerns, opt for one as soon as you possibly can. Depending on your MP, you could ask them to: • • •
Write to the relevant Minister or Secretary of State Ask an oral or written question Raise the subject in a debate, or trigger a debate devoted to it.
Note: see Raising matters in the House of Commons for a helpful run-down on what MPs can and can’t do. If you’re none the wiser, or it doesn’t apply, list and underline ‘further action’ as something to raise with them.
Step 3: first contact Now that you know their email / postal address or discovered how to contact them directly through their website, start composing your first message. When you write: • • •
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Include your full name and address so they know you are their constituent (if you send a message through their website, it’ll almost certainly check this anyway). Keep your message concise, clear and, preferably, focussed on a single topic. Try to make it local and personal, emphasising anything that shows how important it is to you, your family, your friends, your community; and, if it’s a national matter, explain why it applies in the constituency area. Quote everything you can to prove you’re not a lone voice. If possible, link your cause to your MP’s own interests. If their record tells you that they’ve done something supportive in the past, mention it and thank them. Some facts/links/reports/cases can be helpful, but don’t go overboard. (Cycling UK usually publishes a briefing if we’re suggesting you contact your MP on a given subject). Say that you expect them to take action and, if it’s clear to you at this stage, suggest what this is (see Step 2 above). Say that you’d like to meet to discuss the issue. Let them know if you’re planning on inviting someone else along too. Politely, make it obvious that you’re expecting a response.
There are an astonishing number of parliamentary groups at Westminster alone.
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Your email/letter will be a useful written record to refer to later on, so keep a copy of it. Note: there are times when MPs are under extra pressure and/or have an extra-heavy caseload (e.g. during a pandemic). Acknowledge this and remain sensitive to it.
Step 4: arranging to meet Once you’ve introduced yourself in writing, warmed your MP up and asked to meet, it’s time to put something in the diary. If their face-to-face surgeries aren’t operating because of social distancing rules, the only way is to make an appointment to talk to them online. If it’s not clear from their website what the exact arrangements are, ring or email their office to find out.
Step 5: preparing to meet Technology For virtual meetings, check with your MP’s office what system you’ll need and, if you haven’t installed it already, download it well in advance. The most common are: Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, Teams and WhatsApp (all of them free). If you haven’t used one of these platforms before, you may well be surprised to find how straightforward they are both to install and use. If you’ve rarely or never used the facility before, it’s best not to make your maiden attempt in front of your MP. Practise on family and friends beforehand to avoid glitches and mystifying occurrences, paying special attention to how make or pick up a call, mute or unmute your microphone, turn your camera on and off and what the chat-box function offers.
Your pitch •
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You’ll already have prepared your ground for your initial email/letter and, ideally, summarised it for your MP. You may feel, however, that you need to compile further material for the meeting itself. Again, distil it and prioritise it as much as you can. You probably won’t have long – 10 to 20 minutes, typically – so don’t risk running out of time before you’ve covered your punchiest, most crucial points, not least the need for further action. There’s no harm in keeping a reserve list to hand as well, but be disciplined about it. As far as possible, clarify in your mind what you want your MP to do once you’ve met. If you’re undecided/have a choice/not sure if it’s something they can actually do, make a note to discuss this with them. Read through all your notes, along with the list of any questions you need to ask. Their clarity and your grasp of them is vital, and helps boost the confidence. Read through all your supporting documents too – if you haven’t the time to cover a point in detail, it’ll help if you can refer your MP to something relevant. Try to predict what your MP might say or ask you, and think about your answers. If you’ve joined forces with someone else, rehearse with them. You don’t want to disagree/diverge/confuse/keep talking over each other. Decide who’s going to take notes, who’s going to say what, and when you’re going hand over to each other. Double-check the time of your appointment and the instructions you’ve been given. As the meeting nears, you might like to get in touch with your MP’s office to ask if it would help if you sent your first message again. 5
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Step 6: the meeting •
Be punctual but be prepared for a delay – MPs are busy people and sometimes simply can’t appear exactly on time. Introduce yourself and anyone who’s appearing with you. Keep an eye on the time throughout, making your most important points first and ticking them off your list as you go along. Keep watch for anything that lights your MP up or seems to be hitting stony ground. Whatever happens, stay constructive. If your MP goes off on a tangent, nudge them back on track. Don’t go off track yourself. Try to keep to your own script, but don’t be limited by it. Remember this is a conversation, not a formal presentation from you to them. Invite questions. If foxed, don’t fudge. Say you’ll find out and get back to them. Most importantly, thrash out the action you want your MP to take, and leave with a firm agreement, timescale and follow-up plans. Thank your MP for their time.
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Step 7: after the meeting • •
Thank your MP again in a follow-up email. Summarise the content and outcome of the meeting, including what your MP has undertaken to do. Ask any questions that have occurred to you since. Ask your MP to keep you posted. Persevere if nothing happens, holding them to their agreed action. Build on the relationship with regular contact.
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Cycling UK’s tips for meeting your MP •
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Find out as much as you can about your MP first, looking not just for their contact details but for any useful activities, roles, responsibilities, personal interests and views etc. Keep note of any hooks for your pitch. Think about what you want your MP to do following your meeting. Write to them, outlining and explaining your cause, and saying you’d like to meet. Make an appointment, and make sure you understand any instructions. If you’re meeting virtually, install the right platform on your computer and, if you’re new to online video meetings, practice beforehand. To help guarantee that you’ll mention your most important points first, prepare and prioritise your notes/material carefully, and make sure it fits the timeslot. Have all you need at your fingertips. Keep the meeting focussed, constructive and two-way. Don’t go away without agreeing on and confirming further action from your MP, the timescale for it and follow-up plans. After the meeting, send your MP a thank you email summarising the outcome, agreed action and all finer details about it. If no response, chase them for it. Keep in regular contact, building up a good working relationship. This could be the start of something big!
And, finally … Please keep Cycling UK posted, especially if your elected representative is proving to be a supportive ally – we need every single one of them. 6 Version date: 09 December 2020