I became interested in joining Citizens Climate Lobby after attending an excellent presentation on Climate Income (CF & D) in Devizes from CCL activist Dave Waltham in 2019. After Dave’s talk I decided that the best way to get CCL’s message across to our top politicians was to contact my local MP, who is obliged to respond to a letter from a constituent. Researching his website, I was able to find out his general interests and sign up for a copy of his regular Newsletter.

I discovered that our MP, Danny Kruger, had established an organisation helping ex convicts and championed other social concerns before becoming a parliamentarian in 2019. It is a good idea to acknowledge the MP’s particular area of interest when you correspond with them, even if just to say I agree with so and so but not your choice of football team!

Another useful website to refer to is They Work For You where you can find out a great deal about your local MP including their parliamentary roles, committee membership and voting history. The UK Parliament website is useful for checking how a MP prefers to be addressed and their email contact details. For further advice on letter writing you can email [email protected]. If you send an email to your MP please cc [email protected] so we can keep track of who has been written to.

I would suggest a real letter for your initial correspondence, addressed to your MP’s correct title …

The Right Hon Blah Blah, MP

House of Commons,

London,

SW1A 0AA

When writing on any subject do remember to praise your MP and their team for the work they are currently doing. It is helpful to encourage a considered response by asking a question and state that you are looking forward to their response. Unless your MP is in the Cabinet it is worth asking that they pass on your letter to the relevant cabinet member or department such as Alok Sharma or the Treasury Office.

For an opposition MP it may be more realistic to ask them to pass your letter onto the relevant shadow minister. Follow up any communication received as persistence shows that you really care about the issue and want the Government to act on your concerns. The helpdesk can advise on how to respond to replies, especially when the BEIS are trying to blind you with science!

My first letter to Danny was written just under a year ago. A year later, my correspondence, along with a few letters from other Devizes CCL members and lobbying from a local transition group has paid off! Our MP, who had admitted to little knowledge of, or interest in climate change a year ago, has since organised the Wiltshire Climate Summit and frequently fields questions to Alok Sharma!

The photo features me hoping a glacier won’t melt too soon on a (pre-Covid) trip of a lifetime in Alaska!

Good Luck!

Richard Day

CCL Devizes