Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect my Constituency MP to respond to emails?

50 replies

AlexaShutUp · 24/04/2022 11:52

I wrote to my MP in January. My email was very polite, measured and reasonable. She sent me a generic holding response. I have since sent her two very polite chasing emails. I have had nothing back, other than the automated acknowledgement of receipt. I can see from comments on Twitter that other constituents are also waiting for responses from her on a variety of issues.

AIBU to think that this is unacceptable? My previous MP (from the same party) was a very good constituency MP, and even though I absolutely disagreed with her politics, I knew that I could always rely on her to provide a prompt and personalised response to any communications, even when she had significant ministerial responsibilities to juggle.

The current MP is a backbencher without any additional responsibilities, so I expect her to consider serving her constituents and responding to their concerns as a priority, but it seems that she cannot be arsed. She does, however, seem to have the time to post inane and trivial stuff on twitter.

AIBU to expect a response after 3 months?

OP posts:
chisanunian · 24/04/2022 11:54

Are you putting your full address in the body of the email? I have heard that some MPs don't respond unless the email is from one of their constituents, and shows their address.

You could always try printing the email out, and sending it by post c/o the House of Commons...

Ostryga · 24/04/2022 11:55

Is your MP Chloe Smith by any chance? I’ve had more luck shouting my issues to the slugs in the garden tbh.

Original poster
AlexaShutUp · 24/04/2022 11:56

chisanunian · 24/04/2022 11:54

Are you putting your full address in the body of the email? I have heard that some MPs don't respond unless the email is from one of their constituents, and shows their address.

You could always try printing the email out, and sending it by post c/o the House of Commons...

Yes, I have included my full name and address. Good idea to try posting it.

OP posts:
Original poster
AlexaShutUp · 24/04/2022 11:56

Ostryga · 24/04/2022 11:55

Is your MP Chloe Smith by any chance? I’ve had more luck shouting my issues to the slugs in the garden tbh.

No, it isn't. Sorry to hear that there are other equally useless ones.

Might try addressing my concerns to the slugs instead....

OP posts:
Redshoeblueshoe · 24/04/2022 11:57

I'm still waiting for a reply from mine, usually she responds fairly quickly. The last proper reply was also the exact same response that another mumsnetter received, but as mine is standing down at the next election I think she just doesn't care any more.

Pushkinia · 24/04/2022 12:18

I’ve tried several times to contact my MP by email and post - he ignores everything! He’s always getting his photo in the local paper but very poor at responding to constituent concerns, (unless there’s a photo opportunity in it for him, I presume!)

chisanunian · 24/04/2022 12:21

It is an utter waste of time trying to contact my MP. She's about as much use as a cardboard fishtank.

Bluevelvetsofa · 24/04/2022 12:23

I can’t even get a local councillor to respond. He’s very good at posting pictures of himself litter picking in the area, but when it comes to things that are directly affecting the residents- nothing.

SamphirethePogoingStickerist · 24/04/2022 12:28

Mine is lining himself up for another tilt Al Leadership so he is sending out HoC letterheaded communiqués willy nilly at the moment.

Original poster
AlexaShutUp · 24/04/2022 12:28

It's terrible that so many are doing such a poor job. Wtf are they doing if not working for their constituents?

Our old MP worked very hard, and I genuinely respected her efforts even though I hated her politics. She was at least in it to serve, even if her ideas about how to do that differed from my own.

I think we need better accountability for our representatives. 5 years is a very long time to wait before we get the opportunity to kick them out.

OP posts:
notanothertakeaway · 24/04/2022 12:32

I contacted my MP once. Didnt even receive acknowledgement of my email, or the reminder. I wasn't impressed

Original poster
AlexaShutUp · 24/04/2022 12:46

So one person thinks I'm being unreasonable so far. I'm now wondering if my MP is on MN.

OP posts:
Useranon1 · 24/04/2022 12:54

You do realise it's not your MP responding to emails? It's one of their constituency office staff (used to do this job!) so more likely they're under staffed for some reason and there's a backlog. Doesn't make it better for you, but any answer you actually get won't be from them.

Pissyduck · 24/04/2022 12:59

My MP never sends personalised responses. If you've emailed about something lots of people have you will get a copy and pasted generic response sent by one of his staff. If it's anything that needs a specific reply you will hear nothing.

He doesn't really do much at all as far as I can see. Looking at his voting record, he doesn't even turn up to most of the votes!

Palavah · 24/04/2022 13:01

I would contact the chair of the local party/constituency association

Original poster
AlexaShutUp · 24/04/2022 13:05

Useranon1 · 24/04/2022 12:54

You do realise it's not your MP responding to emails? It's one of their constituency office staff (used to do this job!) so more likely they're under staffed for some reason and there's a backlog. Doesn't make it better for you, but any answer you actually get won't be from them.

Yes, I am well aware of that, but it is still the responsibility of the MP to manage their office and ensure that constituents' needs are met. If there is a backlog, then they need to find a way of dealing with this.

Frankly, if she spent less time posting pointless shit on twitter, then she could probably deal with some of the correspondence herself. Or if it is a staff member posting pointless shit on twitter on her behalf, maybe their efforts should be redirected to something more purposeful.

OP posts:
Original poster
AlexaShutUp · 24/04/2022 13:06

Palavah · 24/04/2022 13:01

I would contact the chair of the local party/constituency association

That's a good idea, might try that.

OP posts:
TimBoothseyes · 24/04/2022 13:18

Mine's in rehab. Mind you he never answered emails anyway.

PAFMO · 24/04/2022 13:21

It will be because the civil servant who answers her mails is off sick or something.
In another life I worked at the Home Office ploughing through MPs' mail. It's all generic answers cut and pasted anyway unless it's something juicy that will put said MP in a good light.

SkiingIsHeaven · 24/04/2022 13:24

Contact them on their Twitter account telling them (and everyone else) how long you have waited for a response.

Original poster
AlexaShutUp · 24/04/2022 13:25

PAFMO · 24/04/2022 13:21

It will be because the civil servant who answers her mails is off sick or something.
In another life I worked at the Home Office ploughing through MPs' mail. It's all generic answers cut and pasted anyway unless it's something juicy that will put said MP in a good light.

Yes, I get that there are lots of cut and paste answers, and yes, possibly they are short staffed. However, in my role, if I have staff off sick, I have to find alternative ways of ensuring that responsibilities are fulfilled. I can accept that sickness might delay things for a couple of weeks, but I have been waiting for 3 months. At the very least, I would expect a blanket email apologising for the delay. Simply ignoring correspondence isn't good enough.

OP posts:
balalake · 24/04/2022 13:26

Unless you are being abusive and unpleasant in some way, then I would expect a reply from them or their office. Mine responded within a week when I highlighted an issue in the constituency.

Original poster
AlexaShutUp · 24/04/2022 13:26

SkiingIsHeaven · 24/04/2022 13:24

Contact them on their Twitter account telling them (and everyone else) how long you have waited for a response.

There are lots of other constituents who have already made that point on Twitter. She hasn't responded to any of them online.

OP posts:
Original poster
AlexaShutUp · 24/04/2022 13:28

balalake · 24/04/2022 13:26

Unless you are being abusive and unpleasant in some way, then I would expect a reply from them or their office. Mine responded within a week when I highlighted an issue in the constituency.

No, I wasn't in the slightest bit abusive or unpleasant. I don't agree with her politics but I have no wish to descend into rudeness. Even my chasing emails have been polite and courteous.

I wouldn't blame MPs for ignoring abuse or bile.

OP posts:
PAFMO · 24/04/2022 13:35

AlexaShutUp · 24/04/2022 13:25

Yes, I get that there are lots of cut and paste answers, and yes, possibly they are short staffed. However, in my role, if I have staff off sick, I have to find alternative ways of ensuring that responsibilities are fulfilled. I can accept that sickness might delay things for a couple of weeks, but I have been waiting for 3 months. At the very least, I would expect a blanket email apologising for the delay. Simply ignoring correspondence isn't good enough.

Show quote history

But it's what happens.
Member of public sends mail
MP's staff look at it
They have a list usually of stuff MP wants to see/things that should be flagged/things to send to someone who can actually deal with it in a govt department
The fact you got what's known as a holding pen answer means probably it's on some civil servant's intray (shelf) marked general/non urgent.
The civil servant will answer it in the MP's name and send it out.
Eventually
The MP will probably never have seen it even if their signature is on it.