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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Writing to MPs and/or Ministers

35 replies

SarahJane73 · 13/05/2018 21:17

I've already written to my MP about the proposed amendments to the GRA and am now planning to write to Penny Mordaunt, the new Minister for Women and Equalities.

I've heard other people say that MPs don't read their letters and their office staff will respond - and I'm presuming it's the same or worse with Ministers. I'm just wondering whether, for example, it's worth tailoring letters to the specific interests of the politician concerned – or do politicians never see any of this and just get told some very broad figures on their postbag (e.g. X number of people wrote in favour of self-ID, X number of people wrote against it and similar for the other issues they receive letters on)? Does it actually matter what reasons you outline in your letter or is the number of letters for/against all they take any interest in? Also, does it matter whether you send a letter in the post or email them?

OP posts:
Waddlelikeapenguin · 13/05/2018 23:27

Interested in answers to this too Smile

MSPs list which method of communication they prefer so maybe there is a similar thing for MPs? Having said that I sent letters because I find very formal emails feel awkward to me!

busyboysmum · 13/05/2018 23:55

I think every woman concerned should go and see their MP face to face and ask them if they honestly believe that you can change your biological sex. I went to see my MP who is a Labour MP and came away very reassured. He didn't think you could change your biological sex and he was also very worried about the agenda being forced upon children in schools. I had previously written to him and did not get this impression from him as he was just towing the party line in correspondence however speaking to him I could tell that he was very sensible and very gender critical.

Waddlelikeapenguin · 14/05/2018 00:01

Totally agree busy but that doesnt work with ministers Smile

Original poster
SarahJane73 · 15/05/2018 21:00

Bump

OP posts:
busyboysmum · 16/05/2018 00:01

True. My fault for skim reading 😁

NotNowBernardmonster · 16/05/2018 06:29

I have friends who have worked in ministers offices. Civil servants will have standard agreed lines and draft the replies but the ministers do read (occasionally comment) and sign them - don't bother sending to a Secretary of State though as they delegate to junior ministers.
You're more likely to get a more personalised letter from your MP, though it depends on who that is and as some are better than others.

NotNowBernardmonster · 16/05/2018 06:33

Also makes no difference if it's a letter or an email to a minister - all correspondence has to be replied to.

From my experience ministers rarely read the original letter unless they take issue with something drafted in the reply.

squarecircles · 16/05/2018 06:38

I've got quite a bit of experience of responding to ministerial correspondence and I would never bother writing to a minister unfortunately. See if you could find a like minded MNer in Portsmouth North to write to her as their MP maybe?

ScarletBegonias · 16/05/2018 07:59

In my experience, and speaking generally, ministerial correspondence works like this:

Ordinary members of the public who write to ministers will get a reply from departmental civil servants. Writing to a junior minister rather than the secretary of state gives a slightly better chance of getting a ministerial reply, especially if the junior minister is new and being able to write to people as a minister is still a novelty!

If you can get your MP to write to the minister, they will get a ministerial reply. (Usually from a junior minister but from the secretary of state if the MP is a privy councillor.) The reply will be drafted by civil servants but read and signed by the minister.

So it's likely to be more productive to write to your MP, asking them to raise it with the minister, than to write direct to the minister. MPs don't have to forward your letter to the minister and, if you're writing as part of a campaign, they may already have a standard reply which they'll send you; so personalising your letter in some way, so that it can't be answered just with standard lines, may make it more likely that the MP will pass it on to a minister.

Original poster
SarahJane73 · 17/05/2018 21:48

Thanks for the replies. I've already written to my MP twice - The first time I just got a standard response that didn't address any of the points in my letter. I then wrote back and he wrote to the Secretary of State on my behalf. I then was forwarded a letter from Nick Gibb Minster for Equalities (which again was fairly bland and didn't really address my points...)

My MP seems to be firmly in the pro-self-ID camp (or at least knows it is politically expedient for him to be so). I'm not sure if it's worth pursuing it any further with him. An acquaintance of mine (who is a good judge of character) used to work with him in a professional capacity before he was an MP and didn't have anything positive to say about him. (I can't remember everything she said about him but the words 'slimy' and 'idiot' definitely featured.) He's also Labour and I don't really trust them not to leak that I've approached them on this issue and try to get me sacked (which is a shocking thing to have to say about your political representatives).

I had thought that because there was a new Minister for Women and Equalities that it was worth writing to her - especially as 'the other side' are writing to her. But maybe not?

OP posts:
OlennasWimple · 17/05/2018 21:52

It's never a waste of time to write, even if you get a bland C&P reply back. Ministers do take note of what issues are causing the most letters, even if you are only likely to get a reply from a minister if you go through your MP

Pluckedpencil · 17/05/2018 22:09

Why not draft it, send by donkey and then when it arrives in four months, the next apppinted minister of women and equalties will receive it?
I read somewhere that unusual letters generally get read e.g. a weird shaped postcard in a bright yellow envelope, especially if addressed to their first name rather than Mrs.X.

okdok · 17/05/2018 22:14

I've written to 2 of them about gender. Neither replied.

BingBongSong · 26/05/2018 09:28

I received a "I'd love to stay in touch" GDPR email from my MP, so I wrote an abrupt response asking why he wanted to stay in touch, given that he's ignored my two letters to him.

Received a very quick response from a caseworker asking if I was a constituent (yes) and whether I had sent to the correct postal and email addresses (yes). Caseworker has also requested that I send my two letters again.

I'm going to see my MP in person next week, but could someone help with:

  • Is my MP required to respond or are they ok to ignore my letters?
  • To whom should I ask the MP to pass my request onto? Someone mentioned Minister for Equalities (?), but I want to make sure I get the name right.

Thanks in advance.

ChattyLion · 26/05/2018 16:26

MPs can’t ignore their constituents’ letters. (But they can non constituents- so always include your home address so they know if you’re in their patch) excellent work writing to MPs- at the end of the day it is them that we have to convince.

Waddlelikeapenguin · 26/05/2018 16:37

What do you do if they are ignoring you?
I sent a letter to my MP weeks ago - is follow up by email the best thing?

LongWeek · 26/05/2018 17:24

MPs can ignore constituent letters- they don't have to do anything. But if they ignore constituents they are less likely to get voted in again.

If you send a copy & paste letter you are likely to get a copy & paste reply.

I work for an MP. Every email/letter in gets responded to if its an individual letter. Staff members drafts answer, MP checks, amends & signs.
We aim for 2 week turnaround- preferably quicker.
If you'd had no response for several weeks, I'd chase- maybe sending again pointing out you'd had no response.
Penny mordaunt is minister for women & equalities, and gender is under her responsibilities,

Waddlelikeapenguin · 26/05/2018 17:28

Thanks Long unfortunately he's not a useful MP in general so I'm not surprised - i shall take solace in the thought that someone in his office will be reading Grin

BingBongSong · 26/05/2018 17:35

Thanks for your help. I've resent both communications today, mentioned that in each case I have sent to the correct postal address or email (was asked to check), given my full name and address (again!), and updated with a link to James Kirkup's article about David Lewis.

The email is now a long mess of correspondences and attachments. I have concluded by asking for MP's view on the proposed changes, so that it can inform my view on whether I am comfortable with supporting the Labour party in the future.

ChattyLion · 27/05/2018 01:03

Hope this is helpful
www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-your-mp/#jump-link-4

If you don’t hear back just keep trying essentially. MPs can’t reasonably ignore constituents making reasonable points in a reasonable way, especially on an issue the government has said it plans to consult on.

Cantanker · 27/05/2018 22:01

I've written again, as ignored last time, and cut and pasted the Trans Health Manifesto. If they read that (faint hope) it should help.

BingBongSong · 05/06/2018 22:16

I finally received a reply from my MP, 3 months since I wrote to him originally. It's the same identikit response as all of the others, isn't it? I'm disappointed but unsurprised. Planning on sending a response to tell him this.

Writing to MPs and/or Ministers
Danniz · 06/06/2018 00:06

I've received no response to the 4 email I've sent, to 2 MPs. If it's not something that makes them look good, they just ignore.

BingBongSong · 06/06/2018 00:09

Yes, it took me 3 communications before he deigned to send me a cut and paste response!

J4nice · 06/06/2018 03:30

I don't need to write to my mp I can go and see them 😀 how many of you who right to them actually get to see them face to face to discuss their concerns

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