Creating a mandate for action.
The UK Government needs a mandate in order to make polluters pay for the climate crisis. The UK Government needs to know there’s support for tackling the debt crises in low-income countries if it is to take action.
Whilst petitions, marches and rallies are all good tools for making change, it's engaging with your MPs that is key to creating this mandate. They report back to party leaders what their constituents are saying, which in turn shapes a party’s priorities and messages.
As Chi Onwurah, MP told us “MPs are most influenced by local people. If you meet with 8 or 10 constituents who are interested in a particular issue, you can be sure that represents many more who don’t get involved”.
Why would my MP want to hear from me on global issues?
We get asked this a lot. It’s understandable. With the cost-of-living crisis and so much going on at home, it’s easy to think the people that represent us don’t have time to focus on the systems and structures that create global poverty. But it’s not really about time, it’s about creating that mandate for action – which only happens when you (their constituents) tell them what you care about and what you want them to do.
All our elected political representatives have a responsibility to represent our interests and take our concerns to government. And we have the power to raise our concerns and hold our representatives to account.
So, what about the Restore Campaign?
During the general election, the Labour Party promised to rebuild Britain’s reputation on international development through respectful partnerships with the global South, and to lead on global climate action – but then, once in power, they cut the aid budget.
If we want to see the UK Government live out this promise, it’s vital to engage with our MPs and let them know that we care about poverty and that we want to see global leadership.
We need you to ask your MP to call on the UK Government
- to make polluters pay for the climate crisis
- and to introduce new laws that can help tackle the debt crisis
We’ve seen that it works!
Since last year's general election, campaigners up and down the country have been breaking bread with their local politicians kick-starting conversations about global poverty.
During the recent Christian Aid week, campaigners in Lewes met their MP online, fundraisers in South Molton organised a coffee morning with their MP and Christian Aid groups have got their MPs to attend the Christian Aid Week Parliamentary reception.
Over the last few decades our biggest successes have come about through consistent engagement of politicians by local constituents. Whether that’s raising the issue of tax dodging to the top of the political agenda in 2013, the passing of the climate change act in 2008 or the cancellation of billions of dollars of debt in 2000.
We’ll let Richard tell you, he’s a campaigner based in London who has built a few relationships with his MPs over the years.
Here’s the advice he shared with others at our recent Restore campaign workshop:
- Remember your MP is a human just like you
- Do your research and find out about what they’re interested in
- Rehearse your pitch – what’s the key thing you want them to remember/do
- Always leave the door open – if it’s a no this time, when can they make it in the future?
- Be creative – there’s all sorts of ways we can build relationship and influence our politicians.
“It’s important for us to engage our politicians as a church as we have a responsibility to speak for those not spoken for by the powerful and overlooked” - Richard Smart, Campaigner.
If you’re interested in learning more, join our next Faith into Action session “Getting your MP to say yes” on June 16.