1. 2 33 Jackie Gatward Kate Hudson Vera Kelsey This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by members of the CWU Women’s Advisory.

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Jackie Gatward• Kate Hudson • Vera Kelsey

This presentation and guide to lobbying has beencreated and compiled by members of the

CWU Women’s Advisory Committee:

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Lobbying locally

What is lobbying?Lobbying is the practice of individuals and organisations trying to influence

the opinions of MPs and Lords. Methods of lobbying vary and can range from sending letters, making presentations, providing briefing material to Members and organised rallies.

Use councillors at meetings and surgeries to help campaign on improving policies for local residents and the community

Who is my local councillor?Find out which ward you live in

Visit your local council’s website and enter your full postcode

Information should give the names of councillors for your ward and their contact details

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Exercise 1: Lobbying locally

What is lobbying?Go to the website www.writetothem.comand type in your postcode – this

will provide information on all your local representatives and which political party they stand for:

Your local councillor

Your county councillor

Your Member of Parliament

Your Member of European Parliament

Choose a representative from the list above and learn more about them using the following websites:

www.theyworkforyou.com

www.theguardian.com/politics

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Local councillors

Put government programmes into action

Form policies to improve the lives and opportunities of residents in their communities

Represent residents effectively as they can

Being seen to be on the side of residents

Ensure council delivers public services to the best quality

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

How they do it

Attend local events

Advocate for local residents

Help residents through casework

Campaign on local issues

Attend council meetings

Monitor council performance

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Areas of involvement

Crime prevention

Nurseries

Schools

Homes and housing

Transport and the local economy

Local licensing

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Getting in touch

Write to them

Visit the surgeries of local MPs and councillors

Phone them

Email them

All this information should be available on council websites

Local papers may provide surgery times and venue

Attend local community council meetings

Attend council meetings in council chambers

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Exercise 2: Finding information

One of the first things you should do before lobbying your MP is to find out more information about them – for example:

Who are they?

How to contact them

What policies and values do they support?

Do they agree with your own views and opinions?

Local papers may provide surgery times and venue

Here are some websites you can use to help find the information that you will need:

www.writetothem.com

www.theyworkforyou.com

www.theguardian.com/politics

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Lobbying MPs

What is lobbying?Using the right to meet your MP as one of their constituents

The MP should regard you as a constituent, whether you voted for them or not

They represent constituents’ interests

It doesn’t mean they have to agree with you

It does mean that they should listen and be prepared to pass on your viewsto government

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Parliament

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Parliament is responsible for approving legislation and new laws. Government introduces most plans for new laws, or changes to existing laws – but they can originate from an MP, Lord or even a member of the public or group. Before they can become law, both the House of Commons and House of Lords must debate and vote on the proposals.

Introducing legislation

•Bills normally introduce new laws. Bills that deal with more political or controversial issues usually begin in the Commons.

Defeating and delaying legislation

•To become law the text of a Bill must be agreed by both Houses. Either House can vote down a Bill in which case it will normally not become law – but there are exceptions. The Commons can pass the same Bill in two successive years, in which case it can become law without the agreement of the Lords. Bills which are only about money (raising taxes or authorising government expenditure) are not opposed in the Lords and may only be delayed for a month.

Royal Assent

•The reigning monarch has to approve all new laws – called the Royal Assent – but this is a formality as in practice it is not withheld. Royal Assent was last withheld in 1708 when Queen Anne refused a Bill to settle the Militia in Scotland.

•When a Bill is given Royal Assent it becomes an Act of Parliament. It is then the responsibility of the relevant government department to implement that law (eg, the Home Office will deal with new Acts relating to immigration).

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Lobbying and petitioning – what’s the difference?

• On a very simple level, the public lobby their MP or a Lord directly but petition eitherthe House of Commons or House of Lords as a whole.

Lobbying is an attempt to influence the opinions of MPs and Lords on specific subjects.

Petitioning is making a request to the House of Commons to take action on a specific issue, which is presented to the House by an MP, often on behalf of their constituents.

• Procedure for petitions in the Lords but it is very rarely used.

• Lobbying is the practice of individuals and organisations trying to influence the opinions of MPs and Lords. Methods of lobbying vary and can range from sending letters, making presentations, providing briefing material to Members and organised rallies.

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

All-party groups – what are they?

• All-party groups are informal, cross-party, interest groups that have no official status within Parliament and are not accorded any powers or funding by it. They should not be confused with select committees, which are formal institutions of the House.

• There are a great number of all-party groups. They cover many and diverse fields such as health, education and transport. Some exist to foster links with other countries and parliaments, others to address a particular issue, and a couple exist mainly for social reasons (eg some sports groups). Some all-party groups have existed for many decades whereas others come and go in response to issues of the day.

• All-party groupsare essentially run by and for Members of the House of Commons and House of Lords. Mostly they are run by backbenchers, though ministers may also be officers or members of all-party groups and many groups choose to involve individuals and organisations from outside Parliament in their administration and activities.

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Meeting your MPs

You should use a meeting to try to influence their views

Persuade them that many other constituents share your concerns

Ask them to pass on your concerns to the government

Ask them to take appropriate action to show they support you

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Best days to meet MPs at Westminster

Tuesday, the House sits from 2.30pm

Wednesday is Prime Minster’sQuestion Time at 12 noon – catch your MP

around 3.30pm onwards

If you have a pre-arranged meetingwith your MP with specific time and venue just attendthe meeting as arranged. Remember to bring evidence

of your appointment and letter of confirmationfrom MP

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Disabled access

If you are disabled, phone the Sergeant at Arms officeat the House of Commons – they will advise

on procedures for entering the building:

020 7219 3000

Ask for the Sergeants Office.

Some parking for disabled is allowed, but this needs to be verified with the Office.

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Meeting your MP at Westminster

• If your MP has agreed to meet but you have no detail of where or when you will need to queue – outside St. Stephen’s Gate

• Main entrance to Houses of Parliament (opposite The Green)

• This area is policed with tight security – police will only allow 100 people including lobbyists and other visitors in to central hall at anyone time

• Once passed through ‘airport style’ security, you proceedto Central Lobby

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

The Central Lobby at Westminster

• To the left side of the Lobby is a reception desk staffed by officials– go to this and ask for a ‘Green Card’

• Fill in your name address and the purpose of your visit and the MPyou wish to see.This is important – WHY?

• Desk staff will take the card and send officials to find the MP you wish to see

• You wait in Central Lobby and will need to listen out for your name to be called over loudspeaker

• Keep alert as the Central Lobby can be overcrowded

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

The Central Lobby at Westminster

• If you have a free tour with your MP, having forewarned them you want one, this is a good opportunity to raise any issues that you have

• Ensure you have a side of A4 or note pad with all points clearly highlighted

• You can also attend any debates in the House – also ask your MPor contact their office for a ticket to Prime Minister’s Question Time

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

MPs surgeries

• All MPs hold surgeries in their constituencies

• Dates, times and locations are advertised in advance

• Find this information by contacting their office or by going to the MPs website (CLASSROOM EXERCISE)

• All constituency members can have free tour of Houses of Parliament with their MP (booked in advance)

• Prime Minister’s Question Time – each MP has two tickets every week – contact their office so they can book you in (FREE)

• MPs can table or sign Early Day Motion (EDM) –in writing, ask themto table and sign an EDM

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Constituency calls

• A quick phone call to your MP’s office can be more effective than a letter

• Introduce yourself as a constituent, providing your postcode or address. Ask to speak to your MP directly – don’t be surprised if you get a memberof staff instead

• Ask pointed questions

• Ask for a commitment to action

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

What is an EDM?(Early Day Motion)

• An Early Day Motion (EDM) is a term used for a notice of motion given bya Member of Parliament, for which no date has been fixed for debate.

• EDMs exist to allow MPs to put on record their opinion on a subjectand canvass support for it from fellow MPs.

• The primary function of an EDM is to form a kind of petition that MPs can sign.

• EDMs are used for reasons such as publicising the views of individual MPs,drawing attention to specific events or campaigns, and demonstrating theextent of parliamentary support for a particular cause or point of view.

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

EDM rules

• EDMs have a strict format. Each one has a short title, like 'Internet Gambling', and a sentence no longer than 250 words detailing the motion.

• Although there is very little prospect of EDMs being debated, many attracta great deal of public interest and frequently receive media coverage

• EDMs must abide by certain rules about their subject matter

• EDMs may only criticise other MPs, Lords, judges or membersof the royal family if that is the main subject of the motion

• No reference should be made to matters before the courts

• No unparliamentarily language or irony should be used

• Titles must be purely descriptive.

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Signatories

• In an average session only six or seven EDMs reach over two hundred signatures. Around seventy or eighty get over one hundred signatures. The majority will attract only one or two signatures.

• An EDM is not likely to be debated even if it gains a large number of signatures.

Who will not sign?

• The following people in Parliament normally will not sign EDMs:

• Ministers and government whips

• Parliamentary Private Secretaries

• The Speaker and his deputies

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Has your MP signed an EDM?

• Check whether your MP (for they do work for you!) has signed any EDMs, which ones and whether their apparent interests represent your own, is a good thing for you to do to get a little involved in the democratic process. You will find that the personalities of MPs come to the fore here– some are notoriously grumpy about EDMs and never sign any, whereas others throw their favours around rather indiscriminately. Which categoryyour MP is in, or do they pick and choose?

• http://www.parliament.uk/

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EDM examples:Future of the USO, EDM 818

• FUTURE OF THE UNIVERSAL SERVICE OBLIGATION

• Session: 2012-13

• Date tabled: 05.12.2012

• Primary sponsor: Weir, Mike

• Sponsors: • Durkan, Mark; McCrea, Dr William; Ritchie, Margaret;Shannon, Jim; Whiteford, Eilidh

• That this House expresses its alarm that the regulator, Ofcom has failed to registerthe dangers to Royal Mail's provision of the universal service obligation; notes in particular,that Ofcom has allowed the introduction of delivery competition without putting into placeany safeguards to ensure that Royal Mail can fund the universal service, in the event of theloss of a substantial amount of delivery work; further notes that Ofcom has placed noobligation on competitors to meet Royal Mail delivery standards, or even to publish detailsof delivery performance in a manner accessible to customers and the public; and therefore calls on the regulator to reconsider its decision and ensure that Royal Mail is not subjectedto unfair competition in delivery provision.

• www.parliament.uk/edm/2012-13/818

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

EDM examples: Tackling dog attackson post men and women, EDM 822

That this House notes the increasing number of dog attacks on postmen and postwomen in the UK; is concerned by the frequency of attacks on workers and a lack of appropriate action in response; further notes that Royal Mail estimates that over 3,000 postmen and postwomen were attacked between April 2011 and April 2012; believes that no postal workers should face increased risk and fear of dog attacks because of their profession; further notes that England is soon to be the only part of the UK without updated dog laws; welcomes the findings of an independent inquiry led by former High Court judge Sir Gordon Langley into this issue; further welcomes Royal Mail's announcement that it will take a more robust approach to suspending deliveries to addresses where dog attacks occur and actively pursue legal action; and calls on the Government to support postmen and postwomenand the wider public by introducing tougher legal sanctions against the owners of dangerous dogs. Valerie Vaz MP

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EDM examples:Closing the Loopholes,

EDM 959

As a result of the CWU's successful Agency Action Day, branches will be interested to learn that Jim McGovern, Labour MP Dundee West, has laid down an Early Day Motion (EDM 959) as follows:

“That this House notes and understands the Close the Loophole campaign by the CWU which seeks to end the use of the Swedish derogation used by many UK companies to bypass the promoted equality of the Temporary Agency Worker Directive (TAWD) agreement which sought to end decades of unequal treatment towards temporary workers; also notes the pay between assignments practice used by agencies which appears to go against the general spirit in which the TAWD was agreed; and calls for the Government to work towards the closure of loopholes that allow the exploitation of agency workers.”

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Information for Wales

• Assembly Members are elected by the people of Wales. They represent public interest as well as individuals living within the constituency or region in which they have been elected to serve a term of office.

http://www.senedd.assemblywales.org/mgMemberIndex.aspx

• You can write to Ministers at the postal address below or email them at the appropriate email address listed below. Each Minister’s biographical details page lists the devolved matters for which the Minister has responsibility. If matters are not listed there then this means that they are not devolved to Wales and remain the responsibility of the UK Government in London.

http://wales.gov.uk/about/cabinet/writingtoministers/?lang=en

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Information for Scotland

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/

• We produce publications that explain how the Scottish Parliament works; that encourage public participation and involvement; and that help people to get the most out of their visit to the Parliament building. All of our publications are free and many are available in a range of languages and formats.

The 'How the Scottish Parliament Works' series

• Leaflets that explain what the Parliament can do and how it works

The 'Who Represents Me?' series

• Leaflets that explain why people who live in Scotland have different types of representation, and that clarify the role of the Scottish Parliament.

The 'Get Involved' series

• Leaflets that encourage public participation and involvement

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Information for Northern Ireland

http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/Your MLAs• Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) are elected by, and represent

the people of, Northern Ireland. MLAs pass laws and examine policy on transferred matters like health, education, the environment, social work and housing. They scrutinise the work of Ministers and hold departments to account.

Find your MLA• Search MLAs• Breakdown of Assembly Membership• Locate your MLA• MLA Email contact details• MLA Constituency Office contact details

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Information for the Republic of Ireland

About the Oireachtas• Ireland is a parliamentary democracy. The National Parliament (Oireachtas)

consists of the President and two Houses: DáilÉireann (House of Representatives) and Seanad Éireann (the Senate) whose functions and powers derive from the Constitution of Ireland enacted by the People on 1st July, 1937.

• The Houses of the Oireachtas are situated at Leinster House, Dublin.

• The establishment of the petitions system enables greater citizen interaction with the parliamentary system on matters of general public concern or interest. Politicians may not themselves submit petitions but otherwise there are no restrictions on who can submit a petition.

• Only one signature is needed to submit a petition.

http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/about/contact/

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Tips for building relationships with policy makers• Building relationships with decision makers puts you in a good position to advocate for change.

By getting to know your representatives—your MP, MPP, MLA, MNA, city councillors, mayor, reeve or warden—and building a reputation of credibility, you can open doors, now and for the future. Below are some ways to develop a good relationship with your elected representatives.

• Invite your representatives to events that relate to your cause. Show them that there will be thoughtful dialogue, and that neither they nor their parties will be verbally attacked.

• Attend events where your representative will be speaking.

• When you contact your representative about an issue that concerns you, follow up later on the progress made or lack thereof.

• Read the local paper and constituent brochures to find out what the representative is doing.

• Engage in thoughtful dialogue with your MP, and show that you want to help her do her job.

• Avoid taking an adversarial tone or engaging in adversarial actions, as this may compromise your ability to have an impact, both now and in the future.

• If you support your representative, get involved politically by volunteering in campaigning for her or working in her local office.

• Make sure that you say “thank you” or “well done” when the representative does something that you like.

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This presentation and guide to lobbying has been created and compiled by the CWU Women's Advisory Committee

Thank you.

We hope this presentation fromtheCWU Women’s Advisory Committeeencourages you to get involved.