Write to Your MP

Writing to your MP is a great way to raise awareness. It is their job to make sure your voice is heard in Parliament whether you voted for them or not. They represent their local area and the concerns of local people.

They can:

• vote on issues in Parliament
• write to the government minister responsible for the issue or make an appointment to see them
• ask questions in Parliament (‘Parliamentary Questions’ or PQs) about issues you raise
• ask for a debate in Parliament. A relevant minister will always attend this debate to respond to your MP on behalf of the government

Whilst we can send requests and information to MPs, they are much more likely to pay attention if an issue affects someone in their local area.

As your MP is your elected representative, they can write to a minister on your behalf. This can have more impact than writing directly, as your MP speaks on behalf of tens of thousands of constituents.

Find out who your local MP is using www.theyworkforyou.com Or, call the House of Commons Information Office on 020 7219 4272.

MPs usually have an office in their constituency (your local area), and in Parliament. You can contact them at either office by telephone, letter, or by email. Find your MP’s constituency office address and phone number through www.theyworkforyou.com

Please see our writing tips and template letter below.

• Email or handwritten letter?
  Most MPs prefer emails these days, but handwritten letters really stand out – just think about the last time you received one!
• Include your name and address
  If it’s your first letter to your MP, start by introducing yourself. MPs only listen to concerns from their constituents, so include your address and postcode to confirm they need to listen to you, and so they know where to send a response.
• Make it personal
  Use your own words to explain why you care about this issue. You could talk about relevant facts and figures, explain how this is impacting your local area or include a personal story relating to the issue. This will make your letter more memorable – MPs get sent lots of things from constituents, so you want yours to stand out.
• Ask your MP to do something
  After you’ve explained the issue, it’s important to tell your MP what you want them to do about it. You’ll want to ask them to take action. State how you think they can they help to solve the problem is really helpful.
• Keep it brief
  Be concise and get to the point quickly. Aim to keep your letter short (a page or two, max) and stick to a single issue to make it really clear what you want your MP to focus on addressing.
• Ask for a response
  You should ask your MP to confirm that they’ve acted and clarify what they’ve done in a response to your letter. And if you haven’t received a reply from your MP after a few weeks, follow up via email or by calling their office to check that your letter arrived.
• Say thanks
  If your MP has done something positive, say thanks – they’ll appreciate it!

Please use the following template letter as a guide for your own – remember that your letter will have more of an impression if you add your own personal experiences/feelings on the subject, so please feel free to edit the wording, or simply write your own following our format.

– Write to your MP, Template (General)