Ideas for Action

Network for Peace

What else can I do?

If you're not into marching or joining a non-violent sit-in (or even if you are), you can still add your voice. You can always write to your MP. Doesn't seem much and anyway, do they take any notice? Well, they do complain if they get over-inundated! See the story below for an example. Having sackfuls of letters on one issue impresses most of them very much, but only if they're individual letters from constituents. So get to it!

This transcript of the debate on the Arms Export Bill that took place in July 2001 shows the usefulness of a few well-aimed letters.

“Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for calling me to make my maiden speech to the House. We are debating a topic of considerable public interest. I say that in particular because the first parliamentary correspondence that I opened when I arrived here four weeks ago was a letter from the Redcar branch of Campaign Against Arms Trade bemoaning the failure to pass such a Bill in the previous Session and asking whether I would support its introduction.

The second letter that I opened four weeks ago was from the Redcar branch of Campaign Against Arms Trade bemoaning the fact that no such Bill had been passed in the previous session and asking whether I would support its introduction.

The third letter that I opened as a new Member of Parliament was from the Redcar branch of Campaign Against Arms Trade. And so on. I replied to all 34 letters, saying that I would support the introduction of such a measure and that, furthermore, I would write to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to commend the Bill to her. So I sent the letters on to her. We are all very pleased to see the Bill, but I think this is an unpromising first step towards the eventual publication of my collected parliamentary correspondence.”

Vera Baird, a newly elected MP, spoke in the Export Control Bill debate because a CAAT supporter in Redcar had encouraged people to write to their MP.

From: http://www.caat.org.uk/campaigns/lobbying.php

Other ideas. Find an overseas peace group to “twin” with. Why not find a group in a town with the same name as your home town, for example?

Search the internet for peace groups and contact them. Let them know what you are doing – and ask them to keep you in touch. Let us know if you have any interesting stories.

198 Methods of Nonviolent Action: http://www.peacemagazine.org/198.htm

Raise My Tax

Do you really want to pay more tax? Would you be happy to pay more if it was for the social good? See http://www.raisemytax.org/ and then write to Gordon Brown.

Early Day Motions

There are usually several Early Day Motions (EDMs) which are worthy of your attention (or rather - your MP's). Write to your MP and ask her/him to support the following EDMs, and to tell you why if they do not. Note that Ministers cannot sign EDMs. To find out who your MP is go to http://www.locata.co.uk/commons/ You can contact your MP via www.writetothem.co.uk

What's an EDM, then? Early Day Motions are tabled by MPs in order to judge parliamentary support for a particular issue. They're not usually debated. It's also a useful tool for campaigners to work out who the sympathetic politicians are (and they're not always the ones you'd think. Oh alright, they usually are!). To find out more see: http://www.parliament.uk/about_commons/early_day_motions.cfm - here you can find a list of who has signed the motions, and which MPs are busiest with tablings and signings. MPs can only sign EDMs whilst parliament is sitting, ie before 20^th July and after 10^th October 2005.

Below are some of the latest relevant EDMs. More will be added throughout the parliamentary session. Check back here occasionally to find out what MPs have been doing.

Please encourage your MP to sign up to the following Early Day Motions. You can contact them by visiting writetothem.com.

See www.theyworkforyou.com where you can use the model letters provided:
CND’s Draft letter for EDM 65: Parliament and decisions over US Missile Defence.
CND’s Draft letter for EDM 72: Nuclear Weapons Convention

EDM 305: Humanitarian Situation in Gaza

EDM 482: Somalia

EDM 232: Imprisonment of Mordechai Vanunu

General notes
Posted letters addressed to MPs at The House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA are most effective and should elicit a written reply. Alternatively, the majority of MPs may be e-mailed via: http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm or www.writetothem.co.uk

Cabinet ministers cannot sign EDMs. Also, if you send a letter to a minister, the letter will most likely be answered by a civil servant. If you wan the minister to see your letter, write to your MP and ask him/her to contact the minister on your behalf.

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