Political Letter Writing

• It's a numbers game. Local MPs will take action on an issue only if there are sufficient numbers of local residents and, more importantly, their Party members within their Constituency flagging up issues.

• Emphasise the fact that, ultimately, this is a time of international crisis and nothing else will matter if we and future generations all die.

• Make your letter emotive; express how you feel. Your MP is a human being, so maybe you will move them. Think of the children… but also keep it polite!

• Writing to your MP tends to work better if you have a specific request. If they give you a general answer, write back highlighting that original request!

• Keep writing! Some MPs might try to fob you off with a general letter on the environment, sometimes even sending the same letter twice! Don’t let this dishearten you, maintain the pressure and they will be forced to engage with your concerns!

• If you can, try to balance the negative with the positive. If you like some of what your MP has said or done for your local area, or something to do with national politics, then say that! But remember to bring it back to your original point of concern.

• Try not to mention Extinction Rebellion. MP's may not support 'brands'. MPs are far more likely to respond if your concerns are individual. By all means, copy from this document, but make sure the impression your MP will get is that you are simply a concerned resident, and not some troublesome activist out to save the world!

• Organise with other sympathetic groups to produce a petition. 5,000 signatures are needed at County level to ensure a subject is debated.

• Join a local MP's Party to have more of a say; you won't have to vote for that party, come the General Election!

• Find out about the human behind the MP. Their special interests will be on their website, on their social media account, on government websites. Attend events they are invited to and strike up conversation. You and your topic will be remembered because of your personal, emotional impact. This means they are less likely to reject or deny your information in this non-confrontational situation.

• Without stalking (which is a crime!), try to discover their daily routine. Make sure leaflets are dropped within sight of the venues they visit regularly, such as food banks, churches, clubs and so on.

• Support each other more by duplicating letter writing efforts, or inviting allies along when a politician is known to be speaking somewhere, such as invitations to local community assemblies, or if you get involved in hustings.

• Natural collaborators can come together more through shared passions, rather than shared distress. Find out more about relationship building.

• Set up Working groups around lobbying through leisure activities you are involved in: Golf, Caravans, Gardens, Allotments, Wine Clubs, Swimming (this is how the 'Dirty Water' Campaign can be supported, for instance).

• Share information you have about your work on politicians with fellow lobbying groups to minimise duplication and share the load...

MP: The government’s current plans on climate change, to become carbon neutral by 2050, are ambitious enough to stop the climate crisis.

You: The government’s own Committee on Climate Change recently found these steps to be inadequate for tackling climate change. A 4 degrees rise in temperature, rather than a 1.5 degrees rise has been predicted, which would be devastating.

MP: Next year, the government’s 10-Point Plan will put £1 billion into insulating homes and buildings to make them more eco-friendly.

You: To bring all housing up to scratch and combat fuel poverty we need a 10-year programme, with much greater investment.

MP: The government is planning to create 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028.

You: We need to fit at least 10 million heat pumps by 2030 to prevent climate disaster.

MP: The government has promised to quadruple offshore wind power.

You: The government has failed to address that onshore wind and solar power is being held back by a planning regime biased against it.

MP: The government is investing an extra £200 million in carbon capture projects.

You: Great, but this should not be used to supplement continuous use of fossil fuels. Even if we could capture all the carbon dioxide at the point of use (which we cannot at the moment), fossil fuel extraction still releases lots of greenhouse gases. The government needs to address this.

MP: The government is promoting more active travel, with an investment of £5 billion over 5 years.

You: Brilliant, but we are still far behind countries like the Netherlands and Denmark, and our current plans do not put enough money in. We should be spending £2 billion a year on cycling alone, and not relying on electric cars which still clog up our towns and create some carbon pollution through electricity, as well as air pollution through particulates.

MP: There are considerable benefits to the UK economy from coal and there is potential for the creation of many high-skilled jobs.

You: Science and the government’s own plans show that such things can be done with renewable energies like wind and solar too. Jobs and climate can go hand in hand, if the government wants them to.

MP: The government is investing in other forms of clean energy, like hydrogen and nuclear.

You: But the government has not addressed whether hydrogen will be produced from natural gas or not. The government’s commitment to invest £525 million in nuclear energy is both expensive and dangerous, compared to renewable energy, hydrogen, and batteries. Furthermore, the government has recently allowed a new coal plant to be built in Cumbria, which seriously undermines their commitment to clean energy.

MP: That coal plant in Cumbria reduces the amount of carbon in terms of taking coal to the steelworks.

You: But should our steelworks still be reliant on coal? The Executive Director for Economy and Infrastructure has said that "This would be expected to remain the case until more environmentally friendly methods of steel manufacture and transportation are developed to be commercially viable." That suggests that, rather than building a new coal plant, we should be developing more environmentally friendly methods of steel manufacture and transportation that are commercially viable, rather than opening a new plant to deal with short-term costs. This is sort of thinking is meant to be at the heart of current government policy regarding climate change.

MP: The coal plant in Cumbria was a local decision. The Housing Secretary may ‘call-in’ planning applications but only in situations where the application conflicts with national policy in significant ways.

You: Does this suggest that the government's plans to spearhead a green economy are not significant enough for national action? That is not the attitude I would expect from the government regarding this crisis, especially as you have already declared a climate emergency.

MP: The government has plans to support greener energy usage in the maritime and aviation industries.

You: This does nothing to deal with frequent fliers, who will need to be dealt with to meet the government’s own carbon reduction goals.

MP: The government plans to plant 30,000 hectares of trees every year.

You: This is half of the trees that are needed.

MP: The Climate & Nature Bill is unrealistic in its goals.

You: The bill’s goals are 100% realistic, and have been largely approved by the scientific community. There is the potential for a wartime level of mobilisation, certainly possible if governments around the world act now.

MP: The Climate & Nature Bill will be disruptive to the economy and society.

You: The disruption faced by human society from climate change is far above any short-term disruption from adopting the goals in this bill. Hurricanes, flooding, refugee crises, these are all issues which are already being felt by the impact of climate change and this will get much worse if the goals of the Climate and Nature Bill are not carried out now.

MP: The Climate & Nature Bill threatens the economy, putting many people who work in the energy sector out of a job.

You: Saving our planet could easily go in hand with getting people back to work by creating new jobs in the 'clean' energy sectors. Also, the economy will not matter so much if everyone on planet earth is dead.

MP: The idea of a Citizen’s Assembly is unnecessary and does not work.

You: The climate crisis will affect ordinary people so ordinary people deserve to have a say. Ordinary people can have a say on the right way forward via an advisory Citizens’ Assembly. A recent Climate Change Commission video presentation accompanying the release of the Sixth Carbon Budget Report (which can be found online) has argued that such a move would give the public a chance to express their views after being provided with sound information not available from other sources. This is nothing radical. Citizen’s Assemblies are a tried and tested means for governments around the world to hear the public consensus on certain controversial matters. They have already been used in the UK to decide on issues within the NHS, and in France a citizen’s assembly on climate change recently published its first formal report to great public approval. It was also used to help resolve the question of abortion legality in the Republic of Ireland. The public is clearly lacking confidence in the government’s actions on climate change, and consulting the people on this matter in an impartial way will resolve this.

Make sure you have done your research and approach with a specific ask (eg. Support the Climate & Nature Bill or for them to take action against local sewage problems.)

Another ask may be to forward it to Ministers in relevant departments, such as the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial strategy (BEIS), Department for Transport (DfT), Department for Environemnt, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), or meet with you to talk about it further.

• Manage your expectations, it takes time to build a relationship of trust.

• Manage your emotions! Don’t let yourself get angry or overly frustrated, stay calm and firm in your arguments.

• Appeal to their good nature: ‘I know you care about protection of the environment, our ancient woodlands, our beautiful coastlines etc’ Do they have kids? What do you have in common?

• Try not to come across as a typical sort of person they might have prejudice against (e.g. ‘hippy’, angry leftie) Remind them ‘as your constituent…’

• Find something you agree on - Wanting to reduce plastic? Wanting Government to give Local Authorities more money to support their own Climate Strategies? Once you have established where you’re both at you can then expand from there.

• Do your research on them - try to understand their position.

Common reasons they may not be supportive:

• They support some of our aims but not XR itself nor civil disobedience of any kind. The most common reason right wing MPs oppose us is that they see stricter climate policy as inevitably meaning much higher taxation and regulation, and enlargement of the state (which to them means more bureaucracy, unaccountable quangos, bigger government and more state power)

• They don’t actually understand climate science.

• They are very wrapped up in other priorities: economic affairs, trade, industry laws. They will be trying to do good in some direction or another - find out what that is and empathise on it.

• They are privy to lobbyists telling them lies: climate not that bad, we are terrorists etc.

• They genuinely believe they are doing the best we can, eg. 2050 is the only realistic target for net zero.

• They believe UK is already leading on climate action in the world, and China, Russia and USA are the real problems.

• They do understand climate science but are cynics - its coming, we won’t be able to stop it anyway, we just have to carry on as we are etc.

• They believe in scientific solutions and investing in these - electric cars etc. For example: believers that planes will become fully electric support airport expansion because electric planes will need longer runways!

• They have an ultimate, deep down, instinctive sense of entitlement, ownership, property etc - ‘Whats ours is ours, whats yours is yours - where you’re born is just bad luck’ etc.

• When talking about migration increasing because of climate - and how it could be the UK thats hit by a natural disaster and that have to ask for help and refuge. (HARD Tory response is often - ‘well we would deserve other countries to take us in given what we have done for them….’ Be prepared for statements like this, don’t be shocked. Allow silence - reflect it back to them.)

Make sure you include:

• Why the climate and ecological emergency is so important to you.
• Why you think they should support the Climate & Nature Bill. This might be because passing the C&N Bill ensures that:
  • our entire carbon footprint is taken into account (including all of the emissions linked to the production and transport of goods from overseas that we consume in the UK
  • we don’t depend on technology (NETs) to save the day as an excuse for inaction
  • we focus on nature as much as climate, protecting and conserving habitats in the UK and internationally on supply chains
  • citizens are central to deciding how to move forward, in a Citizens’ Assembly with real teeth

Critics of the Climate & Nature Bill may claim that the UK has recently held a Citizens’ Assembly (CA) – Climate Assembly UK – and there’s no need to hold another one. Don’t leave this unchallenged!

Climate Assembly UK, whilst recently giving an interim briefing about the post-COVID recovery with some positive findings, has no binding powers. In other words, it has no teeth. It also has the fixed objective of how to meet carbon net zero emissions by 2050.

In contrast, the CA proposed by the C&N Bill:

• Has the twin objectives of addressing the climate and ecological crises.
• Has “bite” ,meaning that recommendations with significant support within the Citizens' Assembly (at least 80% of members) must be incorporated into Government policy.

Is not constrained by a target date for carbon net zero, ensuring action is based on scientific urgency and not political viability. The proposed CA will consider how the UK ensures it does its fair share to avoid going over critical rises in global temperature. In essence, it will be answering these questions:

• What do we need to do to meet our pledge of 1.5°C in the Paris Agreement?
• What changes do we need to make to get us there?
• How quickly must those changes happen?

Note: These letters refer to the CEE Bill or the CE Bill. These are both previous titles of the Bill now known as the Climate and Nature Bill.

1- General email asking a local MP to support the Bill

Dear Mr Burghart,

The science is clear. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is clear. Putting it into somewhat colourful language: the world is maxing out on its CO2 credit card and leaving it to future generations to pick up the escalating bill.

This country made commitments through the UN Paris Agreement to act to limit our CO2 production in order to make our contribution to keeping the rise in global temperature to below 2 degrees C, with an aim at below 1.5 degrees C. We agreed on the need for us to move faster than some other countries.

We are not meeting those commitments.

A Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill will be introduced to Parliament with the aim for us to live up to our commitments and to limit the damage to the world and to future generations of runaway climate heating.

I urge you to endorse and support this bill.

In making your decision on your support for this bill I ask you to: look beyond the horizon of the current government, look beyond the horizon of your career as a conservative MP, and look to the horizon of what the world will be like to live in for your children and their children, and so on. Thank you for taking the time to read this email and I look forward to hearing from you that you will support this bill.

Yours sincerely

XXX

2- Example email: Extreme weather, Carbon footprint and example of action taken in a news article.

Dear James Cleverly MP,

I write to ask you to support the CEE bill, I am one of your constituents..... and have been in contact with you about several matters during your time as my MP. We are consuming way too many resources for what the planet can provide and we are seeing the effects of global warming and more extreme weather in August along with 37 degrees for several days and now cold weather and rain for the bank holiday. I could list far more devastating impacts of how our western culture has wiped out species and habitats, but it’s too painful to provide examples, we need action on rectifying the damage. If we do not act with more swift and directed action we will be eaten up by nature. Therefore, I am asking you to support the CEE Bill, which includes passing the CEE Bill to ensure that:

Our entire carbon footprint is taken into account, including all of the emissions linked to the production and transport of goods from overseas that we consume in the UK. We don’t depend on technology (also known as NETs) to save the day as an excuse for inaction. We focus on nature as much as climate, protecting and conserving habitats in the UK and internationally on supply chains. Citizens are central to deciding how to move forward, in a Citizen's Assembly with real teeth.

I was so happy to read this newsletter (https://mailchi.mp/5f024edea73f/welcome-to-cens-newsletter?e=d0338c2bc0), filled with good news and real action on ways to help solve this crisis and restore faith in your party. But sadly you are not in it. When will you be?

Thanks and Regards

XXX

3- Example to Conservative MPs

Dear Mr Howell,

It is vitally important that you support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill, written in close partnership with, and backed by prominent scientists, lawyers and academics. This is a hugely important issue in the Henley constituency and many of us are extremely worried that nowhere near enough is being done about the increasing climate crisis. We need your support for the Bill. Your various additional governmental positions increase your ability to go down in history as helping create the change that we need and want.

The Bill will ensure the UK delivers the serious, emergency plan vital to do everything needed to halt critical rises in global temperatures and the subsequent increased devastating consequences, that we are already sadly witnessing globally, including in our constituency. The CEE bill would mean that the UK would have to take responsibility for its entire carbon footprint as well as actively conserving and restoring the natural world, and promoting green economic growth that is fully compatible with capitalism, as well as reducing the cost of the NHS by improving the population’s health. It will ensure the Government acts with urgency - as well as involving people from all walks of life in the process via a Citizens’ Assembly.

A new Alliance has launched to advance the Bill, backed by prominent scientists, lawyers, academics and activists including those who led the successful Climate Change Act campaign in 2008, as well as increasing numbers of MPs. Are you willing to represent Henley constituency by supporting the Bill? Plans are being made to introduce the Bill as soon as possible. If you do want to find out more information or support the bill you can get in touch with the CEE Bill Campaign at political@ceebill.uk, and/or see https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PRO_OhRvRTYzf5JHM8os53wwQGtn37TT for further details.

Thank you for your time. Please research the facts and then support this vital bill. Sincerely,

4- Another example to Conservative MPs

Dear ZZZ,

It is incredibly vital that you look into and support the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill, contributed to by leading economists, climate and environmental scientists, lawyers and academics. This issue is hugely important to Henley constituency, with key information from leading scientists around the world as well as the University of Oxford. We are facing the 6th mass extinction including loss of species within our own constituency. Flooding has started to cause trouble in the area, as has ill-health from the air pollution, food insecurity from chaotic climate, and this is just the beginning if we do not act now. We need you to support the CEE Bill. You have held such a variety of governmental positions, which increases your ability to go down in history as someone prepared to do what is needed.

The CEE Bill will ensure the UK delivers a serious, emergency plan vital to do everything needed to halt critical rises in global temperatures and the subsequent increased devastating consequences that we are already sadly witnessing across the world and even in our own constituency.

The CEE bill would mean that the UK would finally take responsibility for our actual carbon footprint as well as actively conserving and restoring the natural world that we all get so much from, and relied upon during the pandemic. The bill would promote green economic growth that would allow us to rebuild our economy in a way that is fully compatible with true capitalism and conservative principles, as well as reducing the cost of the NHS by improving the population’s health. It will ensure that this and future Governments acts with the necessary urgency - as well as involving people from all walks of life using a Citizens’ Assembly that is informed by scientists, health professionals and economists.

An increasing number of MPs are backing this bill. Are you willing to do the same?

If you wish to find out more please kindly get in touch with the CEE Bill Campaign at political@ceebill.uk, and/or see www.ceebill.uk for further details.

Please research the facts and then support this vital bill on our behalf.

Sincerely,

XXX

5- Example email replying to an MP who simply stated the bill should not have been a presentation bill, and that there is time to see what happens before it is due to be heard

Dear ZZZ

Thank you for your reply. I am confused that your reply focuses on the method used to raise the CEE bill, since presentation bills can, as I am sure you know, be taken up by government and moved forward quickly into law (e.g. the Protection of Birds (Amendment) Bill). The 2008 Climate Change Act, was also a presentation bill, and although it took longer to become law it was such a success it was copied around the world; surely the Conservative party would like such recognition too!

The content of the CEE bill and the increased quantity of scientific and economic understanding of the climate crisis surely show that we cannot let the presentation method of a bill dictate its success and speed. The wealth of research and opinions from leading academics, economists, scientists and big-business leaders arguing that delivering net zero carbon is an “environmental necessity and an economic opportunity” leading to a “stronger, more resilient economy” surely should not go ignored! Many business leaders have stated in the May 2020 essay collection “Delivering Net Zero”, that the government “can show real leadership” on this issue (this specific quote is from the CEO of Heathrow).

The government have made promises, but does not seem to be taking this issue as seriously as required and it is behind on numerous self-set target, most specifically shown by the economic “boosts” chosen during this pandemic that are mainly polar opposite to the “green recovery” shown to be necessary by economists and academics alike. Economic reports (such as from the Smiths School) as well as guides from the CFRF and Bank of England clearly show the climate change poses significant financial risks that increase the longer we dally on this vital issue. This is also at a time when there are increasing links between the climate crisis and pandemics. The CEE bill could help avoid another health and economic crash such as we are currently experiencing.

I notice that your email does not suggest whether you support the bill either in the whole or in part. Are there elements of the bill that you do support and could push to be included in government strategy? What are you doing as the representative for our constituency to address this urgent crisis? The CEE bill is still in development, and you could contribute greatly to make it successful and achieve the necessary goals.

Thank you for yourtime, I look forward to hearing back from you,

Sincerely,

XXX

Email written and used by XR Bangor, XR Cymru (Wales).

You can use these templates to write to your MP supporting a ban on peat extraction.

Example 1

Dear (MP)

It is great to hear that at last moves are being made to stop peat extraction. The industry has totally ignored the voluntary phase out by 2020, as previously agreed. They haven’t even been putting the % peat content on the labels of bags of compost to enable buyers to make a choice. Please tell me you will support the banning of peat and peatlands rewetting to reduce carbon emissions and for wildlife.

Yours …

Example 2

Dear (MP)

I am delighted to learn George Eustice is starting a consultation to bring peat exploitation to an end – it is long over due.

Please assure me that he will include the Cambridgeshire Peat Fens and rewetting of these.

The “Great Fen Project” near Ramsey has long been stalled, incomplete and sadly unable to operate as was planned. It would serve as a pilot project for further rewetting and needs to be run as intended. Please could you lobby for this to be given priority.

Yours ……

Example 3

Dear (MP)

Hurray! The Government is actually going to stop peat exploitation. Or - is this just another round of green wash prior to COP26? A paper exercise to be forgotten as soon as November’s conference is over?

Please tell me that the Government is genuinely intent on stopping peat extraction and that the consultation is just about setting the terms for winding the industry down and restoring peat land. Given that the industry agreed to a voluntary phase out by 2020 which it failed to honor, its end must be in sight, surely?

Please tell me you will support the stopping of peat extraction – this is so important in reducing green house gas emissions and for wildlife.

Yours …

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing with great concern about the actions of the Metropolitan Police last night and more generally across the whole of this round of Extinction Rebellion protests. From the start of this action, the Metropolitan Police have tried to dissuade people from joining these peaceful protests, aimed at pushing the government to take critical action to prevent the climate catastrophe which has already started. Statements put out that appear intentionally vague or designed to deter people from joining the protests, have included:

1. A written threat in advance of the protests citing Coronavirus regulations that did not apply to their action

2. A notice issued on the eve of Rebellion that appeared to effectively ban protest across London. Following a legal challenge by Extinction Rebellion lawyers, the Met backed down, blaming a misunderstanding

3. A threat to impound the lightship “Greta” under conspiracy laws

There have also been reports of disproportionate and aggressive arrests, and lets not forget that Extinction Rebellion was of course infamously included on a list of extremist ideologies under the Prevent programme.

Last night on Lambeth Bridge, a critical mass of around 200 cyclists were kettled by the police, leaving them unable to get out, and they were then rounded up and arrested en masse. Their bicycles were also confiscated. This is a misuse of police power and is clearly illegal.

This action has clear echoes of a 2012 protest when 182 protestors were arrested for supposedly straying too close to the Olympic Park. This was also found to be illegal and the police were eventually forced to compensate everyone who came forward afterwards. Extinction Rebellion's successful Judicial Review against the Met’s policing of their October Rebellion last year cost the public tens of thousands of pounds – in processing illegal arrests and High Court costs – and exposed it to further costly false imprisonment claims.

The Extinction Rebellion Legal team is working on a case for those arrested last night and when it is found to be illegal, once again tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayer money will be spent compensating those that were arrested. Is this a good use of public funds, stemming as it does from an entirely avoidable and illegal action by the police?

The legal right to protest is enshrined in the British constitution and I urge you to urgently ensure that the Metropolitan Police stop trying to shut these protests down and instead fulfil their role of protecting the right to free assembly.

Many thanks for your time, I look forward to your reply with interest, hoping that will be soon given the urgency of the matter.

Sincerely,