Contact your candidates

Contacting your MP is the most effective way to get them to listen and to engage in a conversation and debate about your concerns.

The quickest way is to get in touch is to visit the They Work for You website, and follow the instructions.

A longer way is detailed below.

Find your MP

Step 1:  Click here and type in your postcode. This will tell you your constituency.

Step 2:  Click here and search for your constituency. This will tell you the names of the MP in your constituency and how other parties did where you live.

Step 3:  Type the name and party in to Google. This should provide you with their contact details.

Contact your candidates

Step 1:  If you are going to visit your candidates, ring their office and ask for a meeting, or alternatively, a conversation on the phone.

Step 2:  Identify yourself as a constituent and state whether you are speaking as an individual or on behalf of a group. If you manage to get the support of a group (e.g. your church, synagogue, mosque, meeting or community group) this could strengthen your message.

Step 3:  Ask to meet the politician because you are concerned about climate change and global poverty and would like to know what they think about these issues and what action they and their party plans to take.

Speak to your candidates

Step 1:  Choose a particular point to press your MP on. Practice persuading a friend first.

Step 2:  Stick to this point when you speak to your candidates.

Step 3:  If the MP tries to change the subject, politely but firmly bring them back to the topic in hand.

Step 4:  If you give any background material to an MP, keep it short, simple and clear. Alternatively you might direct them to the Vote Global website.

Step 5:  Press them to take an action and write a thank you letter afterwards and re-emphasise your points and their action.

Write to your candidates

If you would prefer to write to your candidates in the first instance, or to email them, you might try saying something like the below.

[Your Address]

Dear…………………..,

I write as a local constituent, very concerned about global poverty and climate change, planning to place my vote at the next election based on who will do the most on these issues.

I am pleased to see that your party has announced that it will stick to the target of 0.7% of national income being spent on aid by 2013.

I hope in the spirit of this, you party will help reverse the flow of funds from poor countries to rich ones through injustices relating to tax havens, unfair trade, illegitimate debt and corruption.  Furthermore I hope your party will avoid poverty becoming permanent by making real efforts to reduce C02 by 40% by 2020, without resorting to offsets.

[Enclosed OR Linked] is a copy of the Vote Global manifesto, which provides a set of recommendations for the next government on international development.  It has been endorsed by more than 150 development charities, including [insert name of your favourite endorsing charity].

I hope these concerns will be addressed by your party, and hope that you will be a champion of these issues.

Yours Sincerely

[Your name]