An open letter to mp's and members of the lords

the more people who do similar the more chance we've got of at least being heard.

Delta has done a huge thing by starting Thunderboat where this kind of thing can be mulled over.

Writing to MP’s and the like can be effective as a drip-feed process, and that relies on numbers and repetition, plus at least one or two of those targeted whose interest may be sparked – whether in the subject itself, or as a hook to make a mark for themselves. Most of the time it will be whistling in the wind, but you can be certain that without letting them know your concerns, they will not know either of your concerns and/or the depth and extent of them in order that they could take some action – so it is always worth putting your oar in, even if only for the knowledge that you at least raised your voice, even if it made no difference.

Then again, even when knowing you will lose a fight – why should your opposition/target win without one?

The one thing also, with writing in to MP’s especially when matters are the subject of Parliamentary debate, is that it will go on record. Anyone can go through, for example, personal letters and reports sent in by individuals and organisations contributing to debates over the past waterways bills, and see who has contributed, and what, and see how law and policy has been influenced. That alone can be – just maybe, sometimes – of value to future debates, even when of only marginal value at the time.

I found it extraordinary, as an example, just how much interest was engendered by the almost lone voice of Panda when trying to affect the Public Bodies Bill, swamping every MP and the Lords with representations from the NBTA. Attending Lords committee debates, hers were the single most referred to concerns that I heard, over the proposed transfer to CaRT, by a good number of speakers – as you can read in the Reports and transcripts – and even though in very minor ways, they helped influence certain aspects. The concerns expressed also, even when failing to make an immediate impact, can be seen as accurately prescient worries for future MP’s to refer back to.

She made sufficient impact to be invited with Nick to attend a meeting with the Waterways Minister of the time, which I attended, and that alone made some impact. Things could have been so much worse without their contributions.

If nothing else, contributors can continue to inveigh against present problems, knowing that they had done all they could to prevent those, rather than face legitimate accusations that they had sat back and allowed matters to reach their present state in silence.

I myself have written to the then PM; Prince Charles as Patron, and all the Lords on the initial oversight committee, with my own report on the first years of the new custodians, and have had questions raised in Parliament. I cannot say that I made a damn bit of difference, and mostly I was either ignored or sent polite brush-offs, but if ever any investigation takes place, the record stands as potentially useful background to inform future committees. You cannot legitimately whinge if you have made no effort to inform, and to participate in the Parliamentary process either directly or through media.

Jenlyn mentions individual MP’s who have approached the CaRT executive on their own initiative, and those can only have learnt of concerns from those with them. So well done Kris [and all who stick their oar in, in many different ways]; it may be a drop in the ocean, but oceans are made up of those.

Thanks for a very well written post Nigel, I'm under no illusion about the effectiveness of writing to politicians, but if the alternative is do nothing them I'm not up for that.
It's funny I was reading the parlimentary papers about the transfer of functions. It's hard work for me though, all the legal documents.

And it's a Hudson, so clearly a man of good taste.

No it bloomin' isn't!

Rog

Nick , fuck off.