E - Petition .22 RF Pistols. Coordinated By Shooting Organisations

[rogcal]

As Wymberley says it may not be a bad idea to write to our MPs and ask them for their view on the subject but I hazard a guess that those views will be tempered by their own personal feelings and also how their constituents may view his/her attitude to gun control and the potential for lost votes at the next General Election.

 

I personally shall be writing directly to the new Sec of State for Culture, Media and Sport and so avoid the need for dealing with my MP (Nicholas Boles) who is one of the most cr*p MPs I have had ever had the misfortune to deal with, due to his love of only those issues that will promote him to the top of the tree and sod any constituent who has an issue that doesn't fit in with his plan to scale the ladder of political success!

[Mark56]

I think it's worth adding that, having spoken to an MP about lobbying before, these petitions - and even emails - are generally quite ignorable, unless there's a huge volume of names behind it. However, if MPs get a handful of letters from people - with clear requests (not asking for their opinions, but sensible requests on what you'd like them to do) backed up with a few gentle positive facts, then it can make quite the difference. Followed up with an arrangement to talk at an MP's surgery, to repeat the point, and it can be a very powerful tool.

 

Personally, I think in the age where there's an e-peition every other minute, then the traditional methods are becoming powerful once again. Well structured letters that they have to reply to, being polite and with a clear request of what you want the MP to do, followed by a meeting - that's a significant step forward.

 

Of course, not every MP will be willing to even listen to anyone but their own voices, but there are some out there who do at least try.

[rogcal]

You make some very valid points Mark and well structured individual letters will carry more weight than the mass produced template letters often used by many campaign organisers.

 

Given my lack of faith in Nicholas Boles (my MP) I have written directly to the Sec State at the Dept of Culture, Media and Sport.

[Mark56]

You make some very valid points Mark and well structured individual letters will carry more weight than the mass produced template letters often used by many campaign organisers.

 

Given my lack of faith in Nicholas Boles (my MP) I have written directly to the Sec State at the Dept of Culture, Media and Sport.

 

I suppose the other option would be, with MPs interested in fame, the chance to get their faces in the local papers. Maybe a photo-op with local young up-coming shooters, as a platform to raise the issue. (That's the other thing I was told - MPs love a photo in the paper, since it raises their profile and shows they're doing stuff.)