Suella Braverman is perhaps the most poisonous member of the cabinet today. Her recent speech — seen by many in her party as an attempt to win the support of the farthest of the far-right in the next Conservative Party leadership battle — was particularly vile. It was welcomed by the “white pride” organisation, the Patriotic Alternative Group — an offshoot of the BNP.
Many people from across the political spectrum would like to see her sacked again. But what can we do?
The answer is surprisingly simple: write to your MP. Many people feel that writing to their MP is either daunting or pointless, but at a time like the present, neither is true:
- When the government is secure, it is true, writing is both dispiriting and often ineffective, and even now you may well not get a satisfactory response — but that is not the point: the point is to rattle them;
- When MPs fear for their personal prospects, writing is hugely effective – it is what finally did for Johnson and Truss;
- Writing is surprisingly easy: it should only take you five minutes and the only thing you need to know is your own address.
Right now, Braverman is threatening some of these MPs’ seats. The polls are already sending a message, and if MPs get a large number of letters from constituents saying “we will never vote Conservative unless Braverman goes now” the message will be unmistakeable.
Do not be discouraged: remember that it was poor polling results and letters to MPs that got rid of Johnson and Truss.
Writing is surprisingly easy
For those who have never done it before, do not worry, these notes make it very quick and easy:
- Introduce yourself as a constituent – and if you have never written before, say so: the fact that people other than ‘the usual suspects’ are writing to them concentrates an MP’s mind
- Be polite – don’t give them a reason to ignore the letter
- Make it personal – eg. “I have seen the effects of racism …” and make it clear that you will never vote Conservative in the future if they do not act now, in the national interest
- Be specific about the action you expect the MP to take – right now, we suggest: “Please now write to the Chairman of the 1922 Committee calling for a vote of no-confidence in the Prime Minister unless Braverman goes.”
- Keep your letter short – just a few lines is ideal.
Actually writing to them is easy. This website will find all the details you need and even send your email for you: https://www.writetothem.com/ All you need to do is to prepare the text of your letter and paste it in.
11 comments so far
I have written to my MP on several occasions and I only ever get the standard auto response; he is called Rishi Sunak by the way and I think he knows that I am not a fan of his. I will be voting tactically.
Yes, getting a reply is an added bonus. The point is to keep them aware of the strength of feeling.
We are lucky enough to live in a constituency where our MP is both responsible and responsive. Peter Kyle MP has always replied to me with a considered, thoughtful and comprehensive response.
Is he likely to have any influence on Braverman? Is there anything we can suggest that might help to expedite her removal from a post for which she is neither morally nor technically competent?
I suspect he can have no direct influence. There are clearly still many on the saner wing of the Conservative Party who are uncomfortable with Braverman — he could talk to them.
I’m totally against anything that comes out of Braverman’s mouth. She must have a very dark heart to believe in what she says. I don’t like these right wing Cons leading the country now. They are leading Britain into a terrible place & that’s why I’ve changed my residence to Portugal instead. I have a home in Wales as I still have ties in the UK. If Wales went independent I would return but not while Westminster rules us. They are a very bad joke but not laughable.
I write to my MP and get a stock response, most likely from his admin team. I don’t think he actually reads anything from me anymore after I wrote to him many times, with facts including playing back his ‘promises’ to me*, over Johnson’s utterly appalling behaviour during the pandemic.
* He set himself 3 ‘tests’ for whether he would vote against Johnson in confidence votes etc. Every single test was passed yet he still demurred. He’s a disgrace.
But I will write over Braverman. At least it will be annoying his team that I’m back again.
I was pleased to read your rejection of Ms Bravermans disgusting speech. Certainly, along with other decent peple, the founders of the UN included many brave and hopeful individuals, some from the UK. I have witnessed with sorrow and shame how manipulative politicians ,such as the ineffable Ms. Braverman, and “press barons” have attempted to appeal to the lowest instincts of our people and to speak andact as if the UN does not exist.
Please make it clear to your colleagues that the said individuak and her ilk , especially in your party, represent only the worst in the UK’s traditions.
My MP is Robert Jenrick. He knows I’ll never vote for him or his party. I have zero leverage.
You always have leverage. Tell him that you have yet to speak to any of your Conservative friends who would vote for them while Braverman is in the cabinet.
I too have written to my MP (Flick Drummond) several times and have always received stock replies from her office. This time it could be different as she is still currently MP for the Meon Valley, but due to upcoming boundary changes, was beaten (unbelievably) by Braverman for the new constituency of Fareham and Waterlooville. Flick Drummond will probably stand as a candidate in Winchester but there is a very good chance that the Lib Dems will win there as they have such strong support currently. Fingers crossed that Drummond might have some simmering resentment – it won’t be on any moral stance!
As Braverman’s “hurricane of mass migration” speech is a gross distortion of the reality of immigration, I believe that it constitutes Incitement to Racial Hatred, and she ought therefore to be arrested on suspicion of that- one can easily imagine its effect of confirming anti-migrant prejudice, which could well lead to violence against real or assumed migrants who are more easily identifiable by their skin colour. Not only are the numbers of applications for asylum from channel crossers small in comparison the European-wide refugess, they are dwarfed by official, legal migrants. And as applicants for asylum, they are not actually migrants unlesss processed and accepted, which Braverman’s own department of State has abjectly failed to do.
It would of course be a brave Chief Constable who authorised the arrest of a Home Secretary, but would 99% be interested in making a crime complaint to Greater Manchester police?