How to … lobby

The original ‘Lobby’, where MPs gathered before voting. Image: iStock

Lobbying, the dark art which fuels the priorities of politicians. Money changing hands in smoke-filled, velvet-clad, member-only parlours, right?

Wrong. Well, hopefully, wrong most of the time.

Lobbying is simply the act of trying to persuade a politician or public figure to support a policy or campaign on a particular issue. It’s totally legal (as long as cash or payment in kind doesn’t change hands) and anyone can do it.

On July 4, 650 members of the Westminster Parliament were elected, including yours. Some of them will be new MPs, keen to build their reputation in the local area, others may be cynical old hands who know that their personal re-election campaigns start on day one.

Most will have had their sense of duty and public service renewed after their vote of public support and will be finding out how they can do the best possible job to improve life for people in their constituency.

Any which way, there are few better times to begin to build a relationship with your local MP, in order to lobby them for change on the issues that matter to you.

This article focuses on lobbying MPs, but aims to give an overview of the different methods of lobbying, whoever the target, and some basic principles of how to be effective.

We start with three questions. What issue are you lobbying on? Who are you lobbying? How are you going to do it?

What’s your issue?

You know the issue that matters to you, that you want to take action on, but it’s important to understand its scope, scale and significance. The principles of lobbying on local or national issues are similar, but the practicalities are very different.

UNISON campaigns on an ever-changing range of issues and, as members, you have a say on what we campaign on as well as how. If you have an issue which you want to campaign on, whether it’s an ongoing UNISON campaign or not, you can contact your reps, your branch, or your local Labour Link reps to find out whether the union can help.

Who to lobby? 

Once you have your issue, ask yourself: who can make a difference, who can make a decision, or influence the people who make the decision? That will be who you lobby, and remember, it may be more than one person.

If your issue is local, or quite specific to you or a group of local people, for example an issue regarding your child’s school, your local MP is a good place to start. Most MPs, if they receive a direct email or a phone call, won’t respond unless it is from someone in their constituency; and surgery appointments are usually reserved for local people talking about a local issue, rather than national policy issues.

For national issues, your target may be government or opposition frontbenchers. But find out, too, which organisations campaign on your issue; they may already have a petition or lobby event that you can get involved with.

How are you going to do it? 

Take account of what you are lobbying for, and who you’re lobbying, then ask yourself the best way to get there.

You can lobby by email, by phone, by letter, by booking a surgery appointment, by organising an event and inviting an MP or a group of MPs, or even by organising a trip to Parliament. Each approach has its own benefits and limitations.

The five Ps of lobbying 

So, you have your issue, your method and your lobbying target – how do you get results? The five Ps will help:

• preparation
• perspective
• practicalities
• power
• politeness

Preparation. Go in with a concrete ask: “I would like you to ask a question at prime minister’s questions”, or “I want you to vote a certain way on this legislation”, or “I want you to discuss this with the right people at the local council”.

Know your issue, have the evidence to hand, bring the facts and figures with you. Understand how the subject is talked about in politics and what the current battleground is.

For example, if your local council leisure centre is closing, understand that the decision is made by the council, but that the issue has roots in local government funding, which is decided by the Westminster government.

If it’s about your work or workplace, talk with your branch first and understand UNISON’s national and local positions. But remember, unless it’s a UNISON organised event, you’re speaking for yourself, not as the voice of UNISON. If you want to lobby around UNISON campaigns and shape their message, you need to engage with your branches and regions and get involved through those campaigns themselves.

Perspective. Find out more about who you’re talking to. If it’s your local MP, who are they and what do they care about? What is their party’s current policy? What do they personally campaign on? What is most likely to persuade them, personal or logical? What have they said about the issue in the past and how have they voted – you can find parliamentary contributions and voting records online.

Practicalities. If you’ve arranged a meeting or an event, turn up early and dress appropriately. If your issue is about your work, consider wearing your uniform, if you have one. But also consider if there’s any chance that what you’re thinking of wearing, say branded clothing, might reflect badly on your employer or be objected to by them, use your common sense.

While there is strength in numbers, in face-to-face meetings you don’t want to crowd or overwhelm. But do go with a friend or colleague, or two, and get someone to take notes if it’s appropriate.

If you’re trying to lobby a Labour MP or want to invite them to an event, talk to your branch and your local Labour Link reps, who may be able to help.

Power. This is your secret weapon. Most of us don’t think about things in terms of power in our daily lives, but politicians often do. So, what is your power? Personal experience? Knowledge? Influence over other people? Do they need your vote desperately? Figure out your power and use it.

And what is their power? Find out what difference they can make – do they sit on select committees or have cabinet or shadow cabinet portfolios? How can their power work to your advantage?

Politeness. This is a must. Be polite and courteous to everyone you meet, whether it’s a staff member, or the MPs themselves. You won’t get anywhere by shouting at people, or by turning up at their house or workplace unannounced.

MPs are rightly very concerned about their and their staff’s safety and they won’t tolerate abuse.

Everyone understands that passions can run high, but you’re still talking to another human being. Get your point across strongly but respectfully. Good luck!