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Comment by Xophmeister | Hacker News Reader

Did the MPs you contact at least get back to you, even with a form letter toeing the party line? I wrote to my MP and tried to contact him through Twitter and, at the time, made my letter public. I never got a response.

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I got a tailored response from my (Labour) MP at the time of the snoopers' charter passing. He largely agreed with the substantive points I put forward against the surveillance regime, but felt unable to vote against because (IIRC) the government had structured the legislation in such a way that if it didn't pass all authorisation for interception would have ceased as the previous regime expired. I thought that was a price worth paying; he didn't. He was properly scathing about the process, though.

Met my local MP in person, stereotypical level of nodding and seeming to listen followed by voting the party line. However, she did point me at another MP who was chairing a committee on the bill, which was good of her. The chair, however, didn’t respond at all.

I wrote directly to mine via email (after being told by party campaigners on the street that it was the best way to get his attention and being given his email address by them) and never got a response either.

My MP just responds to me using copy/pastes from David Cameron/Theresa May. Sorta like a ransom note, only able to talk in phrases already said. Maybe they're being held captive by the whip?

My MP would get back to me, but as she was a party whip the toeing of the party line wasn’t just expected but mandatory. A mostly pointless exercise.

I don't think it's pointless.

When your job is "representing" a group of people, you'll take notice when a pile of those people disagree with what you are doing.

We can't break the camel's back if we don't add straw.

In my limited experience (I've only voted in two constituencies during my life) MPs are actually pretty good about responding to comms. Now the cynic in me says it probably isn't them, but I've had an email back and forth with my current MP (Nick Brown, Newcastle East) during the past year, so it can't just be canned responses.

Whether you every actually influence an MP's position, or compel them to action on the basis of such a letter is a different matter entirely however.

It basically comes down to whether the amount of noise is enough to lose them their seat. Majority of 10000 and 10 letters - they don't care. Majority of 10 and 10000 letters - they will pay attention.

I got a letter addressed from House of Commons when I was moaning about snoopers charter or it's ilk a few years back. I was on holiday and it was waiting for my return.

Generic Response. I binned it and decided never to waste my time again.

Despite the generic response, your letter was probably noted. MPs & their offices might not have time to respond individually to every letter, but they usually do keep track of the issues being raised by constituents and in what volume.

I got a cookie cutter response back.

I went to see mine and got the same as @ben_w. Sympathetic nodding but voting along the party line; some interest in economic issues (how it might affect consulting work for overseas clients) but none whatsoever in privacy. Wrote a long followup email explaining the issues, which went ignored.

Altogether a demoralising experience.

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