HowtoarrangeameetingwithyourMSP
Scotland’sdraftClimateChangePlan
MeetingwithyourMSPisagreatwaytoraiseanissueandaskthemtotakeaction.
OneMSPsaidtheyseeeachpersonthatgoestomeetthemastheequivalentofreceiving
200emailsonthesameissue!
Youwillfindtheircontactdetailsonthe
ScottishParliamentwebsite.Youcanalsocall
theScottishParliamenton01312483000and
asktobeputthroughtoyourMSP’soffice.
Whenyougetintouch,letthemknowwhat
youwanttodiscuss,sothatyourMSPcan
comeprepared.
IfyoumeetyourMSPinyourconstituencyor
region,themostusuallocationwouldbetheir
constituencyoffice-you’llbeabletofindthe
addressontheScottishParliamentwebsite.
Howeversomeregionsareverylargeandit
maybedifficultforyoutogettotheiroffice;in
thiscaseconsideraskingifyoucanmeetthem
inalocationclosertoyou,orarrangea
telephoneorvideoconferencemeeting.
Arrangingyourmeeting
MSPsaregenerallyintheScottishParliament
inEdinburghfromTuesdaytoThursday,andin
theirownconstituencyorregionfromFriday
toMonday.Youcanarrangetomeetthemin
eitherlocation,dependingonwhichismore
convenientforyou.
MostMSPsworksomeSaturdays,soconsider
thisoptionifyouworkMondaytoFriday.
From11th-19thFebruary,Parliamentisona
breakandmostMSPswillbeintheirlocal
constituency,soyoumayhavemorechanceof
meetingthemthisweek.
Youcanarrangeameetingbyemailingyour
MSP,orbyphoningeithertheirEdinburgh
officeortheirconstituencyoffice.
Beforeyourmeeting
FindoutalittlebitaboutyourMSP.
Whatdotheylooklike?Dotheyhaveany
particularinterestsorcauses?Takealookat
theirwebsite,blogorsocialmediapages.
Youcouldalsolookup
-TheirspeechesinParliament,andthe
questionsandmotionsthey’velodged
-Theirpartymanifesto(SNP,Conservatives,
Labour,Greens,LibDems)
Planwhatyou’regoingtosay,makesome
briefnotestotakewithyou.
Focusononetothreepointsthatyouwantto
getacrossand/orcommitmentsthatyouwant
fromthem.
YourStopClimateChaosScotlandbriefingwill
giveyousomekeypoints,butrememberthey
won’texpectyoutobeanexpert!
ATYOURMEETING-10toptips!
1.Askatthebeginninghowmuchtime
youhave.Meetingsarenormally1015minslong,sokeepitshortandsimple!
2.Turnupontime,butbepreparedfor
thefactthatyourMSPmayberunning
lateorhavetoleaveearly
3.Don’tbenervous.YourMSPisthere
torepresentyou;theywillwelcomethe
chancetohearyourconcerns
4.Startbytellingthemwhyyoucare
aboutclimatechange-makeitpersonal
5.Bepoliteandpassionate,youmaynot
agreeoneverythingbutyou’remore
likelytogetyourpointacrossifyou
remaincalm
AFTERYOURMEETING
ContactyourMSPtothankthemforthe
meeting,providethemwithanyfurther
informationthey’veaskedfor,andremind
themofanyactiontheycommittedto
taking.
Youcanalsomentionanythingyoudidn’t
getachancetosayduringthemeeting.
Keepitshort-trytoaimforonesideofA4
6.Youmightfinditeasiertohavenotes
withyou,toremindyouwhatyouwant
totalkabout.Tickthemoffasyougo
through.
7.Takenotesonthediscussion,
particularlyactiontheysaythey’lltake
8.Askdirectlyforacommitmenttoraise
yourpointsintheircommittee,and/orin
theParliamentdebateinmid-March
9.Youdon’tneedtobeanexpert.Ifyou
don’tknowtheanswertosomething,
don’tworry-justsayso
10.YoumightwanttoaskyourMSPfor
aphototogether,toshareonsocial
mediaorinapressreleasetoyourlocal
paper
Letusknowhowitwent!Shareanythingyou
learnedaboutyourMSPandwhattheythink
aboutclimatechange,getanyinformation
youneedtofollowuponanyofyourMSPs’
questions,andletusknowanyactionyour
MSPhascommittedtotaking.
Sharewhatyou’vedone!Whynotwritea
Facebookorblogpostdescribingyour
meetingandwhatyourMSPagreedtodo,
and/orsendapressreleasetoyourlocal
mediaaboutthemeeting.
IfyouhaveanyquestionsaboutcontactingyourMSP,justgetintouch.
[email protected]