Robert McGeachy gives his top tips on how to create change by interacting with the House of Commons and the Lords
The UK Elections earlier this year saw the return of a Conservative government with a majority of 81 MPs in the House of Commons.
The new government has introduced a number of bills, which include UK wide provisions that will impact upon Scotland. These include, for example, the Environment Bill, the Agriculture Bill and the Fisheries Bill. Other legislation introduced by the UK Government includes the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill, which will repeal EU law relating to free movement, and make European Economic Area citizens and their families subject to UK immigration control. An Immigration Bill will introduce a new points-based immigration system.
The UK Government also recently passed the Coronavirus Act 2020, which introduced a range of measures to help tackle the pandemic.
I worked in the House of Lords for a number of years on legislation, have led campaigns which have secured important changes to legislation at Westminster and have recently written a book about how to make the most of opportunities to influence policy and legislation in both Houses of the UK Parliament, and at UK Government level.
Below are Seven Top Tips to help campaigners to shape and influence policy development and legislation in both Houses of the UK Parliament, and at UK Government level, and to make a difference at Westminster for their organisations and for those on whose behalf they campaign.
Adopt clear ‘policy asks’
Adopt clear ‘policy asks’ that you want the policy makers to act upon. Basing your asks on robust evidence and proven best practice will help to maximise the impact of your public affairs strategy, and increase support for your ‘policy asks’ from individual MPs and Peers, from the opposition parties and groupings, and at UK Government level.
Take a ‘two chambers’ approach
Ensure your public affairs strategy takes into account, and reflects, the unique dynamics of Westminster. Successful public affairs strategies in response to, for example, the Environment Bill will be those which include activities to influence key policy makers in both the House of Commons and in the House of Lords. Taking a flexible, two chambers approach is vital if organisations are to maximise their ability to influence policy development and legislation.
Keep track of what’s going on
The effectiveness of your organisation’s parliamentary monitoring will have a direct bearing on the success of its public affairs strategy. Monitoring parliamentary business in both Houses of Parliament will support organisations to keep abreast of policy developments likely to impact upon their interests. You should then frame any approaches made by your organisation to the Government, to the opposition parties and groupings, and to individual MPs and Peers in the context of the relevant key government and parliamentary business identified by your parliamentary monitoring.
Seek to influence relevant legislation
You should seek to influence any relevant legislation identified by your parliamentary monitoring such as the proposed legislation to introduce a points-based immigration system. Influencing legislation is the gold standard against which the effectiveness of public affairs strategies are often judged. Put simply - change the legislation, and you change the law because once your amendments, i.e. the formal text proposed by individual MPs or Peers or by the government to make changes to legislation, become part of the legislation they will remain in force until amended or repealed by subsequent legislation.
Engage with key policy makers
Having amendments drafted to legislation, supported by persuasive briefing papers, will strengthen your ability to open negotiations with the government to try and secure changes to these bills, and to obtain meetings with the government’s bill team leading on the legislation, or to be involved in such meetings along with the MP or Peer sponsoring your amendments. Having amendments already drafted will also improve your chances of securing meetings with the opposition parties’ relevant spokespersons, and with individual MPs and Peers to discuss the main issues raised by the legislation, and the potential solutions offered by your amendments. Holding a briefing event for MPs and or Peers will also help your organisation to identify levels of support in each House for the issues you are seeking to raise on the legislation, and for the specific amendments you wish to progress.
Develop a cross-party alliance in support of your amendments
This offers the best opportunities to influence policy development, and to secure major changes to legislation. Given the government’s majority in the House of Commons, developing a cross-party approach in the House of Lords, where the government lacks a majority, in support of your amendments to legislation offers real potential to secure legislative change. The secret is to identify issues which are likely to receive support from Peers on all sides of the house, including from backbench Conservative Peers and the Crossbench Peers, and to identify and approach those Peers most likely to obtain cross-party support to table your amendments. This will increase the chances of your amendment being agreed on a division, or of the government accepting your amendment or making concessions that meet your aims.
Mobilise support
Organisations should develop a media strategy to promote awareness of the key issues raised by relevant legislation, and to build up the alliance of support, both within and outside Parliament, including working with like-minded organisations. This is vital if their amendments are to become part of the legislation. Social media can play a vital role in mobilising support to raise concerns about the legislation and to build up support for specific amendments, including encouraging supporters to contact key policy makers urging them to back these amendments.
Robert McGeachy is an award winning public affairs professional who now works in the voluntary sector, and the author of The Public Affairs Guide to Westminster: The Handbook of Effective and Ethical Lobbying published by the Welsh Academic Press.
