Wednesday 22 January 2014

Gagging Laws, Wednesday's vote in the Commons

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Dear People,

Tomorrow MPs could be asked to vote to undo the positive changes that the House of Lords have made to the gagging law. [1] There’s less than 24 hours to stop them.

Picture your MP sitting in their office today, thinking about the potential vote. Every two minutes their phone goes, and each time it’s a 38 Degrees member from their constituency, telling them to vote to protect our freedom of speech and not to reverse the changes.

It’s easy to call your MP. If you click the link and enter your postcode, you’ll get their number, as well as suggestions on what to say when they answer the phone. Please can you make the call now?
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/gagging-phone-your-MP


Together, we could tip the balance and send a clear signal to the government that calling for a fresh vote and trying to block the Lords’ changes is a battle they don’t want to fight. We’ll stand strong together to protect our democracy.

Many MPs spoke out against the gagging law the last time it was in the House of Commons, and several MPs rebelled against the government. [2]

If word starts spreading around the House of Commons that even more MPs are planning on rebelling this time, it might just be enough to persuade the government to back down. They won’t want to call a fresh vote if it looks like they might lose it.

It’s time for a huge, people-powered push to call on our MPs to do the courageous thing - click to get your MP’s details:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/gagging-phone-your-MP


This really could go down to the wire and everything we do in the next 24 hours counts. Let’s make one final stand to protect our democracy and right to campaign on the issues that are important to us all.

Can you phone your MP now?
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/gagging-phone-your-MP


Thanks for everything you’ve done so far.

Robin, Blanche, Rebecca and the 38 Degrees team.


PS:
When you call up your MP's office, your MP may not be there. But don’t worry ask to speak to their researchers and make your case. When they walk back to the office it will be abuzz with the news of how many calls have come in about the gagging law. Click here for more tips on what to say:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/gagging-phone-your-MP



NOTES:
[1] This is a process known informally as ping-pong, where MPs in the House of Commons can override decisions made in the House of Lords, and Bills bounce between the two chambers until both MPs and Lords agree. To find out more about the process, click here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_ping-pong
[2] To find out more about how your MP voted last time around, you can look at this 38 Degrees blog post:
http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2013/10/10/gagging-law-3rd-reading-how-all-mps-voted/

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