To a UK Tory MP

In 2020, the British Conservative Government demonstrated that its inability to handle a crisis, that it is willing to promote extremist views on specific topics, condone corruption and meddle in areas that are meddled in by autocratic not democratic governments. Despite the hope that the outcome of the US election in November 2020 would lead to a corresponding move towards more moderate policies in the UK, the opposite seems to have occured. I do not follow UK politics closely, so have only seen a few headlines. However, they have been consistently stomach turning and the below is the very long email that I wrote to my MP, outlining my concerns about specific trends in a number of areas and noting that the UK’s (it’s mostly England, since only 6 conservative MPs are from Scotland) tendency towards autocratic government by the far right is not going unnoticed.

Disappointingly, and somewhat arlarmingly, the automatic reply confirming that my email had been received by my MP stated unambiguously that only residents could receive replies. As an overseas elector, I am not resident, but I am a registered voter in that constituency. It seems that my voice, my concerns are deemed less valid, though in a General Election I hold the same vote as any other constituent.

Please feel free to use this as ideas for your own letters of concern, although I would appreciate it if you would contact me if you wish to use entire paragraphs or sections verbatim.

The italics are as in the email sent. I hold no hope of the MP in question changing their behaviour, and I would be surprised if they bother to read beyond the second paragraph (not that I’ll ever know), but to stay silent on this point is to be complicit in allowing the continuation of the trends without protest. This is my protest.

As an overseas elector for the constituency of Surrey East, I do not follow the developments of British politics in great depth. However, the reports that I have seen in the past few months are, quite frankly, extremely disturbing.

In relation to these, there are several areas in which the present British Government seems to be actively seeking to harm many British Citizens, or put many at unnecessary risk. These developments also seem to be following examples that have an historical — and contemporary — record of leading to wanton and arbitrary death and destruction of entire sections of society. I wonder how, by eroding the expectation of dignity and respect being accorded to everyone, and reducing the accountability of Government, especially given its demonstrable corruption, it is possible for Britain to be ‘Built Back Better’ than it was when I left 4 years ago.

History repeats and Britain seems to be turning ever more rapidly towards the inglorious road to denial and vaingloriousness that has so many times before led to bloodshed and will identify Britain as hypocritical and dishonest in its dealings with citizens, residents and other countries. Incidents and trends in a number of areas show an increasing tendency towards behaviours that are most often associated with corrupt and autocratic states. Child hunger, a refusal to critically examine its past, persistent discrimination and marginalisation, especially notable in the University context, the conflation of the concepts of tolerance and respect, decreased Government accountability, arrogance in relation to its nearest neighbours and lack of leadership on ecological issues, are just a few of the recent examples that have astonished me. Some observations on each of these areas are given below.

On a more personal note, the response to the ongoing Covid crisis has been shambolic. I have not seen my parents for nearly a year now, and am becoming increasingly fearful that they will also become victims of irresponsible and incoherent leadership. It is vital that the only future guide to changes in restrictions is that of the qualified scientists whose recommendations have been ignored many times already. For lives to be treated as pawns in a political game of chess is to consider individuals expendable and essentially worthless.

As a concerned constituent, I must urge you to take a conscientious stand on the following issues — irrespective of threats, bullying or the policies of the Conservative Party:

1. Child poverty and limited opportunities must end: there is no place in the 21st century for 19th century differences in opportunity and educational provision, including access to suitable study spaces — warm, dry and with access to support, resources and equipment for a wide range of extra-curricular activities — and a full, nutritious and plentiful diet.
2. There is an increasing need for Britain to come to terms with its Imperial legacy — and the damage this caused many millions of people. For a government, past or present, to be above criticism is to invite repeats of the least glorious parts of human history. Acknowledging historical faults and imperfections is the only way to move beyond them, while remembering them is to limit the chances of recurrence. As part of this, school history needs a significant overhaul to provide an honest account of Britain’s past rôle in the world and the way in which other countries are represented updating.
3. For efforts to successfully address historical disadvantage and marginalisation, greater accountability is needed, and voices from historically marginalised groups given greater presence than currently seems to happen. This is particularly noticeable in university research where representation simply does not occur and funding is awarded disproportionately to individuals and institutions who have historically had privilege (which they then make use of to extend; the Russell Group of universities is a particularly insidious example of protectionism; the Research Excellence Framework, with its way of placing higher value on Research Council than industrial funding is another). In addition, teachers and PhD students are chronically underpaid and over worked. Further, university research working environments are often hostile to those who do not have considerable prior privilege.
4. In relation to this previous point, recent policies seem to be inviting the abuse of university lecturers, particularly those who have already overcome significant hurdles to reach their current positions. Ideas can be shown to be invalid and that these ideas should therefore be denounced. Single-topic extremist views are still extremist. Government interference with Universities is a feature of autocratic governments, not democratic ones, and universities must be allowed full freedom to prevent hateful speech on campus. To do otherwise will significantly weaken British research capabilities by discouraging those who are different since they will know that abusive and discriminatory language from their students and colleagues is condoned. Abuse of any form — whether verbal, physical, sexual or psychological — should have no place in a modern society, and yet the British Government seems to be actively encouraging the first against certain groups: is this progress or regression? (Try: 11 pages to see what Britain’s nearest neighbours are valuing: https://www.eua.eu/resources/publications/957:universities-without-walls-–-eua’s-vision-for-europe’s-universities-in-2030.html)
5. The ‘British value’ of ‘Tolerance’ is weak and facilitates and condones discrimination and denigration — racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, to name a few such areas explicitly. Everyone deserves and must treat others with respect; including consideration, reflection and a degree of self-censorship. Hateful, defamatory and inflammatory speech in all forms and the disturbing resurrection and promotion of damaging ideas must be seen for what they are, and this includes allowing reconsideration of invitations and restricting known proponents of such ideas from platforms that provide a broad audience and confer legitimacy. (See https://www.hopenothate.org.uk for some examples.)
6. Members of Parliament voting to forego powers of review is irresponsible and a betrayal of trust. Any continuation of Government decision making without review and criticism by all Members of Parliament must stop. Reducing or removing accountability and placing power into the hands of a few has been the start of many historical atrocities. Do not let Britain follow suit. (Try: ‘Let the People Rule’, by J. G. Matsusaka.)
7. The UK’s nearest neighbours on all sides — except the north, and those have close trade links — are EU members. To decrease and limit future cooperation on such a local scale is to damage futures in uncounted ways, from imported food travelling further, to restrictions on businesses and fewer opportunities for young people, including educative. My very limited understanding of the final withdrawal agreement, reached well past the eleventh hour, is that it fails to meet the vast majority of Britain’s immediate and longer term needs. Part of the EU’s success is to prevent history of 100 and 200 years’ ago (round numbers) from repeating. Trying to keep Britain separate from this shared culture, history and resources is going to damage Britain more than anywhere else. The maximum possible integration is needed to ensure the maximum possible benefit for Britain; otherwise there seems a fair chance that Britain will become even more irrelevant beyond its own borders than it already is.
8. Rather separately, the environment must be at the centre of all future developments — and problems not exported. The scientific evidence is clear: the problem and the solutions are known. Failure to act now is unequivocably irresponsible. Coupling ecological and societal justice to reimagine society is the only sustainable route to development. (See: ‘Cradle to Cradle’, by M. Braungart and W. McDounough; it’s less than 200 pages).

I have not tried to identify where these issues may require your action in a particular way or in a particular discussion, since these events are in the future. I merely wish to bring my concerns to your attention so you have the opportunity to demonstrate your responsibility as my elected representative. The areas I have noted above are what seem to be those with the most pressing of the long-term implications, and where recent developments seem to run counter to the interests of a significant proportion of British Citizens. In addition, failure to act on these topics nationally, will limit potential authority that Britain has to comment internationally due to its own clear hypocrisy.

To lead implies to set an example. Recent actions of several members of the British Government have been notable in the example of contempt for their own advice. Actions that can be penalised in those who do not hold a position of political power or influence should be absolutely indefensible in those who do, or otherwise excused in all.

One shorter-term point is very personal: Beyond children returning to school, the Covid-19 guidelines must not be relaxed early. Patience, responsibility for others, and respect are the only way forward. Both my parents are in a high risk group, and I am becoming increasingly fearful that, having not seen them for nearly a year, I never will again. If they catch Covid-19 and die as a result, after a premature relaxation of restrictions, I know exactly who I, personally, will consider responsible, locally and nationally. Until the scientific evidence says as unequivocally as it can that it is safe for the restrictions to be gradually relaxed, they must remain firmly in place. Consistency is absolutely key, so far the British approach to handling Covid has been to consistently mishandle it with an inconsistent approach.

Clear communication about the vaccines, including their extremely limited effectiveness until after the second dose — and that is when given at the recommended intervals is required — and guidelines need to reflect this. That the UK is conducting what is very little less than a nationwide, unregistered clinical trial is another point of concern for me.

There is no need to repeat a mistake that has been made at least twice already in the last year, I would hope that MPs’ memories are somewhat longer than 12 months, and that they are able to at least compare qualitative patterns from more than one place.

With that, I hope to see your future parliamentary votes reflect a desire to make a more just, equitable, responsible, sustainable, engaged, integrated and honestly reflective society, although your short history as the MP for Surrey East gives me little hope on this matter. Otherwise, it seems clear that history, and not that far in the future, will soon only have to choose between which of hubris, hypocrisy and complicity is most apt.