Take action

How to write to your MP

A personal letter from a constituent is one of the most effective things you can send an MP, far more than a mass-produced email. Here’s how to write one that gets read and gets a reply.

Find out who your MP is

You need your home postcode. Your MP represents the constituency you live in, not where you work.

Find your MP:

parliament.uk – Contact your MP (official UK Parliament site)
TheyWorkForYou.com – also shows how your MP has voted on past issues, including any previous assisted dying votes
members.parliament.uk – Find your MP

Write it yourself, in your own words

MPs’ offices notice identical, copy-pasted campaign emails and tend to give them a single form reply. A short letter in your own voice, even three or four sentences, carries far more weight because it shows a real constituent took the time to write.

Use the template below as a starting point, then personalise it. If you can, mention:

Be clear, polite, and specific

Say plainly what you want: your MP to vote against legalising assisted suicide/euthanasia, and to back investment in palliative and social care instead.
Keep it to one page. A focused letter is more likely to be read in full.
Stay respectful, even if you’re angry about the issue. A courteous letter is taken more seriously and is more likely to get a considered reply rather than a defensive one.
Ask a direct question if you want a direct answer, e.g. “Will you commit to voting against this bill?”
Include your full name and home address. MPs prioritise replying to constituents, and unsigned or unverifiable letters are often set aside.

Send it

You can post a physical letter (MPs receive post free of charge at Westminster) or use the email address / online contact form listed on your MP’s page from the links above. A physical letter can stand out; email is faster if a vote is imminent. Check our mailing list for timing.

Follow up

If you don’t hear back within a few weeks, it’s reasonable to send a polite follow-up, or to request a meeting at your MP’s local constituency surgery. A face-to-face conversation often has even more impact than a letter.

Template

Letter template

Copy this as a starting point, then personalise the bracketed sections and add your own reasons for writing.

Dear [MP’s name], I am writing to you as a constituent in [your area/postcode] about the proposed changes to the law on assisted suicide. [Add a sentence or two here about why this matters to you personally, for example, an experience of caring for a family member, working in healthcare, or simply your view on why the current law should stand.] I am concerned that legalising assisted suicide would put vulnerable people, including disabled people, elderly people, and those without access to good care, at risk of pressure to end their lives, whether that pressure is explicit or implicit. I am also concerned that safeguards written into these laws elsewhere have not held over time. I believe the right response to suffering is proper investment in palliative care, mental health support, and social care, so that no one ever feels that an assisted death is their only real option. I would be grateful if you could let me know: 1. Whether you intend to vote against any bill to legalise assisted suicide; and 2. What you are doing to support better funding for palliative and social care in our constituency. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I would welcome the chance to discuss this further, including at a constituency surgery if that would be helpful. Yours sincerely, [Your full name] [Your address] [Your email / phone, optional]