Photo by Edwin Andrade on Unsplash
What will the next Government do about immigration detention? Who is going to be your next MP? Ask your parliamentary candidates if they agree it’s #Time4aTimeLimit!
The General Election is going to take place on 8 June 2017.
This is an opportunity to ask those who are standing in this election their views on immigration detention, if they will support a 28-day detention time limit and begin the process of developing a fair and compassionate immigration system.
Would you like to find out where your Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (PPCs) stand on these issues? Are the candidates in your area happy to support #Time4aTimeLimit campaign?
Some of the PPCs might be completely unaware of what immigration detention is. If so, this will be your perfect opportunity to help them understand what it is and what harm it is causing.
What’s happening when?
- After 3 May 2017, your MP, if s/he is standing for the election, becomes a Prospective Parliamentary Candidate. Therefore you will no longer be able to contact your MP at their parliamentary address (xxxxx@parliament.uk) after this date. However, MPs usually have another email address linked to their local constituency office, and it should be easy for you to find out how to contact them by doing a quick Internet search. You can find out Twitter addresses of your candidates here, where known.
- 12 May 2017 is the deadline for PPC nomination. After this date, the details of all your local candidates will be made available on your local council’s website and also from your local elections office (find their contact details here). You should also be able to find out your candidates here after 12 May.
- We think party manifestos will be published in mid May but we do not know this for sure. Don’t forget that you can ask PPCs questions about topics that are not contained in their manifesto documents. The more PPCs are asked about immigration detention and if they support #Time4aTimeLimit, a stronger message we will be sending to all the political parties that this is an important issue.
- 8 June – Voting day.
- 9 June – We will know the results!
Write to them!
You can write to your PPCs using the sample letter here (link to the sample letter).
Finding who your PPCs are can be a bit tricky, because there is no central list of all the PPCs’ contact details. However, after 12 May, the details of all your local candidates will be made available on your local council’s website and also from your local elections office (find their contact details here). You should also be able to find your candidates here after 12 May.
Tweet at them!
You can tweet at your PPCs and ask if they support #Time4aTimeLimit campaign. You can their Twitter address through this helpful website where known.
Here are some sample tweets.
- (Dear xxx,) Did you know that UK locks up migrants indefinitely? If elected, will you support a time limit on immigration #detention? #Time4aTimeLimit
- (Dear @XXX,) As a PPC in my constituency, I want to know whether you think it’s #Time4aTimeLimit on immigration detention in the UK?
- (Dear @XXX,) Have you read the #DetentionInquiry report & if elected, will you ensure its recommendations are implemented? #Time4aTimeLimit
- (Dear @XXX,) Immigration #detention harmful and expensive. UK doesn’t even have a time limit. Do you agree it’s #Time4aTimeLimit?
Speak to them!
Find out where the General Election hustings are taking place in your local area and ask the candidates if they support #Time4aTimeLimit. You can read our briefing papers here (see, for example, ‘Why UK must end its practice of indefinite detention – May 2017). You might also be canvassed – if that happens, ask what your candidate’s position on indefinite detention is and ask if they support #Time4aTimeLimit.
Ask your friends and family to do the same!
Election is all about what happens at local level. Can you ask your friends and family members to do the same?
Speak to us!
Did you get a positive or a negative response from your PPCs? Do you need help? Contact us on Twitter using a hashtag #Time4aTimeLimit or email at detentionforum@gmail.com We will do our best to respond to you.
Good luck!
