1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188 
mi A I i l i *i 1 1 .11 LILA If you invite an MP
17th April 2008, Page 40
17th April 2008
Page 40
Page 40, 17th April 2008
— mi A I
i
l
i
*i 1
1
.11 LILA If you invite an MP
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
to an event, do try to give as much notice as possible. Their diaries are usually full for weeks ahead, and it is difficult for those with constituencies outside of London to get to mid-week events while Parliament is sitting. Any acceptance is subject to Parliamentary business, and MPs are never aware of what next week's business will be until the Thursday afternoon of the week before. If a three-line whip comes up, it has to take priority, however inconvenient.
MPs can be of great help, but they are human beings and are more likely to respond positively to reason than to abuse. They like to develop long-term contacts with people and groups. Regular contact with your MP can ensure you are both better informed.