Lobbying is Good, Not Bad

Written by Andrew Stunell MP and published in Stockport Express on Wed 26th Nov 2008

Westminster is too far away for me to get many casual visitors calling from Stockport - though constituents are always welcome to come and see it at first hand.

Those who come, usually come with a purpose, and so it was last week. National Children's Diabetes Day brought scores of youngsters and their parents from all over the country to make the case for better support for them so they can lead normal lives. Oliver, a nine year old from one of our local schools was quick to tell me how helpful staff in his school are, ready to supervise his injections, and on guard in case he falls ill. But it isn't like that everywhere, and I've promised Oliver I'll be writing to the Town Hall to make sure every local school is equipped to help any diabetic children they have.

Oliver and the other children were 'lobbying' - coming to make sure their representatives know what the score is on an issue, and encouraging us to take up their cause and help them. But he wasn't my only local visitor in Westminster that day. A director of a local company came to lobby me about the state of business in his sector of the economy.

The credit crunch is hitting in some unexpected places. If people cut back on buying cars, or sofas, or washing machines because they fear for their own jobs then it doesn't just affect the shops and the show-rooms. Everyone who makes the products, or transports them, or supplies bits for them faces cut-backs, too. But on top of that, if the bank won't let your company have a loan to pay for the raw materials you need to make things until you sell them, your whole operation grinds to a halt.

That is exactly what local companies fear is happening.

So the message I was given at the meeting with my second visitor was a stark one. The banks have had their rescue by the taxpayer, now they have to go out and rescue their customers - particularly small firms that are at the bottom of the supply chain.

That's why I've written this week to the heads of all the remaining UK banks to urge them to do just that. That's me lobbying them, on behalf of local businesses - and jobs.