New Lobbying bill before parliament

The government’s rushing through a new law which, if it passes, will stop us running the type of campaigns which have made us who we are The campaigns which have seen 1.7 million of us act together, locally and nationally, for over four years. In fact, if the new law passes, and we continue campaigning as we do now, the office team could even risk being sent to jail. The law's called the 'Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill'. And if it goes through without any changes, it’ll wipe out our campaigning by slashing what we can spend during the year before elections. Not just general elections, either. Local elections, European elections and referendums, too. The government’s rushing through a new law which, if it passes, will stop us running the type of campaigns which have made so much difference. [1] The campaigns which have saved our forests, fought privatisation in the NHS, and defeated the snoopers' charter. [2] The campaigns which have seen 1.7 millions of us act together, locally and nationally, for years. In fact, if the new law passes, and we continue campaigning as we do now, twe could even risk being sent to jail. The law's called the 'Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill'. And if it goes through without any changes, it’ll wipe out our campaigning by slashing what we can spend during the year before elections. Not just general elections, either. Local elections, European elections and referendums, too. But if we act now and we act together, we could make the government reverse their plan. Chloe Smith, the minister responsible for pushing this law through parliament, is coming under more and more pressure to re-think. If hundreds of thousands of us speak up now, we could swing her decision. Can you email Chloe Smith now to tell her why it's important that we're able to campaign during elections, and what you think of her plans to stifle us? There’s no template email, because it’s really important that Chloe Smith hears your personal reasons for being a member of 38 Degrees. Anything you write to her now is better than her not hearing from us at all.Click here to get started:https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/lobbying-bill People power is at the heart of 38 Degrees. We don't spend too much, but our campaigns do cost money. Without being able to spend - employing staff, buying billboards, or printing leaflets about where politicians stand on local issues - we just won’t be able to make the issues which matter to us all, like the NHS and fair taxation, top of the agenda at the next election. The three main political parties have a combined membership of around 433,000. [5] There are 1.7 million of us. Per member, the parties would be able to spend over £130 - 38 Degrees a national campaigning organisation, would be able to spend around 23p. Put simply, this will make it hard to influence the next election, and every one after that.Can you email Chloe Smith now?https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/lobbying-bill It’s not clear whether this law is just badly written, or if the government is simply fed up of being criticised - but it’s a huge threat. And it doesn't only affect us: from big charities to tiny single-issue campaigns, the sector is scared and furious. The government’s trying to slip this through with as little fuss as possible. Not only did they introduce it on the day before MPs knocked off for the summer, they also tied it into a whole raft of other new rules on lobbying. And some of the new rules, like the register of lobbyists, are things people have been been pushing for, although they’re not yet strong enough..It is still still hoped to campaign for tighter controls on dodgy lobbying - but before that, we have to fight to make sure we're not silenced during elections.Chloe Smith needs to know that whether by accident or intention, this law isn’t fit for purpose. Can you email her now? It's a really worrying time. The potential impact of this law is only just becoming clear. The Cabinet Office says it won’t affect us.  But experts , from lawyers to charity chiefs, are telling us it will. This threatens the entire way millions of us campaign together. It’s not just us. Amazing people-powered campaigns like HOPE not hate's fight against the BNP in Barking and Dagenham, or Make Poverty History, just wouldn't be possible during election periods. Right when ordinary people should be able to have the most impact. It's no exaggeration to say this law will make it easier for registered political parties like the BNP to campaign without challenge.The government's doing its best to rush this law through without consultation or feedback. If we act together now, we can let them know that 38 Degrees is more than just a name millions of people committed to campaigning for a better, fairer Britain.  Are not willing to accept this bill wiothout a fight, and we We won't remain silent while they try to stop us.Can you email Chloe Smith? Our freedom to act and speak freely may depend on it.https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/lobbying-bill [post paraphrased from an e-mail; sent by 38 degrees on August 22nd to their supporters but which we thought everyone should be made aware[