What NEED does this meet?
One of the big problems with lobbying MPs is having a public record of where they stand on issues. Sure, there is their voting record (as ably recorded by PublicWhip), but what about issues that haven’t been voted on in the past? What if you want to know about how an MP is likely to vote on any given issue, with a view to lobbying them.
Professional lobbying companies invest thousands in software that enable them to find out where an MP stands on an issue at the touch of a button, but what about a similar facility for the rest of us? In particular, wouldn’t a tool like this be really useful for campaigns such as NO2ID, SaveParliament and ElectTheLords?
What is the APPROACH?
The PublicLobbyist would be essentially very simple. Each page would be like an online survey and consist of a single question followed by multiple choice answers. Individual members of the public could add their “opinion” as to where they believe an individual MP stands, and can back it up with further comment. Alternatively, at the touch of the button, they would be transferred to WriteToThem, enabling them to ask the MP directly. Individual responses added in this way would be colour coded according to how “safe” the website judges this opinion to be. A single person saying that X MP supports Y issue would be in red, 10 individuals agreeing would be, say, yellow, while if the MP him/herself decides to add their views directly, that would be marked in green.
When examining an MP’s view on a given issue, once again users will be invited to WriteToThem, either to ask for further clarification or to lobby them to change their mind (or at least not vote).
Finally, people would be able to add general comments to the page, pointing people to further resources, etc. The author of each question would be able to add keywords to simplify searches on a common theme.
The website would generate nice little summaries that people could add to their blogs, etc. at the touch of a button.
What are the BENEFITS to people?
This site would be a gift to any campaigner who has wanted to press MPs (and possibly others) on an issue but lacks significant resources. It would essentially fill the gap where the PublicWhip’s impartial record of voting data ends and PledgeBank’s stir to action begins. It would put the individual views of MPs out there in the public domain. If it was established ahead of the next general election it could become a major campaigning tool during that ballot.
What is the COMPETITION?
As far as I’m aware, nothing similar exists. The “best fit” is Parliament’s own Early Day Motion system, which allows MPs to essentially sign petitions on any given issue.
The problem is however, that system isn’t integrated with a system for lobbying MPs and adding extra intelligence about them. What’s more, a lot of MPs will tell you their opinion in a letter but refuse to sign EDMs, either out of principle or because they are restricted (payroll vote, frontbenchers, etc).
What BUDGETS & LOGISTICS are required?
Generally, I would imagine this would be a pretty easy build, particularly if it builds on the experience gained from PledgeBank, WriteToThem, PublicWhip and TheyWorkForYou. In essence, it is little more than a series of integrated tables of information. Like PledgeBank, it will be up to users themselves to make the website genuinely useful.
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