Email to my MP
 

On or about the 20th Oct I sent a request to my MP with reference to the information below:

We are asking the DCMS to change its policy, which fails to represent the 26,000 serving members of the armed forces who describe themselves as having ‘no religion’. The previous annual requests for a change from UKAFHA and the BHA have twice been rejected.

‘For All Who Serve’ is the new campaign launched by the United Kingdom Armed Forces Humanist Association (UKAFHA) and supported by the British Humanist Association (BHA), calling for the recognition in the national service of remembrance of non-religious members of the armed forces who have died in the line of duty.

We need you to be a part of this campaign.

We need to contact MPs right away to encourage them to support this campaign, and raise the issue with the responsible minister – the Rt Hon Hugh Robertson MP, Secretary for Tourism and Sport (with responsibility for Ceremonies).

......................................


I got a reply from my MP : I had not heard of this idea and will have to think it over.

Thank you for writing.

Best wishes,

Oliver Heald QC MP
Member of Parliament for North East Hertfordshire.

.....................................


As I had not heard anything further I wrote: Your reply of "I had not heard of this idea and will have to think it over" is somewhat offensive and reads "I can't be bothered".

Surely the rational way to consider this issue is to pose the question- "What possible rationale can there be for excluding a large group of people who have served their country, from a commemoration of those who did not survive?".

Put that way it seems at the very least churlish, and perhaps downright insulting, not to allow them to feel part of the events and be inclusive; if they are good enough to fight they must be good enough to commemorate.

Again I look forward to hearing your views on the matter and hope you add your voice to this important cause.


....................................
On the 30th October I got this reply:

I like to research ideas and think about them - not a bad quality. Quite the opposite of "I can't be bothered".

Best wishes,

Oliver Heald QC MP
Member of Parliament for North East Hertfordshire

...................................

Well he has had quite some time to get his grey cells working but not a word. What are your views on this subject?

Re: Email to my MP
 

Ask him what he's found during his research so far.

Re: Email to my MP
 

What do you mean by the Department for Culture,Media and sport not representing soldiers ? how are they not representing soldiers and in what capacity are they supposed to ?

Re: Email to my MP
 

Looks like you did not understand the post! so here is a bridged version. There are some serving members who are not represented at the cenotaph as they do not believe in god. All religions are represented so the humanist want a person at the cenotaph but it has been ignored for some years. I with others have sent emails to our MPs. What got me a little offside was the reply of "I had not heard of this idea and will have to think it over." As I have sent a request for the last few years so he must have quite a bad memory.

This year was the first time I received a reply.

Re: Email to my MP
 

In fairness I think you're being unreasonable by expecting such a rapid response. Your overall tone to him seems to imply you demand changes to be made immediately and although I have little time for MPs, they have a lot of issues to deal with and although this is obviously something you feel is important, I'd be surprised if he considers it a higher priority than whatever he has going on right now.

His saying he likes to research ideas before making decisions seems reasonable to me.

Re: Email to my MP
 

This will be the third year I have sent an email regarding this matter. This was the first reply other than the standard reply and as stated he says he had not heard of this hence my somewhat rude reply of can't be bothered which hit the spot with a reply.

I don't for one moment think they will do anything about it but I would like the truth.

Re: Email to my MP
 

Yeah I get that but it appears you have now engaged him so whereas I wouldn't suggest just leaving it until he replies, give the guy a bit more time and I'm sure you'll hear something even if it's the standard "thanks for your enquiry but.....".

Re: Email to my MP
 

ooops as you put this up I pressed send on: Dear Sir It has been some days in which you stated "I like to research ideas" Have you come to any conclusion from this research? Best wishes.

Will see what comes back. I blaim Cookie_365 :)

---------- Post added at 17:48 ---------- Previous post was at 17:04 ----------

We are cooking on gas..I had a reply from his wife which informed me: Thank you for your email. Oliver has been engaged on Ministerial duties a great deal recently, but I have this issue in his papers for the weekend.

Wonder if it was about the ex Honourable member for mid Beds. :D

Re: Email to my MP
 

That's OK; I'm getting blamed for everything today ;)