1. Title page sub heading here

2. Why are we lobbying? DEBT is a disaster waiting to happen.
77% of graduates from university were worried or very worried about their student debt…
Maintenance grants
Day to day costs of student life increasing
Further Education Area Reviews
Transport
Course costs
Freezing of loan repayment threshold & selling off the old loan book

3. What are we asking for?
1. Ask your MP to write to the Universities Minister, Jo Johnson MP, about the scrapping of maintenance grants and any other concerns you raise during the meeting.
2. Ask your MP to commit to ‘praying against’ the regulations for maintenance grants when they’re laid.
3. Ask your MP to ask parliamentary questions about the costs facing students. They could ask oral questions or table written questions.
4. Ask your MP to join the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Students.
5. Ask them to visit your students’ union when they’re in their constituency to continue the conversation and to meet more students.
1. Ask your MP to write to the Universities Minister, Jo Johnson MP, about the scrapping of maintenance grants and any other concerns you raise during the meeting.
2. Ask your MP to commit to ‘praying against’ the regulations for maintenance grants when they’re laid. The cut to maintenance grants won’t be in a piece of legislation, but they will be laid before Parliament in a ‘statutory instrument’. This means that there won’t automatically be a debate on the cut unless enough MPs ‘pray against’ them. This is the technical language for opposing them, which your MP should be familiar with.
3. Ask your MP if they would be happy to ask parliamentary questions about the costs facing students. They might like to ask an oral question where they could mention meeting constituents at university in their area who are worried about their levels of student debt, or they might like to table written parliamentary questions to ask for specific figures about rising costs of studying, transport and accommodation.
4. Ask them to join the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Students. This is a Group of MPs that is co-ordinated by the National Union of Students. It is a useful way for MPs to receive information about students’ issues and to attend exciting student-led events in Parliament. They can join by ing
5. Ask them to visit your students’ union when they’re in their constituency to continue the conversation and to meet more students.

4. What is a lobby of parliament?
A mass lobby of parliament is when a large number of people attend the Houses of Parliament on the same day to speak to their Member of Parliament (MP) about an issue of common concern

5. How to contact your MP
If you don’t know who your MP is look it up on
write a letter or to them, or
phone their constituency office
or the House of Commons
Information Office ( ) quoting your address & postcode and they will
give you the constituency number
confirm whether you will be
meeting with them at Portcullis
House or Central Lobby

6. Research your MP Visit their personal website (if they have one)
Check their previous activity on the
Parliament website/ TheyWork4You/ Public Whip
Check their entry on Wikipedia, search Google, The Guardian, and the BBC for media mentions, press articles and interviews
Ask us. Find out whether NUS have had past dealings with particular MPs. We may have tips for you.

7. What to find out about
Personal background, education, previous employment, areas of interest, record as an MP
What is their political party? This will have a key bearing on most of their areas of interest and views
Are they a back-bencher?
Do they always vote with the party? Did they vote for the rise in tuition fees in December 2010?
Consider the size of their majority. MPs with marginal seats are much more aware that ‘every vote counts’ when it comes to
being re-elected.

8. How to lobby

9. Don’t…
throw eggs…
…or slurry

10. Do… Introduce yourself and any others present
State your concerns clearly & politely counter opposing points your MP makes
Stick to the issue and try not to be side-tracked into general discussion
Listen carefully for areas of agreement/ disagreement below the surface of the MP’s response
Ask probing questions - aim for constructive
dialogue, but make challenging points

11. Do…
Try to clarify the views of the individual, rather than those of the party
Keep an eye on the time so that you cover all the points you wish to make
Towards the end of the meeting confirm and clarify what the MP has said
Throughout your appointment be polite and positive, keep calm and listen. Don’t talk so much that you do not hear your MP’s views

12. Do… Make it local Be specific - ask your MP to DO something
Give examples of how the proposed changes will affect real people in their area – use case studies of students in their constituencies
Be specific - ask your MP to DO something
Use the opportunity to get your MP to commit to doing something that will help students to raise awareness of the costs of studying, and that will oppose changes to HE and FE that would leave students worse off.

13. Schedule 11 – 1.00: Registration & rolling briefings
Meet in Committee Room 15
London/SE based lobbyists
Outside London based lobbyists
12.30 – 4.00: Lobbying of MPs
Venue: Portcullis House or Central lobby (check with your MP in advance and leave at least 40mins to clear security)
2.30 – 3.30: Speakers – MPs and others

14. What to do afterwards…
Fill out a feedback form and hand it to an NUS staff member at the lobby
Send a letter of thanks to your MP, incl a summary of what was said
Provide any further info you promised to send your MP
Send a copy of the letter or to along with any reply you receive

15. What you can do now
Contact your MP(s) and make appointments with them for December 8th
remember you can potentially lobby 3 MPs; those representing the constituency your institution is in, where you live during term-time (if it’s different), and your home constituency (v. important!)
Register for the lobby at
Join the #CutTheCosts lobby Facebook event
Tweet all about it! #CutTheCosts
Get involved in the #CutTheCosts week of action 7-11 Dec