Various emails from MPs

I have written numerous emails to MPs. Some are slow to reply. An odd collection of slow replies.

CAN WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST BE AVOIDED, EVEN AT THIS LATE HOUR?

DR SCOTT ARTHUR MP

Thank you for taking the time to write to me.
I understand that questions around religion, culture and security can be deeply felt. However, I would gently challenge the idea that any one faith can be fairly characterised by selectively quoting passages from its scriptures. If we were to apply that approach consistently, it would be possible to present almost any major religion, including Christianity, through a narrow set of historical texts in a way that does not reflect how the vast majority of its followers live and practise their faith today.
In reality, religions are interpreted and lived by people in diverse ways, shaped by context, community and shared values. The overwhelming majority of Muslims in the UK are law-abiding citizens who contribute positively to society – in our public services, businesses, schools and communities.
I believe it is important that we avoid generalisations which risk deepening division or misunderstanding. A more constructive approach is to engage with people as individuals, to listen, and to recognise the common ground that exists across communities of different faiths and none.
I hope we can continue to approach these conversations in a spirit of respect and openness.

Best,

Scott

KANISHKA NARAYAN MP

Thank you for contacting me.

In regard to Iran, I assure you the Government’s top priority is the safety and security of UK nationals. The UK has no plans to be drawn into the wider war. Everyone wants a swift resolution that brings security and stability back to the region and stops the Iranian threat to its neighbours.

As for your comments about Islam, I must remind you that freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental human right. This is a tolerant multi-faith country, built on diversity and respect, in which all faiths contribute towards creating a richer society. I welcome the Government’s commitment to building a Britain where all communities feel safe, and where the contributions of people of all faiths and beliefs are warmly welcomed.

Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Kanishka

Kanishka Narayan MP

Member of Parliament for the Vale of Glamorgan

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

MUSLIM RAPE GANGS

CHRIS COGHLAN MP

Good afternoon,

Thank you for taking the time to write to me on this deeply distressing matter. I am grateful for your heartfelt concern for the victims of these appalling crimes, and I want to assure you that this is something I take extremely seriously. I do apologise for the delay in responding to you.

The sexual exploitation of children is one of the most despicable crimes imaginable, and I share your anguish at the scale of suffering that has been caused to so many vulnerable young people over so many years. The Liberal Democrats support all measures that will deliver justice for victims and help prevent these horrific acts from occurring in the future.

It is right that the Government has established an Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs, following a recommendation from the Casey Review. This review must proceed with the urgency and thoroughness that victims deserve. I understand your frustration at the pace of progress, and I want to reassure you that I will continue to push the Government on this matter. Importantly, the Government's Independent Inquiry has the legal power to call witnesses and to require organisations to produce documents and records, it will be more wide-ranging and thorough than Mr Lowe's private inquiry, which means it is better placed to deliver the lasting justice and systemic change that victims truly deserve.

On the specific matter of EDM 2768, I am afraid that I am not in a position to sign it at this time. My colleagues and I are concerned that political manoeuvring around these issues risks exploiting the very victims we all wish to protect, and I would call on all Members to prioritise justice and prevention over political point-scoring.

I want to be clear about what the Liberal Democrats are doing. We have tabled our own Early Day Motion, which I have signed, calling on the Government to implement the recommendations from both the Jay and Casey inquiries in full, with regular reports to Parliament on their progress. We also tabled an amendment at the committee stage of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill to call for these recommendations to be enacted in full. I will continue to use every opportunity available to me to press the Government to ensure that the inquiry proceeds with integrity and with the full confidence of survivors.

The victims of these crimes deserve nothing less than our absolute commitment and the full force of the law brought against those responsible.

Best,

Chris

DEATH PENALTY LAW IN ISRAEL

DR SCOTT ARTHUR

Thank you for writing to me previously to express your concerns about the tragic violence that we are still seeing in Gaza, and across the Occupied Palestinian Territories. I am reaching out to provide a brief on some of the latest developments in this area and my own actions.

Despite the ongoing ceasefire we are continuing to see unacceptable levels of violence in Gaza and increasing settler violence in the West Bank. I am glad the UK Government is bypassing Hamas to make a substantial contribution to the humanitarian effort in Gaza amounting to £116 million in 2025/26, which has reached nearly one million people.

However, I remain gravely concerned about the situation in the region, particularly after the recent passage of a law backed by far right Israeli politicians which would permit the death penalty for Palestinian detainees convicted of terror offences. The discriminatory nature of this legislation is appalling, with settlers, for instance those carrying out violence, essentially exempted. The images of right-wing Israeli politicians celebrating the passage of this law with champagne was disturbing and given there are already huge questions over human rights abuses toward Palestinian detainees, I echo the concern expressed by the Palestinian Authority that the law, “seeks to legitimise extrajudicial killing under legislative cover”. An petition has been lodged with the Israeli Supreme Court to strike down the law, and I fervently hope this will happen.

Due to this escalation, I have submitted a Written Question to the Government to highlight my concerns and the concerns of the constituents who have contacted on this issue.

The text of the question is as follows - “To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the UN’s claim that Israel’s application of the death penalty to Palestinian detainees constitutes a war crime.”

I will share the response from the Foreign Office when I receive it.

Thanks once again for your continued engagement on this and best wishes,

Scott

PRO-PALESTINE HUNGER STRIKING PRISONERS

TONIA ANTONIAZZI MP

Thank you for contacting me.

I believe the care and health of prisoners is paramount, and I know their welfare and wellbeing, whether on hunger strike or not, is absolutely central to the Prison Service and for Ministers. Food refusal and hunger strikes in prison are very concerning, and I encourage all prisoners to eat food they are offered and accept healthcare and treatment they are offered.

All prison healthcare providers in England and Wales are commissioned and contracted to use National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines and have pathways of care in place for people refusing food and/or fluids. If a person requires hospital care, this will also be available and facilitated.

I understand there is a clear, robust and long-standing policy in place for managing prisoners who refuse food and fluids. This policy, updated in January 2025, strengthened previous guidance in place since 2012. Staff are required to identify food or fluid refusal early, understand the reasons behind it, and work closely with healthcare professionals to manage the situation effectively.

It is not appropriate for the Government to intervene in ongoing legal proceedings, which are a matter for the independent judiciary. This is a long-standing constitutional principle that protects fairness and the rule of law. Defendants and their lawyers can make representations to the court if they believe they should be on bail.

There are currently more than 17,000 people on remand in England and Wales. This is part of the very difficult situation in the criminal justice system which the Government inherited, and which it is addressing with investment, reform and modernisation. While most suspects are bailed pending trial, there are a range of reasons why remand in custody can be applied for, including if there is a risk of further offending. Remand decisions are the responsibility of our independent judiciary and there are well established procedures for applying for bail. This does not, and must not, involve ministerial interference.

I know the Government continues to assess the wellbeing of prisoners and will always take the appropriate action, including taking prisoners to hospital if they are assessed as needing treatment by a medical professional. Ministers are keeping this under very tight scrutiny, and I will continue to follow this matter closely.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this issue.

If you have any further concerns or constituency issues please do not hesitate in contacting me.

Yours sincerely,

Tonia

Tonia Antoniazzi MP
Member of Parliament for Gower

IS SECTARIANIAN POLITICS HERE TO STAY?

CHARLIE MAYNARD MP

Thank you for writing to me about your concerns. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get back to you sooner.

I recognise that many people are worried about the threat posed by extremist ideologies and the need to ensure that the UK’s security systems are able to identify and deal with genuine risks. Protecting the public from terrorism and extremism must always remain a top priority.

The Lib Dems and I recognise the concerns many people have about radical Islamism and other extremist views. However, tackling extremism effectively requires collective action, not division, and it must be done in a way that strengthens trust between communities rather than undermining it. That is why we have been calling on the Government to publish the Community Cohesion Strategy they promised last year, so that local communities, faith groups and public services can work together to confront all forms of extremism while also building understanding and resilience.

Everyone should be able to live free from discrimination, and no one should be able to use their religion or belief as a justification to undermine the rights and dignity of others, including women, LGBTQ+ people, and others in our society. At the same time, we must ensure that the response to extremism remains rooted in the rule of law, fairness, and respect for fundamental rights.

In our manifesto, the Lib Dems committed to ensuring that the police and prosecutors have the resources and training they need to prevent and prosecute all hate crimes, while supporting survivors. We also support providing funding for protective security measures for places that may be vulnerable to hate crime or terror attacks, such as places of worship, schools and community centres.

Alongside this, we must also confront the hostile and hateful rhetoric in media and public life that too often creates the conditions in which violence and extremism can flourish. Building a safer country means tackling extremism wherever it appears while also protecting the values of tolerance, democracy and the rule of law that underpin our society.

Thank you again for writing to me about this important issue.

Best wishes,
Charlie

Charlie Maynard - Member of Parliament for Witney

IS THERE ANY POINT WRITING TO MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT?

Only a few of them reply.

Some of the replies are clearly nonsense.

So is it even worthwhile writing to them?

I think it is. Mainly in the hope of giving them informative facts about Islam.

To counter the widespread misinformation.

To embolden those MPs who see there is a problem but are unsure about their facts.

The more of us who write to them, the less they can ignore the harsh reality.

Of course, write to them using your own words. Don’t just copy and paste my emails.

Write to your own MP. Even if they are in a party that is unlikely to be sympathetic. They are the precise ones who need to change their mind. The aim of informing them of some facts regarding Islam and the threats from it.

If you want to write to more than a handful of MPs, it becomes time consuming, unless you use “mail merge”.

If you want to do it manually, in batches, then it will take around 2 to 3 hours. I know, that is how I started doing it before using mail merge. This automates it considerably. And yes it takes a number of minutes for it to operate, but you can leave it do its thing while you go to make a cup of tea.

The details, with step by step instructions are here:

THE OVERTON WINDOW

We should all do something to try to shift the Overton window. So that the threat from Islam itself is more widely known and acknowledged.

Our individual actions may seem small and insignificant. However, if many people d something, every day, it soon adds up to something significant.

BEGIN NOW

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