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<h4><b>Write to your MP - ask them to attend the debate on trespass
</b></h4><b>
<a href="https://www.righttoroam.org.uk/mpletter" eudora="autourl">
https://www.righttoroam.org.uk/mpletter<br><br>
</a></b>Thanks to the 134,000 of you who signed our petition, 'Don't
criminalise trespass', MPs will debate this issue in Parliament. The
Petitions Committee have scheduled a debate in Westminster Hall for
Monday 25th January 2021. To speak, MPs have to register with the Speaker
of the House by Friday 22nd January. It's vital we get MPs attending
representing your views. <br><br>
Please contact your MP using and adapting the template email below. You
can look up your MP and their email address on the
<a href="https://www.righttoroam.org.uk/https://shoutout.wix.com/so/1eNPn-UGN/c?w=95L_TRchjxTEMRch48vFNgsUnXCjOT1iVPaC36wiIfU.eyJ1IjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9tZW1iZXJzLnBhcmxpYW1lbnQudWsvRmluZFlvdXJNUCIsInIiOiI0ZjljNTYzNy00YmQ1LTQwNjUtYThkMC04MDQ4NTJhYjYwMjAiLCJtIjoibWFpbCIsImMiOiIyYjFkZGIzZi1iMTNhLTRjZDktOTAyMC01ZDRmY2Q4YmYwMmYifQ">
Parliament website here</a>. Remember to include your postcode when you
send your email, to show you're a constituent, otherwise they won't have
to respond.<br><br>
Template email for you to adapt and send to your MP compliments of
glorious Guy Shrubsole:<br><br>
<br><br>
Dear ____MP,<br><br>
Subject: Don't criminalise trespass - please register to attend the
Petitions Committee debate on 25th January<br><br>
As your constituent, I'm very concerned by the Government's proposals to
criminalise trespass. Together with over 134,000 other people, I signed
this Parliamentary petition to oppose the criminalisation of trespass
(here:
<a href="https://www.righttoroam.org.uk/https://shoutout.wix.com/so/1eNPn-UGN/c?w=fRp8rTEYiEcFm8pAk4Hqwo_wWGie67IELzsn9H88tJk.eyJ1IjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wZXRpdGlvbi5wYXJsaWFtZW50LnVrL3BldGl0aW9ucy8zMDAxMzkiLCJyIjoiNGY5YzU2MzctNGJkNS00MDY1LWE4ZDAtODA0ODUyYWI2MDIwIiwibSI6Im1haWwiLCJjIjoiMmIxZGRiM2YtYjEzYS00Y2Q5LTkwMjAtNWQ0ZmNkOGJmMDJmIn0">
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/300139</a>). If you follow the
link, you can click through to a map showing how many other of your
constituents also care deeply about this. <br><br>
The petition is now scheduled for a Petitions Committee debate in
Westminster Hall on Monday 25th January 2021 at 4.30pm, and I would like
you to attend to represent my concerns. Please register to take part in
the debate with the Speaker of the House by Friday 22nd January.<br><br>
I'm concerned because criminalising trespass would be an extreme,
illiberal and unnecessary attack on ancient freedoms that would threaten
ramblers who stray from the path, wild campers, Travellers, peaceful
protestors and the wider public keen to enjoy nature. Fear of
criminalisation may even deter amateur naturalists from carrying out
wildlife surveys, as some scientists have warned.<br><br>
Access to nature is vital for everyone’s physical and mental health –
something lockdown demonstrated vividly. Last year’s exceptional spring,
combined with the coronavirus regulations, meant many people stopped to
observe and experience nature in ways they hadn’t since childhood. With
restrictions on overseas travel, many more people enjoyed their summer
holidays in the British countryside. Sales of camping equipment have
soared; British Canoeing has seen a 40% jump in membership; and National
Parks have seen huge numbers of visitors from sections of the population
who’ve never visited them before.<br><br>
Criminalising trespass would create a massive chilling effect on visits
to the countryside. Many people are already put off visiting rural
Britain through unfamiliarity, poor transport links, existing civil
trespass laws and a general sense that they don’t belong or aren’t
welcome in the countryside. Such feelings are multiplied greatly for
Black, Asian and ethnic minority Britons.<br><br>
Criminalising trespass isn’t just draconian, it’s completely
unnecessary. Landowners who wish to sue trespassers can already do so via
the courts. Police forces have stated they don’t want or need any
additional powers to deal with unauthorised encampments, whether by
Travellers or protestors (see
<a href="https://www.righttoroam.org.uk/https://shoutout.wix.com/so/1eNPn-UGN/c?w=rQYJi6CATamVSeUHVnQt_QhwPGV6BM4NIaVddP8bbVI.eyJ1IjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL3dvcmxkLzIwMTkvbm92LzE0L3BvbGljZS1vcHBvc2UtdHJhdmVsbGVyLWFuZC1neXBzeS1jYW1wLWNyYWNrZG93bi1mb2ktc2hvd3MiLCJyIjoiNGY5YzU2MzctNGJkNS00MDY1LWE4ZDAtODA0ODUyYWI2MDIwIiwibSI6Im1haWwiLCJjIjoiMmIxZGRiM2YtYjEzYS00Y2Q5LTkwMjAtNWQ0ZmNkOGJmMDJmIn0">
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/14/police-oppose-traveller-and-gypsy-camp-crackdown-foi-shows</a>
). Gypsies and Travellers are already amongst the most marginalised
communities in the UK, and criminalising trespass or increasing police
powers of eviction would compound the inequalities they
experience.<br><br>
Criminalising trespass is opposed by numerous access and environment
groups, from the Ramblers and British Mountaineering Council to CPRE and
the British Horse Society, who wrote to the Home Secretary earlier this
year urging her to reconsider the proposals (see
<a href="https://www.righttoroam.org.uk/https://shoutout.wix.com/so/1eNPn-UGN/c?w=GwQVFR6px2Fu9RfS1_xb8kRobIcDwMyOHZsf4uL8HRM.eyJ1IjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhldGltZXMuY28udWsvYXJ0aWNsZS9yZXRoaW5rLXRyZXNwYXNzLWxhdy1yYW1ibGVycy11cmdlLXByaXRpLXBhdGVsLThnaGdqM204biIsInIiOiI0ZjljNTYzNy00YmQ1LTQwNjUtYThkMC04MDQ4NTJhYjYwMjAiLCJtIjoibWFpbCIsImMiOiIyYjFkZGIzZi1iMTNhLTRjZDktOTAyMC01ZDRmY2Q4YmYwMmYifQ">
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rethink-trespass-law-ramblers-urge-priti-patel-8ghgj3m8n</a>
). It is also opposed across party lines: the chair of the Conservative
Environment Network, Ben Goldsmith, wrote an article in the Telegraph
this Autumn calling on the Government to drop plans to criminalise
trespass (see
<a href="https://www.righttoroam.org.uk/https://shoutout.wix.com/so/1eNPn-UGN/c?w=Px1caY2344OTcz9HZj7gG2g2e7X6qbcN36tJ4ia4tLs.eyJ1IjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvLnVrL2Vudmlyb25tZW50LzIwMjAvMTAvMjIvYmVuLWdvbGRzbWl0aC1jYWxscy1nb3Zlcm5tZW50LWRyb3AtcGxhbnMtY3JpbWluYWxpc2UtdHJlc3Bhc3MvIiwiciI6IjRmOWM1NjM3LTRiZDUtNDA2NS1hOGQwLTgwNDg1MmFiNjAyMCIsIm0iOiJtYWlsIiwiYyI6IjJiMWRkYjNmLWIxM2EtNGNkOS05MDIwLTVkNGZjZDhiZjAyZiJ9">
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/environment/2020/10/22/ben-goldsmith-calls-government-drop-plans-criminalise-trespass/</a>
). <br><br>
The Petitions Committee has scheduled a debate on this subject for Monday
25th January. I'm therefore calling on you as my representative to please
attend the debate, and to relay my concerns and those shared by people up
and down the country.<br><br>
<br><br>
Yours sincerely,<br><br>
<br><br>
[Your name and postcode]<br>
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