Quakers in Britain build relationships with politicians and other key stakeholders to try to bring about changes in political structures, culture and policies in line with Quaker values.

We do this on a national level, and we support Quakers and local meetings to do it on a local level. Below you can find out more information about how we can support you to engage with politicians and the political process.

To find out more about our recent political activity, please visit Quaker concerns.

Support for Quakers

    Contacting your MP

    We encourage you to build a long-term relationship with your MP so that you can support them to maintain truth and integrity in public life. We have developed some new materials in English and Welsh (below) for you to use for this purpose.

    Deunyddiau Cymraeg

    Our contacting your MP briefing (PDF)  gives advice on how to engage with the political process. It will help you to decide on an approach to political campaigning, contact your MP if appropriate, and engage with them further when they respond.

    You can also use the briefing to help you engage with local councillors, Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) or Members of the Senedd (MSs).

    Supporting Quakers

    We provide advice and support to individual Quakers and local meetings on engaging with the government and elected representatives. We can also advise on media and social media. Below are some helpful resources on this. If you would like to speak to someone in the Public Affairs team, please contact politics@quaker.org.uk.

    Speaking out as Quakers

    Before deciding whether to speak out on a political issue, we encourage you to look at our guidance on speaking out as Quakers (PDF). We have briefings on the following issues to help you speak out more confidently:

    A guide to local government

    This guide is for individuals and groups who want to know more about how to engage with local government. It provides an overview of the structures of local government in Scotland, England and Wales, the Quaker concerns it works on, and ways of engaging with it.  Local government: a guide for Quakers (PDF).

    Advice on political meetings and election hustings

    The  elections and hustings briefing (PDF) is to help area and local meetings decide whether to hold a hustings during elections, and to provide information for those who do. It provides advice on who to invite and how to plan hustings. During elections we also generally provide resources for Quakers on issues to raise with local candidates. The last guide we produced was for the 2024 general election (PDF).

    Finding out more online

    You may also be interested in one of these links to external political websites:

    Related blog

    George Fox's 59 rules for good government

    17 October 2024 by Lucy Saint-Smith

    Contact us

    politics@quaker.org.uk

    020 7664 1107