Tuesday 14 April 2009

Rate Your MEPs' Responses

A simple tick list and point system, to alert you to how well your MEP can read, and respond. Simple 5 point tick list for positives and negatives. Count up their score.
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If you want me to include your MEP responses in this main post, send it in via comments, with POST ON BLOG in the first line. Otherwise, it will appear in comments. Make sure you decide how you are to be identified, and you give me the political party and Region of your MEP. Give final score to each response.
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Accountability, freedom of speech, don't you just love them?
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Positives
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1) Addresses bottle feeding images as main issue +50
2) Doesn't mention 'breast is best' etc +100
3) Mentions and appears to understand Code issues +150
4) Responds to at least 2 points from your letter +200
5) Promises to raise issues with EU department/s +250
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Negatives
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1) Discusses breastfeeding and not bottle feeding -50
2) Mentions "women who can't breastfeed" -100
3) Doesn't mention Code -150
4) Hasn't detailed any action they will take -200
5) Doesn't answer any point/ruling you made -250
(Code, EU directives, LLL statement etc)
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An amazing -500, which the poster feel is generous, for Brian Simpson, Labour MEP for North West England. WH
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On Tue, Apr 14, 2009 at 11:34 AM, Brian Simpson <briansimpson.labour@virgin.net> wrote:
Thanks for your email about the EU advert. I don't think this is to promote baby milk nor do I believe it was designed to cause offcence.
(sic) I am a very strong supporter of the use of mothers milk, unless it is not possible to do so.

BRIAN SIMPSON MEP

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Another staggering -500, for the North West, this time Den Dover, Conservative MEP.
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From: DOVER Den Date: Wed, Apr 15, 2009 at 9:08 PMSubject: RE: eu advert

The EU have no idea how to operate commercially and sensibly in a matter such as this, as you can see. I object to our public money being spent on campaigns such as this - and always have done. Den Dover MEP
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How much are we paying these people? And then expenses on top?

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Had to move this one up here! A wonderful +400 for Nigel Farage UKIP MEP for South East. Emails still flying between him and the constituent who complained. Mr Farage very interested in Nestle being an 'economic partner' with the EU...
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A +250 for John Bowis, Conservative MEP for London.
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Very short letter, but positive:
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Dear Kate xxx
Thank you for writing to me about the European election publicity featuring a baby bottle.
I share your concerns and have written to the European Commission about this matter.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely
John Bowis
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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Does a polictical assistant's reply count? I'd give it a -400, as she does say what she'll do (forward it to her grand fromage MEP boss).

Dear Sophie,

Thanks for letting Glyn have your comments on this important issue. I looked at the postcard and although I was surprised to see a bottle, I thought the point of the postcard was that mothers could work and that many do so, having expressed milk into a bottle whilst they are away. However, I do
understand your concern and will pass your comments on to Glyn.

Kind regards

Yours truly

Cherry Burrow
Political Asst to Glyn Ford MEP
Dear Cherry,

Thank you for your reply and for forwarding my email to Glyn Ford.

I can accept that the milk within the bottle might be expressed, however as all the other postcards operate on the basis of contrasting images/symbols, the intented interpretation is far more likely to be laptop = "work" and bottle = "family".

In either case, the use of a bottle at all remains contrary to EU policy.

Kind regards,

Sophie


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I also have two other replies: one "out of office" and one "So-and-so deals with Dorset, therefore I am sending it to him." Ho hum. Grand south-west regional FAIL.

Kate said...

Great response there... still waiting to hear from all my local MEPs, though one did reply to me to ask for my address as he prefers to respond in writing.

And speaking of using a bottle as a completely inappropriate illustration, this article on the new report on homebirths should be added to the list: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20090415/tuk-home-births-as-safe-as-hospital-dba1618.html - how this illustrates homebirth being as safe as a hospital birth is beyond me!

NakedFaery said...

Nigel Farage - Scores a surprisingly respectable 400

Ashley Mote - A despicable -650.

Nigel Farage is actually proving extremely helpful in subsequent e-mails, seems to be genuinely interested in helping and disgusted at Nestles involvement.

NakedFaery said...

Sharon Bowles - a bearable 250, but by far the most intelligent, well thought out and educated sounding answer.