To The Rt Hon Sir Alan Campbell MP

CC: The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP, Rachael Maskell MP

Dear Sir Campbell,

I am writing to you as a constituent of York Central, but also as firm believer in democracy and what our parliament should be. I have circulated this open letter and it has been signed by York Central constituents as well as UK citizens further afield, both Labour Party members, trade union members affiliated with the Labour Party and people who are not affiliated with the Labour Party.

One of the biggest things that bothers me when people talk about politics is when people say “all MPs are the same.” Sure, there are MPs that do the bare minimum (barely turn up to vote and don’t hold surgeries or don’t reply to letters and emails.) There are career MPs who are parachuted into safe seats and just toe the party line. There are MPs who have been caught being bought by lobbyists on behalf of big business. But there are also MPs who want to make this a better Country, listen to their constituents, and vote in a way that respects their constituents. And one of those MPs is Rachel Maskell.

Rachael holds regular surgeries. I have never struggled to get an appointment with her, both for local issues with the council affecting my life and to discuss government policy. Surgeries regularly run late so she can meet as many people as possible and give them the time they need to talk to her about their issues .

Rachael reads correspondence from constituents. Unlike some MPs, you can present a reasoned argument and change her mind, and she will act accordingly in parliament.

Rachael holds urgent community consultations to allow as many constituents as possible to discuss key policy with her (for example, triggering article 50 or PIP reforms.)

Rachael meets with community groups to discuss their needs, often at their location.

Rachael connects with key stakeholder groups to get lived experience to inform her decisions (e.g: she will meet with disability groups to discuss disability reforms.) You cannot accuse Rachael of being bought or lobbied by a business or pressure group.

Rachael attends community events just for the purpose of connecting with the community.

For the following reasons, Rachael is a credit to the Labour party:

Rachael was voted hardest working MP in Yorkshire three years in a row

Rachael regularly works with Labour councillors in York to promote the parties aims and to help get councillors elected and help them run the city.

In 2019, the leaked Forde report revealed that the Labour party staffers had sabotaged the general election effort by funnelling money from marginal seats into safe seats. It was also revealed a staffer had personally insulted Rachael. Disgusted, many members of the CLP in Clifton quit the party. In the absence of party volunteers, I saw Rachael posting leaflets for the party by herself because there was no one left to do it, and because she believes in the Labour party (both at a national and local level.)

I am glad that I have an MP that believes in democracy and serving her constituents. If Rachael feels she belongs in the Labour party, then I support her, not just for her sake but for the message it says to the public that an MP is there to serve their constituents, and also because the Labour party is better off with an MP who is hard working and has the guts to stand up for what is right.

We, the undersigned, demand you restore the Labour party whip to Rachael Maskell MP