“Ukrainians will not react well to attempts to undermine their views and preferences and will rally behind their leaders," Olga added. "Opposition forces will also find a way to come together and show unity - everyone in Ukraine understands what is as stake - it is an existential matter. Ukrainians have been fighting to protect their independence for years, and they will not give up now.”

“By inventing low approval ratings, Trump is preparing the ground for a call for quick elections in Ukraine - in line with Putin‘s references to Zelensky as an illegitimate president and negotiation partner,” said Gwendolyn Sasse. “Our findings show that for Ukrainians, holding elections now is not a preferred priority.”

“When the war ends, we can expect normal political competition to reemerge if Ukraine remains free,” added Henry Hale. “But with the Russian threat still looming large, Ukrainians continue to rally strongly around their leader.”

As Ukraine continues to resist Russian aggression and misinformation campaigns, the researchers say these must be called out and rejected. Their findings demonstrate that Ukraine still stands with Zelensky, and they say that efforts to delegitimise him only serve the interests of Vladimir Putin.

Mr Yushchenko added: “We enjoyed our tour of John Rylands Library, which is stunningly beautiful and holds so many unique treasures. Oh, and as an avid beekeeper, I was thrilled to see that the symbol of your wonderful and historic city of Manchester is the brilliant and hard-working bee!” 

“It was a great honour for The University of Manchester to host President Yushchenko and the First Lady for the lecture and visit,” said Professor Fiona Devine, Vice-President and Dean of Humanities, who was the senior host for the visit. “The Manchester region has strong links with Ukraine, and the University is also home to a growing number of Ukrainian students who were delighted to be able to meet President Yushchenko personally. The University looks forward to continuing its support for our students.”

"Our hosting the President and First Lady Yushchenko was an opportunity to not only showcase the University, but also to discuss possible future cooperation between our staff and students and those at leading universities in Ukraine," said The University of Manchester’s Professor of Comparative and Ukrainian Politics Olga Onuch. "The president stressed his thanks for the support people in the UK - and Manchester specifically - have given to Ukraine and the ordinary Ukrainians who had to temporarily flee their homes.

"Our Politics students reported later in class that they were inspired by the President’s words, and they were hugely thankful to have had the unique opportunity to personally meet a world leader that lead a people’s revolution. This is exactly what we should be doing as a global University - inspiring the leaders of tomorrow by building bridges and partnerships with the leaders of today."

“Drawing on years of research on Ukrainian politics and society, this timely study paints a fuller picture of Zelensky and the conditions that made him who he is today, and deserves a wide readership at this critical moment in European history,” said Gwendolyn Sasse, Director of the Centre for East European and International Studies.

For more information about the book, visit www.hurstpublishers.com/book/the-zelensky-effect. 

“My lifelong career objectives are to enhance self-sufficiency and to ensure dignified access to basic services among vulnerable communities - despite how aspirant these goals might seem, I truly believe that passion, hard work, and the opportunity to study at Manchester will assist me to go steps further towards this goal,” Sally added.

Another recipient is Alona Deriabina, a Clinical and Health Psychology student who fled to Poland after the Russian invasion forced her to leave her hometown near Kyiv. “Despite becoming a refugee, I remain desperate to continue my education no matter the circumstances,” said Alona. “My dream is to gain deep knowledge and skills in the field of clinical and health psychology, so I can promote mental health in Ukraine and abroad, particularly for Ukrainian refugees who are spread now all over the world.”

Electrical Engineering student Yefym Lunev is from Kharkiv in Ukraine, and he had to flee with his family as the city was being destroyed by Russian bombs. “Russia has been bombarding my city, especially residential areas, day and night since the war began,” he said. “More than 1100 high rise residential buildings, 60 schools, dozens of nurseries, hospitals, libraries and even our famous opera house and fine arts museum are in ruins. Several of my university buildings were destroyed by bombs, and some students and faculty members are reported to have been killed.”

“I want to graduate with high marks and gain a deep knowledge of engineering. I am really interested in renewable energy and global warming problems, and want to focus on mastering my knowledge in this sphere – I am sure the university will help me to achieve this,” Yefym added.

Syrian Medical Microbiology student Mahmoud Komy is another recipient - he is now able to study for a Master's Degree after his family were twice displaced during the ongoing civil war, and he and his father were both imprisoned for belonging to a minority group associated with the opposition. He has previously worked for Syrian Arab Red Crescent as a humanitarian field doctor, helping to treat his fellow countrymen wounded in the conflict.

“Epidemiology and microbiology affects everyone around the world, which was evident during the COVID­-19 pandemic when microbiologists were on the front line fighting the virus and making crucial decisions – however, the Syrian health system allocates little interest to epidemiology and microbiological studies,” said Mahmoud. “After more than ten years of a brutal war, securing a future inside Syria became a dream that could never come true - now, the only solution is to look for opportunities abroad. Therefore, I need to take this path to fulfil the needs of my country.”

“It means a lot for me to be here, and I will do my best to give back to this city - I will always be grateful.”

The University would like to thank Gian Fulgoni for his financial contribution to the scheme. It is one of many programs supporting the University’s social responsibility agenda - these include our Equity and Merit Scholarships for students from sub-Saharan Africa, and our Undergraduate Access Scholarships for UK applicants who have been in care or estranged from their parents. 

For more information, visit www.manchester.ac.uk/study/international/finance-and-scholarships/funding/.

The event is generously funded by the University of Manchester's Humanities Strategic Civic Engagement Fund (HSCEF), and is also supported by the MOBILISE project and Ukrainian Embassy in the UK.

This conference brings together dozens of Ukrainian students and UK University alumni from across the whole country for a day of talks, working groups, monitoring, and lectures. Among many special guests will be Ms. Olga Tokariuk, a renowned Ukrainian Journalist and Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford, and Professor Andrew Wilson of UCL will be joining the students for key note lectures. 

Dr Onuch said “It is our duty as scholars and university leaders to support the next generation - one way we can do this is to  provide a space where they can come together, meet each other, and feel a collective sense of support and meaning," said Dr Onuch. “These students have been through unthinkable trauma and stress in the last year - they have family and friends in harm's way, and yet they still have to write essays, sit exams, and think of finding a job. Thus, we must do all we can to support them and their ambitions.”

“We were excited to speak to our President at such a difficult time, and to unite our voices with the struggle of the people of Ukraine,” said Mariia Horb, President of the University’s Ukrainian Society.

The University of Manchester Humanitarian scholarships are just one of the many on offer supporting the University’s social responsibility agenda, which include Equity and Merit Scholarships for students from sub-Saharan Africa and Undergraduate Access Scholarships for UK applicants who have been in care or estranged.

Joe raised funds for UK-Med, a charity based at The University of Manchester which provides healthcare assistance during humanitarian crises around the world. A team of volunteer medics from the charity has set up clinics across Ukraine to provide care for the many people in need, and is also providing support and training for local healthcare staff who are having to respond to situations far beyond anything they’ve ever dealt with before.

“I want to congratulate Joe on his epic challenge to raise funds and awareness of our humanitarian work in Ukraine,” said Jackie Snell, UK-Med’s Interim Director of Fundraising. “Cycling 1600km is no easy feat, and we applaud Joe for his determination to take on this fundraiser!”

“With this donation we can get life-saving medical aid to where it's needed most, and support the rebuilding of a health system overwhelmed by war. We thank Joe and all of his supporters for their incredible generosity.”

For more information about the work UK-Med is doing in Ukraine, please visit their Facebook page.

“It’s an early alarm system for human rights abuses,” explains Ernesto Calvo of the University of Maryland. “For it to work, we need to know two basic things: what is happening or being reported, and who is reporting those things.”

Calvo and his lab focus on the second of those two requirements, and constructed a “community detection” system to identify key groups of Twitter users from which to gather data – meaning that millions of tweets now feed into the system every day.

Erik Wibbels of Duke University handles the project’s natural language processing element, using AI and the keyword list developed by Onuch and others to analyse what the tweets are about; political science Professor Graeme Robertson of the University of North Carolina and his colleagues provide expertise on the region; and scholars from the Kyiv School of Economics are helping to validate the system’s performance.

The war in Ukraine may be the first war to use social media data in this way, but it won’t be the last - analysing social media data is likely to become an increasingly prevalent way to monitor conflicts, as well as other crises and key moments in future history, said Calvo. The tool, and the reports it is producing, also has potential for major impact on policy and human rights documentation procedures in UK and internationally.

For more information about Data for Ukraine, visit https://mlp.trinity.duke.edu/dataforukraine.php#en

“I have Ukrainian colleagues and acquaintances, and what they are going through right now is simply unimaginable – their friends and families are either trapped in basements sheltering from Russian missiles, or have fled the country leaving their whole lives behind. We in the UK have a responsibility to help however we can, whether that be offering shelter through the Homes for Ukraine scheme, raising funds or donating much-needed supplies.”

“This is a wonderful thing to do on behalf of UK-Med’s work in delivering essential emergency healthcare to Ukraine and its neighbouring countries,” said The University of Manchester’s Professor Tony Redmond, who founded UK-Med. “Thank you so much Joe - every penny you raise will go towards relieving the terrible suffering of the Ukrainian people.”

To donate to Joe’s fundraising appeal, please visit www.cycle4ukraine.com, where Joe will also be posting updates about his journey. For more information about the work UK-Med is doing in Ukraine and Poland, visit their Facebook page.

Funding has been put in place for an initial three-year period with a view to longer term sustainability via external funding streams.

Student Scholarships

The first element is a scholarship fund to support new students fleeing conflict, including those in Ukraine currently, who are so significantly affected by the war. The detail of the scheme needs to be worked through and will be confirmed as soon as possible.  In addition, the University has a range of support systems for existing students who may be affected.

The student scholarship fund builds on the University’s existing programmes to support students, whether through its augmented Living Cost Support Fund for existing students or specific schemes to assist asylum seeker students.

Once established, the new scholarship fund will provide annual support for:  

- 10 undergraduate scholarships including £11,000 stipend each year for three years, access to NHS surcharge and visa costs, with fees waived.

- 10 postgraduate taught scholarships including £15,000 stipend for one year, access to NHS surcharge and visa costs, with fees waived.

The University is also considering how it might provide support for postgraduate researchers and will update on that in due course.

We are initially investing a total of almost £5 million of direct costs and waiving of fees.

Scholarships would be available to students globally fleeing conflict zones, provisionally using the Uppsala University Conflict Data Programme database on armed conflict to set the parameters of the scheme. It is being developed with advice from the University’s Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute (HCRI) over the coming weeks and more details will be announced.

Further details on eligibility criteria and design are being finalised. Funding for scholarship support will begin in September 2022, with some flexibility on allocation in the first year to allow rapid deployment of funds.

Support for staff through CARA fellowships

The University is also committed to supporting the Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA) to provide five, two-year fellowships to support staff fleeing conflict zones The terms of a CARA fellowship allow staff to undertake research and contribute to university teaching.

A programme for professional services staff is also being considered separately.

President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, said: “Our University is here to create a safe and inclusive environment for students and staff from the UK and around the world to study, teach, research and above all, thrive.

“We are providing direct support to new students and staff fleeing conflict, including those in Ukraine or currently displaced as a result of the Russian government’s invasion. We look forward to providing a whole-hearted Manchester welcome in the weeks and months to come.”

All details on the University’s Ukraine response can be found here, with regular updates on our position, what we are doing, how you can help, relevant news, and connections with our experts on the invasion of Ukraine.

If you’d like to support students affected by the conflict, you can make a gift to our Living Cost Support Fund here. The Living Cost Support Fund exists thanks to generous alumni and donors, and forms part of the package of support available to students who have been directly impacted by the war in Ukraine. The Fund is available to any Manchester student facing unforeseen hardship during their studies.

And we hear about a rare archive of Ukrainian dissident literature from the Soviet era, and why it’s now in danger.

History is central to understanding why the Russian invasion of Ukraine happened, and what might happen next. And in this episode, we’re exploring the history of Ukrainian national identity.

Dominique Arel, professor and holder of the chair of Ukrainian studies at the University of Ottawa in Canada, explains how Ukrainian national identity started to emerge in the 19th century, when the territory that later became Ukraine was split between the Russian empire to the east and the Austro-Hungarian empire to the west.

“The birth of Ukrainian nationalism as a mass social movement really crystallised by the first world war,” says Arel. “It was far more developed in western Ukraine than in eastern Ukraine because in the Russian empire, Ukrainian nationalism was repressed and even the Ukrainian language was banned.” Under the Soviet era, while Ukrainian nationalism was initially encouraged under Vladimir Lenin, it began to be seen as a “nationalist resistance that needed to be wiped out”, explains Arel.

When Ukraine became independent in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union, anyone living on the territory had a right to citizenship. At that time, a little less than a quarter of the population identified as ethnically Russian and three-quarters as ethnically Ukrainian – alongside minorities, including Crimean Tatars. But researchers point to shifts in those identities since then.

Volodymyr Kulyk is head research fellow at the Institute of Political and Ethnic Studies at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. He spoke to us from Kyiv. “To be Ukrainian used to mean to be Ukrainian by descent to be a Ukrainian origin or in the Soviet official parlance to be of Ukrainian nationality,” he says, explaining that nationality was “primarily understood in ethnic, hereditary terms”.

But now, Kulyk says it’s changing and more and more people are identifying as Ukrainian. “That means that more and more people who used to be Russian or who used to be other ethnicities, start identifying as Ukrainians.”

The Euromaidan protests of 2013-14 marked a turning point. Olga Onuch, a senior lecturer in politics at the University of Manchester in the UK, has been part of a number of studies surveying Ukrainians about their views and identity, and their politics. She says they’ve found that “civic identity or state attachment was extremely strong amongst Ukrainians, across linguistic and across regions”, and that it was increasing over time. “As the conflict escalated, so did support for the Ukrainian state,” says Onuch.

Her research is also tracking shifts in political attitudes. This was incremental at first, in the years following 2014, but after the election of the current president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in 2019, Onuch says there was a “huge jump” in support for Ukraine joining the EU and NATO, which she calls the “Zelensky effect”.

Our second story brings a personal perspective to some of this history. During the Soviet era, when Ukrainian language was repressed, it was dangerous to publish Ukrainian political and cultural texts within Ukraine. One man, Wolodymyr “Mirko” Pylyshenko, in the diaspora Ukrainian community in the US began collecting this dissident literature. His daughter, Katja Kolcio, an associate professor of dance and environmental studies at Wesleyan University in the US, tells the story of the archive – and why it’s now in danger. (From 36 minutes)

And Moina Spooner, news editor for The Conversation in Nairobi, Kenya, recommends some analysis marking the two-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic. (From 48m)

This episode of The Conversation Weekly was produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can find us on Twitter @TC_Audio, on Instagram at theconversationdotcom or via email. You can also sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here.

Newsclips in this episode are from Al Jazeera English, WION News, BBC News, Hromadske News , and France24 .

You can listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed, or find out how else to listen here.

Gemma Ware, Editor and Co-Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation and Daniel Merino, Assistant Science Editor & Co-Host of The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

You can download The University of Manchester leaflet in Ukrainian, Russian, English, Polish , Romanian,  Dutch  and German

The leaflet is read aloud in several languages in English,  Polish and Romanian

More UNODC and University of Manchester collaborative family skills resources, including those translated for the Ukrainian crisis, are available on the UNODC website

The leaflet is based on the research of Dr Aala El-Khani, a University of Manchester psychologist and parenting trainer who developed numerous family skills interventions and parenting resources based on her experiences  working with Syrian refugees in Syria, Turkey and the UK.

The academic, who is of Syrian heritage herself, worked with Professor Rachel Calam, Professor of Child and Family Psychology and Dr Kim Cartwright at The University of Manchester, to produce the leaflet.

It explained that anxiety, nightmares, bedwetting, withdrawal and even aggression are normal responses to childhood trauma, and offered basic reminders and suggestions for looking after themselves and their children.

Working with a humanitarian organization in Syria, 3000 leaflets were printed and distributed with humanitarian bread supplies to families inside the war-torn country.

Research shows that one of the most important predictors for the mental health of children who experience conflict and displacement is the way that they are cared for by their families. Warm, positive parenting can help buffer children from psychological harm.

Professor Rachel, Callam said: “We know that good family relationships are an important way to promote children’s mental wellbeing, which can help to counteract their actual experience in wartime -  appalling though that may be.

“If families can provide warm, positive and  secure parenting, that can be powerfully protective, and this information helps them to achieve just that.”

Dr El-Khani works as an international consultant for  the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), where she and Professor Calam have co-developed a number of other family skills resources in response to crisis contexts globally that are also now being utilised in many countries.

She told the Guardian in an interview that every displaced parent she met was struggling with emotional or behavioural changes in their children.

“Some had gone looking for advice, asking camp doctors, teachers and NGO. But these people were too overwhelmed with their own roles or didn’t have the knowledge to help,” she told them.

A talk by Dr El-Khani’s called “What it’s like to be a parent in a war zone”, which has had 1.1 million views so far, and was made an Editor's Pick on the TED Talk front page.

Seeing this leaflet, one relief worker in Romania said:

"So really helpful, at first hand all the info guidance and advices,  Will make sure to have printed out forms and given to parents in need that cross the border from Ukraine to Romania.” 

Another said:

"Thank you for this valuable resource. We will use it among our networks and share it with those who are helping to provide pastoral support for traumatised Ukrainian refugees.”

Following feedback from refugee families, the team have developed a more detailed booklet, giving more information on parenting through conflict and displacement, which can be downloaded here.  Caregivers may find it helpful to sit together and talk through this with other families.

More UNODC and University of Manchester collaborative family skills resources, including those translated for the Ukrainian crisis, are available on this link

To donate to the Ukraine Appeal please go to: https://www.uk-med.org/ukraine-appeal. For further details on how to support UK-Med, please contact Director of Communications and Fundraising Jackie Snell at Jackie.snell@uk-med.org. 

You can stay up to date with developments on UK-Med’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn pages.  

Ukraine has been funding these treatment services since 2017. In that year, it also rapidly expanded its services for people in need of sterile syringes, condoms and peer support or counselling – the World Health Organization-recommended minimum for harm reduction among drug users and those at risk of HIV.

The Russian invasion has severely disrupted access to these specialist drug-treatment services. Before the war, some people would collect their methadone daily, but the Ministry of Health has advised that a 15-30 days’ supply should be given. This helps to reduce the number of trips to services, which in some parts of the country are risky. Yet even at this early stage in the war, ensuring people can secure medication is proving difficult.

Of the 1,328 people registered with drug services in Kyiv, so far, most have been able to get their opiate substitution medication. But services in other parts of the country aren’t faring so well. They are either running out of supplies or contact has been lost with local drug treatment teams.

Without this daily supply, people will develop severe withdrawal symptoms. Although these are not life-threatening, they are extremely uncomfortable at a time when people are already experiencing significant stress. We know that food, water and safe accommodation are disappearing for many in Ukraine.

An increasing number of Ukrainians are leaving the country, seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. The Ministry of Health is trying to reach an agreement with its neighbours to ensure care is continued for those who need treatment for tuberculosis or HIV.

The International Narcotics Control Board has encouraged these countries to ensure there is also access to substitute opiates for refugees. Negotiations have been taking place between Ukrainian officials and health authorities in Moldova, Romania and Poland to ensure injecting drug users can continue to get treatment, though it is not clear how much effort or success there has been.

There are significant differences in the way neighbouring countries provide treatment to those who are dependent on drugs like opiates. Some countries are not as progressive as Ukraine in their attitudes to people who use drugs. Recent ceasefires have opened up humanitarian corridors to Belarus and Russia, both of which are opposed to treatment – hardly enticing options for people in need.

Future looks bleak for drug users if Russia wins

President Putin has made clear his disdain of people who use drugs, most recently accusing Ukrainian leaders of being a “gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis”.

In 2011, Russia declared “total war” on the country’s drug problem. It is difficult to source reliable estimates of how many Russians now have problems with drugs, though recent analysis of debates held in the Russian parliament between 2014 and 2018 suggest about 8 million Russians use drugs regularly. This compares with 6 million in 2011. It is not clear what proportion depends on or needs treatment.

After decades of official denial that drug use existed in the Soviet Union, the post-Soviet authorities were forced to acknowledge the HIV/Aids epidemic in the 1990s. This was linked to injecting drug use, which today accounts for 40% of new HIV infections in Russia.

An increasing number of Russians have developed problems with drugs such as heroin; a recent article suggested that 3 million Russians are injecting drugs. Many of these people don’t have access to harm-reduction services such as needle and syringe exchange schemes. Without these, the risk of contracting HIV and other blood-borne viruses is increased.

Russia is also the only country among the 47 member states of the Council of Europe that prohibits opioid substitution therapy. The prospect of long-term occupation by Russia therefore has deeply negative implications for harm reduction services in Ukraine.

Russia’s domestic drug policy has been counterproductive in fuelling disease spread, stigma and human rights abuses. There is no doubt that people who use drugs are vulnerable during conflicts, and those risks are amplified considerably when an invasion is orchestrated by a president who has complete contempt for them.

Ukrainians dependent on drugs have a right to healthcare. But that support looks to be evaporating quickly, albeit not for the lack of courage by those trying to provide treatment during this conflict.

Ian Hamilton, Associate Professor of Addiction, University of York and Julia Buxton, Professor, Criminology, University of Manchester. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

How do I contact my MP?

The first step is to check who your MP is by using this easy search tool. Once you know who they are, you can then choose how to contact them. All MPs can be contacted by post (just send your letter to House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA) or by email.

The MP search tool will also show you their official email address. Parliamentary rules mean that MPs can only respond to communication from their own constituents, so it’s really important that you send your letter or email to your own MP.

What should I write?

People write to their MPs for all sorts of reasons, including asking for help with services such as benefits and tax or to discuss matters relating to immigration, the NHS and child support. These sorts of letters are usually dealt with by the MP’s constituency office, which will be based in your local area.

You can also write to your MP about bigger issues relating to national government policy – including foreign affairs issues like the Ukraine conflict. It’s a good idea to say what you want your MP to do. For instance, are you writing because you would like your MP to vote in a particular way in parliament on an upcoming issue? In the case of Ukraine, it may be that you’d like your MP to push the government to take more action, or a different course of action. It’s also a good idea to set out your reasons for wanting this particular course of action.

Perhaps you want them to sign an early day motion (EDM) – a request for parliament to hold a debate on a specific issue. In practice, these work a bit like petitions, demonstrating which MPs agree with proposals and raising awareness of campaigns or events. MPs write them and encourage their colleagues to sign them in support of a particular issue. Recent EDMs include a request from Labour MP Clive Betts that Uefa to move the Champions’ League final outside Russia.

Should I write my own message or use a template?

Sometimes campaign groups provide a template to copy and paste when you contact your MP, or they may ask you to use an online form (see this example here from Amnesty International on the recent policing bill). This may be pre-filled with requests and explanations. Even if you agree with all of what the group is asking for, it’s a good idea to put these into your own words. If the issue affects you or your family personally, then say so.

Individually crafted letters and emails are often more persuasive and carry more weight than hundreds of identical emails. Although we typically only contact our MPs when we want to complain or object to something – you can also write to show your support for an issue or decision too. These letters are typically (though not always) dealt with by your MP’s staff at Westminster.

What if I didn’t vote for my MP?

It doesn’t matter if you didn’t vote for your MP or if you are a member or supporter of another party. They represent all of their constituents and regardless of political affiliation, your correspondence will be dealt with in the same way.

What happens next?

If you have contacted your MP about a personal issue, they will get back to you and let you know if they are able to help by letter, email or phone call.

If you asked about a policy issue, there are several options available to your MP. In all cases, you should receive a message back from your MP with their own thoughts on the issue. They may say why they agree or disagree with you or explain how they have raised the issue in parliament. Your MP may forward your message to a government minister and ask for a response, which they will then forward to you.

Sometimes an MP will raise a constituent’s issue in the House of Commons chamber. A quick search of Hansard (the record of parliamentary debates) over the last year shows over 150 explicit references to constituents’ concerns in this way. Labour MP Barbara Keeley, for example, recently asked Home Secretary Priti Patel for clarification around visa rules on behalf of one of her constituents who was trying to bring family members over from Ukraine.

Only a few constituency correspondence will be mentioned in the chamber in this way, and your MP will let you know if and when this happens.

Is it worth it?

There is much value in writing to your MP. After all, it is difficult for them to represent their constituents in parliament if they don’t know what they are thinking. MPs need to see both sides of the debate to decide how to vote. Letters and emails are particularly valuable as part of a broader campaign where they can help to build momentum behind an issue. If lots of MPs raise the same issue with a government minister, its significance and importance will grow.

It doesn’t really make much difference whether your MP sits on the government or the opposition benches, and, in fact, cross-party campaigns can be very powerful.

However, if your MP is a government minister, whip of parliamentary private secretary, there will be some restrictions on what they can and can’t do. They aren’t allowed to sign EDMs, for instance.

Is there anything else I can do?

Another good way of showing MPs what you think about issues is to create or sign a petition. Research shows these can be a very powerful tool to express concern or dissatisfaction with government policy. The government responds to all petitions that receive 10,000 signatures. And those that reach 100,000 are considered for debate in parliament – including this one calling for more support for Ukrainian refugees.

Louise Thompson, Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Manchester. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.