Contacting your MP or parliamentary candidate online using social media is an easy and personal way to engage with politics in your local area. It can be a powerful tool to see regional, as well as national, change for the environment and our butterflies and moths.

Who is my MP, and what can they do for nature?

You can find out who your MP is  and who your parliamentary candidates are, along with their contact details by searching your postcode on this website.

Your MP is there to represent you and your interests in parliament, so it’s important to let them know how important butterflies, moths and the environment are to you.

They can put pressure on the government in many ways, for example by:

  • Asking questions in parliament
  • Speaking out in debates
  • Proposing changes to bills

By talking to our MPs and parliamentary candidates, we can have our voices heard and push for positive changes to policy and legislation.

What should I talk about?

Your MP is there to represent you. They’ll want to hear about your experiences, the challenges you face and the changes you’d like to see.

If you’re reading this it’s because you’re already thinking about ways things could be done differently for our butterflies and moths. MPs really value hearing about the things local constituents care about, and your passion and local knowledge is invaluable. You can then link this to the campaign issues that are important to you.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when you engage with your MP online:

  • Keep it relevant. Make it clear you’re a constituent by sharing the area you live in, and use local references to help illustrate why you care.
  • Be respectful. and polite Whatever you publish online will be public so be prepared to be held accountable for what you say.
  • Tell them why the issue matters to you. Share your experiences and make it personal – for example, talk about species or habitats found or lost in your area.
  • Give examples. Take a look at our website to find examples of projects which have supported our rarest species. Your MP may not know about the issue, so supportive reading and references can be useful.
  • Inspire dialogue. Ask them questions about their experiences, for example, asking about far a walk their nearest green space is.
  • Spread the word. If using platforms such as X (Twitter) or Facebook, use hashtags and links to help support your points and tag your MP, their party accounts and other local figures to boost your post.

The more people who are talking about nature this election, the brighter the future for the species and habitats that we share our communities with.

Here’s an example of a post you can copy and paste to inspire your next online discussion!

[The biodiversity crisis cannot wait until the next election.
Here are 5 ways we can ensure a world rich in butterflies and moths for everyone, forever.
-    More budget for butterflies
-    Take action for our landscapes
-    Access to nature for all
-    Ban pollinator-killing pesticides for good
-    Take light pollution seriously
A Manifesto for Butterflies, Moths and our Environment | Butterfly Conservation (butterfly-conservation.org)]

Find out more about our Manifesto for Butterflies, Moths and our Environment here.