A plea to my neighbouring MP

Below is the full text, apart from the removal of my friend’s name, of a letter to Stephen Metcalfe, the Parliamentary representative of the neighbouring constituency to mine.  I don’t really expect a reply or any help as Parliamentary etiquette demands that MPs only take on cases for their own constituents but you never know.

Dear Mr Metcalfe,

I am writing to ask for your help in a delicate matter.  I am not actually one of your constituents but I am a resident of Thurrock who is having trouble with your Parliamentary colleague, Jackie Doyle-Price.

I was told by a friend of mine, ___________, who is a regular correspondent with yourself that, regardless of the amount of e-mails he sends you, you always acknowledge receipt of each one and provide a reply to each one as well.  This being the case, I thought I would approach you with my problem in the fervent hope that you may be able to have a discrete word with Ms Doyle-Price.

I sent a lot of e-mails to Ms Doyle-Price and not only did she not acknowledge receipt of them in most cases but she has not replied to any of the points I raised with her.  In fact, her only reply accused me of overt hostility and failed to answer any of the points I brought up in any of the e-mails.  I admit that the e-mails are strongly worded and assertive but none could be considered hostile.  Ms Doyle-Price stated that "I have no need of a pen friend" and that she was "under no obligation to indulge" the correspondence which she believed was "becoming unpleasantly hostile" in "tone and volume".

Ms Doyle-Price also sent me an Easy Read leaflet on the role of an MP despite the fact that, as you can see, I am rather an articulate writer and not someone with a learning difficulty.

If you are willing to intercede in this matter, I am willing to send you copies of all the correspondence to which I refer together with scans of Ms Doyle-Price's letters.

Regards,

Myles Cook

As usual, any reply I get will be posted here on this blog.