Why it is important to engage with the government and to exercise your right to vote at the next election
By Simon Ruston, Chris Johnson and Marc Willers QC
Last week there was a very important victory for Gypsies and Travellers, but it is one which has had no fanfare from central government.
Last September the government announced a consultation on changes to Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (PPTS). That document proposed a number of disastrous changes and, most worryingly, that the planning definition of Gypsies and Travellers would be changed so that only ‘Travellers that travel’ could seek planning permission for a caravan site (see our previous blog http://travellerstimes.org.uk/Blog--Comment/Redefining-Travellers-out-of-existence.aspx). Many Gypsy and Traveller organisations and individuals campaigned against the proposals and submitted consultation responses opposing the changes. There were even protests organised by the London Gypsy and Traveller Unit outside the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in London (see http://travellerstimes.org.uk/News/Campaigners-protest-outside-DCLG.aspx).
Whilst it is often easy and understandable to think that such campaigning will achieve nothing, on this occasion the campaign has been successful. A Liberal Democrat MP, David Laws, carefully read the consultation responses opposing the proposals and persuaded his Liberal Democrat colleagues to block Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, from publishing an amended PPTS before the election. Whilst there remains a very real risk that a Conservative government would introduce the reforms in the future, whether they are able to do so will depend upon whether they win the election.
The lessons to be learnt from this saga are clear. Put shortly, campaigning does work. More specifically, putting pressure on politicians by responding to consultations on government proposals can stop bad laws and policy being brought into force.
Another way that Gypsies and Travellers can also help prevent bad laws and policy being brought into force is by voting at the next election. For all you need to know about registering to vote (which can be done online before 20th April 2015) and discovering who your local candidates are and what they stand for, read ‘Operation Traveller Vote’, a guide created by the Traveller Movement at
http://www.travellermovement.org.uk/what-we-do/projects/operation-traveller-vote/
Chris Johnson (chrisjohnson@communitylawpartnership.co.uk) is the team leader of the Travellers Advice Team (TAT) at Community Law Partnership (CLP).
TAT operates a national Helpline for Travellers on 0121 685 8677, Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. CLP’s website is at
http://www.communitylawpartnership.co.uk/
Marc Willers QC (marcw@gclaw.co.uk) specialises in representing Gypsies and Travellers and is a member of Garden Court Chambers’ Romani Gypsy and Traveller Team. Its website is at www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk
Simon Ruston, Ruston Planning Limited, Independent Planning Consultant specialising in Gypsy and Traveller work. Simon can be contacted at simon@rustonplanning.co.uk or on 07967 308752/0117 325 0350