Taking steps to lobbying success

DEMORACY has been a one-sided conversation in Guernsey so often over the past decade. But there are creeping, if small, signs of change.

And it has come from activists joining in the debate in a much more coherent and organised way.

The decision to overturn the incinerator owed much to the lobbying on the steps of the Royal Court, when deputies couldn't help but hear the level of opposition to the project.

A political class more used to dealing with faceless individuals by letter, phone or email, came face to face with a mob of their doubters on decision day.

They had to stare them in the eyes as they made their minds up.

This month the Disability Alliance again scored a success, this time over invalidity benefit rises.

A core of supporters (albeit on a much smaller scale than on the waste issue) hit the phones and message boards and handed out leaflets as deputies entered the Royal Court, and sat in the public gallery, presumably to act as some kind of visual conscience.

So why have these two groups been successful, when others have fallen short?

One factor is surely a willingness to fight using every available tool. Petitions, so often the first weapon for which people reach, are just one element.

If there's an issue you feel strongly about, it's no use muttering under your breath. Shout about it. Hit the phones to deputies and the media, sit in the public gallery of the States, hand out leaflets, call the radio phone-in. Stir up conversation and make sure people keep talking about it.

It seems important to work on getting a good combination of hard facts and emotional impact - you want people to feel as passionately about the issue as you do, and they'll only do that if they care.

Aspokesman for a pressure group can create a sterile, evidence-based argument, but nothing will play on a politician's conscience like giving the negative impacts of the proposal a face.

Social media has also changed the playing field.

It's a quick way to engage a lot of people and was described by one person I spoke to as a 'gift to the lobbyists'.

Do not underestimate the number of civil servants and deputies scanning things like the thisisguernsey.com forum to help gauge the mood of the public. A few of them are even regular 'posters' and will, spend time answering questions and clarifying or explaining their position on certain issues.

It's fairly easy to filter out the ranters and ravers, and often a coherent thread online plays a part in shaping the debate.

A point you raise might be one that had so far not been considered by States members.

There is little point beginning the lobby without having done your homework first.

It is easy to dismiss those that are not fully informed, but much harder to ignore those who can come back with facts, figures and evidence on which they base their counter-arguments.

Your 'fight' has to be based on something more substantial than the political equivalent of running up to someone in the playground and sticking your tongue out.

So much of it is about gaining a deputy's respect.

Building relationships and engaging with them frequently is seen by some as another element to a successful lobby.

If you spend the majority of your time being positive, the rare act of dissenting has more power.

So take part in the consultations, speak to the civil servants and politicians involved to gain a full understanding, become seen as a helping force.

Do not lose credibility by flailing around and disagreeing with everything.

It is like the lesson from the boy who cries wolf.

Of course there is no point taking on the fight if there is no one there at the final debate to take your case forward.

Disability campaigners had Deputy Jane Stephens to lead an amendment in the States - most groups do not have an elected champion and can end up being fronted by opportunistic deputies who may not be as well-versed in the arguments.

'Do not be afraid of using the system,' was the advice coming from some quarters.

It is not just a case of trying to work on 47 disparate people - there are opportunities to present your message directly to the right department, and now things like the social policy or energy policy steering groups, which bring together different departments.

It may be daunting to approach Frossard House, but it can prove invaluable in influencing policy-making at an early stage.

Some groups have established themselves to the extent they are actively consulted - they can help shape an argument long before the report is published.

Once the proposals are on the table, to a large extent the department has control of the situation - they hold all the trump cards with the information in their back pockets.

There is a reason no one dismantles the Budget wholesale.

Some prominent lobby elements in Guernsey have skin like Teflon, a worthwhile trait. For example, road safety campaigners split opinion and at times face severe acrimony but to get results, they need to face this down.

But do not lose sight of taking the wider public with you if you can.

The media is a key element in the armoury of any campaigner.

Knowing the contacts, deadlines and how to present your story to the media, is one aspect people often fall short on.

Media will always be interested in the human impact of a story, so find a case study willing to speak up.

And remember you do not always win.

So, to paraphrase singer Frank Turner, reach for the banners, man the blockades, because memories of victory or glorious defeat are hard to beat.