The campaign against the surcharge (the charge for not having a home mooring) started with a massive influx of people joining, and the campaign set up many working groups to facilitate the large range of strategies and tactics people put forward. After a while, it became obvious to most that there were too many strategies and tactics compared to the number of people actively doing things. Therefore, the campaign decided to agree on a set of strategies and tactics.
After much discussion, we, inside the campaign, have decided on a strategy to stop the surcharge. The strategy is twofold: while we are trying to make inroads with finding allies within Parliament (lobbying MPs, Lords etc) to be against the surcharge; we will also be using our leverage to take on CRT’s public image by protest leafleting at the very events and places CRT is trying to improve its image.
The reason why leafleting at CRT stalls works is that it undermines CRT’s public image. The whole premise of CRT’s existence is based on its “charity doing charitable work” public image, and of course, its donations are linked to how people view it. This is why it spends millions of pounds on PR events and social media, etc. CRT has written to NBTA twice now asking, then demanding, we stop leafleting at their stalls. It has obviously been having a serious effect on CRT, and there is no way CRT can stop us. Leafleting at CRT stalls will stop when CRT stops the surcharge; it is our leverage, its the reason CRT will stop the surcharge because CRT needs their public image more than it needs it charge the surcharge. Get involved to be part of the actions that will stop the surcharge. Email stopboatlicencediscrimination@gmail.com to be involved.
With strategy of lobbying MPs, if successful, rather than fighting CRT time and time again over never-ending iterations of their attrition of our community, we might just possibly see government seeking to regulate CRT excesses on our behalf. Long shot. But if it works it will save us many, many more battles.
Our first ‘Drop in Session’ back in November was just a start. Our second session was planned for February 11th but has morphed to a meeting with Andrew Cooper MP, who we met at the first session, so that he might understand our case more fully, then to advise our next parliamentary steps.
National Bargee Travellers Association - London Branch 