Quakers in Britain build relationships with politicians and other key stakeholders to try to bring about changes in political structures, culture and policies in line with Quaker values.

We do this on a national level, and we support Quakers and local meetings to do it on a local level. Below you can find out more information about how we can support you to engage with politicians and the political process.

To find out more about our recent political activity, please visit Quaker concerns.

Support for Quakers

    Scottish Parliament Election May 2026

    With the Scottish election coming up in May 2026, there are resources available to help you and your local meeting engage with candidates. This could be at a hustings, on your doorstep or because your local meeting have decided to arrange a meeting with a candidate(s). If you have any questions or would like some support engaging with candidates in Scotland, please contact scottishpolitics@quaker.org.uk.

    The resources available are:

    • Scottish election 2026: A guide for Quakers (PDF): This guide is for individuals, groups and meetings interested in knowing more about the upcoming Scottish election in May 2026. It gives an overview of some key issues for Quakers in Scotland, suggesting questions that Quakers may wish to ask their parliamentary candidates. It has advice about holding hustings and other ways to engage with the election.
    • Scottish election 2026: Guidance on approaching Scottish election candidates (PDF): This guidance is intended to help Quakers approach candidates standing in the 2026 Scottish parliament election in a way that is thoughtful, effective and consistent with Quaker values. It offers practical advice on when to make contact, how to prepare, and how to communicate respectfully while remaining nonpartisan.
    • Scottish election 2026: Draft email to candidates from a local meeting (PDF): If you would like to invite your local candidates/newly elected MSPs to meet your local meeting there is a template email that you can use as a basis.
    • Hosting a Hustings-Scotland (PDF): Ideas and advice for churches on holding a question time meeting or hustings for the May 2026 Scottish elections. Produced by the Joint Public Issues Team and the Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office (SCPO). Quakers in Scotland and other members of the SCPO have endorsed this guide.

    Guidance for Quakers Communities across the UK with election regulations

    • 2026 Elections: guidance for Quaker communities (PDF): This document is UK wide and covers the 2026 elections for the Senedd Cymru, Scottish Parliament and for local government and mayoral elections in England. There are some laws and guidance documents that Quaker communities need to be aware of during the election period. Elections are regulated by the Electoral Commission, and charities are regulated by the Charity Commission or the Office for the Scottish Charity Regulator, so their websites are the main sources of information.

    Email your MP about the police raid on Westminster Meeting House

    How to email your MP about the police raid on Westminster Meeting House (PDF)

    Contacting your MP

    We encourage you to build a long-term relationship with your MP so that you can support them to maintain truth and integrity in public life. We have developed some new materials in English and Welsh (below) for you to use for this purpose.

    Deunyddiau Cymraeg

    Our contacting your MP briefing (PDF)  gives advice on how to engage with the political process. It will help you to decide on an approach to political campaigning, contact your MP if appropriate, and engage with them further when they respond.

    You can also use the briefing to help you engage with local councillors, Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) or Members of the Senedd (MSs).

    Supporting Quakers

    We provide advice and support to individual Quakers and local meetings on engaging with the government and elected representatives. We can also advise on media and social media. Below are some helpful resources on this. If you would like to speak to someone in the Public Affairs team, please contact politics@quaker.org.uk.

    Speaking out as Quakers

    Before deciding whether to speak out on a political issue, we encourage you to look at our guidance on speaking out as Quakers (PDF). We have briefings on the following issues to help you speak out more confidently:

    A guide to local government

    This guide is for individuals and groups who want to know more about how to engage with local government. It provides an overview of the structures of local government in Scotland, England and Wales, the Quaker concerns it works on, and ways of engaging with it.  Local government: a guide for Quakers (PDF).

    Advice on political meetings and election hustings

    The  elections and hustings briefing (PDF) is to help area and local meetings decide whether to hold a hustings during elections, and to provide information for those who do. It provides advice on who to invite and how to plan hustings. During elections we also generally provide resources for Quakers on issues to raise with local candidates. The last guide we produced was for the 2024 general election (PDF).

    Finding out more online

    You may also be interested in one of these links to external political websites:

    Related blog

    Protecting the right to protest: why we need to act now

    25 February 2026 by Grace Da Costa

    Contact us

    politics@quaker.org.uk

    020 7664 1107