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Thread: Letter to my MP

  1. #1
    Now with added sobriety Rave's Avatar
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    Letter to my MP

    If you're a car enthusiast you should write a similar letter IMO. Paying money to scrap perfectly serviceable old cars would be a bloody disgrace- and, as I point out in my letter, so would using taxpayers money to compete with the poorest in society.

    Quote Originally Posted by Rave
    Dear Mr ****,

    It has been widely reported in the news media that the government is
    considering introducing a 'scrappage' scheme whereby the owners of old
    cars will be given a discount of £2000 against the purchase of a new
    car. I am writing to express my strong opposition to the introduction
    of such a scheme.

    There are many reasons to oppose the scheme- the benefits to our car
    manufacturing industry are likely to be marginal and provide poor value
    for taxpayer's money, and the claims made about the environmental
    benefits are extremely dubious. However, my most serious concern, and
    the one that I think should be of most concern to a Labour MP, is the
    distorting effect the scheme is likely to have on the secondhand car
    market. If the government are offering a voucher worth £2000 in
    exchange for an old car, then that is likely to make the market value
    of all old cars £2000, for obvious reasons. At the moment is is
    possible to purchase a roadworthy secondhand car for £500 or less. If
    the price of these cars suddenly jumps to £2000 then a lot of young
    people and/or those on lower incomes will no longer be able to afford
    to buy a car which they may well rely on to get to work, run a small
    business, or care for other family members. Incidences of car theft and
    driving without insurance are likely to rise.

    In effect, a scrappage scheme would mean the government using
    taxpayer's money to compete with the poorest people in society in order
    to price them out of a valuable commodity.

    I hope you will join me in opposing this scheme, and that you will pass
    on this communication to the relevant minister.

    Yours sincerely,

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    Senior Member Tumble's Avatar
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    Re: Letter to my MP

    Nice concise letter there Rave.. although I'd expect a bit more vitriol in there from your good self

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    Huge Member Brucelles's Avatar
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    Re: Letter to my MP

    I agree with the sentiments, but I even more like that you bothered. So few people bother their MPs that they often are swayed by the few loud-mouths who email them twice a day. In fact mine and my previous MP have both replied with thanks when I felt the need to email them.

    More people should do it.

    Well done.

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    HEXUS.timelord. Zak33's Avatar
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    Re: Letter to my MP

    Quote Originally Posted by Rave View Post
    If you're a car enthusiast you should write a similar letter IMO. Paying money to scrap perfectly serviceable old cars would be a bloody disgrace- and, as I point out in my letter, so would using taxpayers money to compete with the poorest in society.
    You should also suggest a SOLUTION, not just a PROBLEM.

    For example, the scrap value of cars should be £150. Not £2000

    That way, the real old knackers WILL come off the street. Leaving the other cars to be valued properly.

    The world realy could do with losing the last few mini metro's and fiat uno Mk1's tbh

    It should also NOT be only if you buy a new car.

    The government should organise a system of scrappage where you write to the government dept, they award you a voucher AND A TIME AND PLACE to be to scrap it.

    When you arrive, ON TIME, you get yuor voucher stamped and coded, and when yuo send it off, you get a cheque.

    That way the local scrappy's can VOLUNTEER to join in, and not have it forced upon them, AND get a structured way of doing it.

    Because the UK's scap yards are HEAVING already! These cars need BREAKING, and SPLITTING by remarketers who are clever enough to do the job properly.

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    Seething Cauldron of Hatred TheAnimus's Avatar
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    Re: Letter to my MP

    Who would of thought that a Labour style interference with the free market would ***k the poorest the most?

    The joke is this is what almost always happens when this kind of lunacy is introduced.
    throw new ArgumentException (String, String, Exception)

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    Re: Letter to my MP

    A good letter Rave although it seems the opinion of the public is rarely bothered with these days so possibly a futile effort. I highly suspect though we will be seeing some sort of scheme introduced like it or not
    Last edited by digit; 02-04-2009 at 09:24 AM.

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    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
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    Re: Letter to my MP

    Quote Originally Posted by Brucelles View Post
    I agree with the sentiments, but I even more like that you bothered. So few people bother their MPs that they often are swayed by the few loud-mouths who email them twice a day. In fact mine and my previous MP have both replied with thanks when I felt the need to email them.

    More people should do it.
    It's cool that you got a positive response - my communication with a certain Tory cabinet member who is my MP has been less than productive. Despite being the email actually being complimentary and polite, his reply was not especially nice and ran completely counter to the things I was trying to compliment him on.

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    JagerBomber Mossy's Avatar
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    Re: Letter to my MP

    Personally I dont think this is a bad scheme at all the positives really out weigh the negatives when you actually think about it.
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    sneaks quietly away. schmunk's Avatar
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    Re: Letter to my MP

    My MP is a horrible, fat old Tory. I don't wish to even begin correspondence with him.

  12. #10
    Butter king GheeTsar's Avatar
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    Re: Letter to my MP

    In Japan I think they just add a huge tax on cars over 5 years old to encourage people to buy new ones and therefore prop up the Japanese car industry. That's why there are so many grey imports that are 5 years old. I'm not in favour of that, but at least it would be better than £2k scrap fee.

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    It's good to be bad pauldarkside's Avatar
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    Re: Letter to my MP

    So those who can afford a new car would be better off buying the cheapest piece of junk out there, even if it meant keeping it off the road (SCORN), just to get the discount? Arse about face and, as usual, the fat will get fatter
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    Re: Letter to my MP

    Quote Originally Posted by pauldarkside View Post
    as usual, the fat will get fatter

    and the poor will get poorer. therein lies the major flaw in this idea.

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    Nefarious Networker Dareos's Avatar
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    Re: Letter to my MP

    Quote Originally Posted by pauldarkside View Post
    So those who can afford a new car would be better off buying the cheapest piece of junk out there, even if it meant keeping it off the road (SCORN), just to get the discount? Arse about face and, as usual, the fat will get fatter
    Either that was an incredibly subtle piece of satire that I kinda got, or a typo


    SORN

    Statutory Off Road Notification


    Go for the former, it carries more kudos
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    mutantbass head Lee H's Avatar
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    Re: Letter to my MP

    Dareos,

    With the letters you get from the DVLA when you applied to have a vehicle under SORN they might as well rename it SCORN

  18. #15
    Now with added sobriety Rave's Avatar
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    Re: Letter to my MP

    Quote Originally Posted by Brucelles View Post
    I agree with the sentiments, but I even more like that you bothered. So few people bother their MPs that they often are swayed by the few loud-mouths who email them twice a day. In fact mine and my previous MP have both replied with thanks when I felt the need to email them.

    More people should do it.

    Well done.
    Thanks. I've written to him a couple of times before (once taking the piss admittedly) and not got much of substance in reply. I should do it more often, but I'm not sure where the line is between being a concerned citizen and a green-ink crank....

    My MP is an extremely loyal New-Labourite- though now Brown's in charge I suppose he might be a bit less inclined to toe the party line so slavishly.

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    Senior Member joshwa's Avatar
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    Re: Letter to my MP

    There is an online petition, linked to here:
    http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/t...ppage%20scheme

    With some good explanations of why they are against the scrappage of old cars as well. It's interesting to note that Autocar (and other car magazines) are for the scrappage scheme, as it'll most likely help sell magazines about new cars

    There's also a good article here about how old "bangers" can be just as environmentally friendly as new cars, and why old cars should be saved
    http://www.great-cars.co.uk/images/s...escrappage.pdf

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