ME Association: ‘ME Awareness Week 2018’ New Early Day Motion Launched by Carol Monaghan MP

When MPs say that they don't sign EDMs maybe it would be worth people emphasising that this is an unusual case, where a section of the UK state that politicians tend to just defer to (medical research) has made serious mistakes, and now appears to be trying to avoid acknowledging their failings, so just having MPs show concern will be of some value, and may help make it clear that this issue cannot be swept under the carpet. There is a danger that presenting this as a challenge to the medical research Establishment would make most MPs run a mile though.

I wish that this bit had not been included in the EDM, I really don't see any benefit to it, and think it would be stronger without: "recognises the fantastic work campaigners and charities are doing to highlight ME as a physical condition which is not all in the mind".

 

I'm assuming that you mean that it's frustrating that MPs can choose to just not sign any EDMs at all ever, whether they theoretically support them or not, which I agree with you on.

If the first initial response is that he/she just doesn't sign them at all, my suggestion would be to ask if they support the wording of the EDM and, if they do, what will they be doing to support the efforts of Carol Monaghan in improving the lives of 250,000 ME sufferers in the UK, and, if they don't, why they feel that the 250,000 ME sufferers are adequately provided for.

 

88 signatures, new ones below.

 

Brilliant Andy, that's a super jump!!

 

Previous update from yesterday going from 72 to 80.

 

97 signatures, new ones below

 

@Esther12
I wish that this bit had not been included in the EDM, I really don't see any benefit to it, and think it would be stronger without: "recognises the fantastic work campaigners and charities are doing to highlight ME as a physical condition which is not all in the mind".


Maybe just end it after "physical condition". I get uncomfortable when explaining this illness is not psychological. It can sound as if psychological illnesses are not as important instead of wanting an accurate explanation.

EDIT: no idea what happened there. Apologies. @Esther12's quote ended at "in the mind."

 

The 'all in the mind' phrasing is loose in a way that I think is unhelpful, but even just the "recognises the fantastic work campaigners and charities are doing to highlight ME as a physical condition" bit is unhelpful imo.

Wouldn't it be better to just have "recognises the fantastic work campaigners and charities are doing to help improve how those with ME are treated"? The criticism of PACE would be strong without the 'physical condition' reference, which I don't think will be of any benefit to us, but might risk playing into some prejudices.

 

I contacted mine, but as always is proving highly immune to to my efforts.

 

Whatever was written there would likely be something we felt not quite right. In many ways it is more the process that is important.

 

I can focus on any problems, maybe in the hope of avoiding them in the future, but this is still definitely a good thing.

 

The big 100 has been hit, new signatures below.

 

Any increase since Andy? If you have numbers handy...thanks

 

The link in post #2 has the info, but reproducing here: https://www.parliament.uk/edm/2017-19/1247. Still at 100.

 

Yeah, that’s what I meant.

 

Another 15 signatures, now at 115.