Marie Tidball MP is supported by a small office team working hard to support constituents as quickly and effectively as possible. We encourage constituents to contact our office with any concerns or queries they may have, and we are determined to provide the same level of service for all constituents regardless of political beliefs.

While we understand that reaching out to an MP often occurs in times of distress or frustration, we operate a zero-tolerance approach to abusive, harassing or inappropriate behaviour.

This policy covers all forms of constituent contact:

• Written Correspondence: Emails, posted letters, and social media messages or comments.
• Telephone Contact: Phone calls and voicemails.
• In-Person Interactions: Meetings at advice surgeries, public events, or visits to the constituency office.

All such communications are expected to remain respectful. Public online behaviour (for example, comments on the MP’s social media posts) that constitutes abusive, harassing or inappropriate comments may result in the user being blocked and/or reported. Our office monitors public comments and will address unacceptable conduct on those platforms as needed (e.g. deletion of comments or denial of access to the MP’s online pages).

This policy is intended to ensure that Marie Tidball MP and her office can provide a high level of public service to the majority of constituents, while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the MP and office staff.

Abusive or Threatening Behaviour

We fully appreciate that constituents might feel upset or angry about the issues that lead them to contact us. However, if that anger escalates into aggression or abuse toward Marie Tidball MP or her staff, it is unacceptable.

Any form of violence, threat or abuse towards Marie Tidball MP or her staff will not be tolerated. It is important to note that “violence” is not limited to physical harm – it includes any behaviour or language (whether verbal or written) that causes Marie Tidball MP or our staff to feel offended, afraid, threatened, or abused.

Each situation will be judged individually, and we understand people can act out of character when distressed. Being upset or angry does not excuse shouting at or swearing at staff. We will not accept any caller or visitor yelling, using vulgar language, or making demeaning remarks toward anyone in the office.

Unacceptable language in any communication includes but is not limited to language that:

• Is offensive, derogatory or threatening (for example, using insults or slurs).
• Is discriminatory, including ableist, racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic or other hate-based remarks.
• Makes serious accusations against someone without evidence (for instance, alleging criminal or corrupt behaviour with no basis).

Even if such comments are not directed at Marie Tidball MP or her staff specifically, remarks aimed at third parties can also be deemed unacceptable. For example, insulting other community members or public figures during your interaction with us is not appropriate. In short, any abusive, threatening, or discriminatory language or behaviour is prohibited under this policy.

Finally, all threats against Marie Tidball MP or her staff will be taken extremely seriously. If at any point a member of staff feels unsafe or threatened during an interaction, the conversation will be ended immediately, and the Police may be contacted. This applies to threats conveyed in writing as well – threatening emails or letters will be reported to the authorities without exception.

Harassment and Intimidation

Personal attacks or harassment of staff are wholly unacceptable. Everyone working in the Office of Marie Tidball MP has the right to carry out their work free from harassment or intimidation.

Please remember that staff members are facilitating communication and services on Marie’s behalf; they may not necessarily be responsible for or be able to change the outcome of issues raised.

Harassment can take many forms. Examples of harassing or inappropriate behaviour towards the office include:

• Recording telephone calls or meetings with the office without consent and publishing or sharing those recordings (e.g. posting a private conversation online).
• Attempting to contact staff outside official channels, such as using their personal phone numbers or personal social media profiles (Facebook, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.), rather than the Office’s public contact points.
• Doxing (the action or process of searching for and publishing private or identifying information about an individual on the internet, typically without consent and with malicious intent) or spreading personal information about Marie Tidball MP or her staff – for instance, publishing private contact details, home addresses, or other personal data on social media or public forums.

Insulting or defamatory social media posts directed at Marie Tidball MP or staff, creating multiple accounts to evade blocks, or encouraging others to send abusive messages are all forms of intimidation.

We also consider sustained harassment via online channels to be unacceptable. Such actions will be addressed under this policy. The Office reserves the right to block users on official social media pages who engage in abuse or harassment.

Unreasonable Demands

Constituents understandably contact our Office to seek help with important issues, but excessive or unreasonable demands on the Office of Marie Tidball MP can hinder our ability to assist everyone efficiently.

A demand becomes unreasonable when complying with it would substantially impact our ability to do our work for all constituents. If one person’s demands begin to monopolise time and resources to the detriment of other constituents, that behaviour is considered unreasonable.

Examples of unreasonable demands include requests or actions such as:

• Repeatedly demanding a response or action within an unreasonably short timeframe, not giving the Office a fair chance to investigate or respond.
• Insisting on speaking to or meeting only a specific staff member or the MP, even when they are not available or when you have been advised that another team member can assist.
• Continuously changing the subject or nature of an inquiry, or raising a series of new, unrelated issues in a way that resets the clock on the response, preventing resolution of the original matter.

Such patterns can consume an excessive amount of staff time and unfairly disadvantage other constituents who also need assistance. We aim to treat everyone fairly; therefore, we cannot allow one case to dominate our capacity at the expense of others.

Additionally, communications that are without a clear request or purpose or abusive rants will not be prioritised for response. If a message consists only of aggressive language or unfocused venting and does not state any specific issue for Marie Tidball MP to address, the Office of Marie Tidball MP may choose not to engage in further correspondence until the constituent is able to present a clear question or problem to be solved.

We ask that you clearly state the assistance you need or the outcome you seek; this enables us to help you more effectively.

Excessive or Unreasonable Contact

Just as the content of communication can be unreasonable, so to can the quantity or frequency of contact. High volumes of persistent communication can interfere with our work. For example, making numerous phone calls in a single day or sending a barrage of emails (especially if they cover a wide range of unrelated issues) can take up a disproportionate amount of staff time. This may slow down our ability to respond to other constituents or to progress your own case.

If an individual’s frequency of contact – whether through calls, emails, or messages – begins to disrupt the office’s functioning or the progress of a case, it will be deemed excessive or unreasonable. This includes scenarios like repeatedly making very long telephone calls or sending large volumes of duplicative or irrelevant information after already receiving a response.

We will always try to keep constituents updated on their cases, but we ask for patience; contacting us excessively or incessantly will not expedite an outcome, and in fact may delay our work by diverting time from substantive casework.

If necessary, the Office may set reasonable limits on contact. For instance, we might limit a constituent’s communication to a particular channel (such as in writing only) or a specified frequency if their level of contact becomes unmanageable. These measures are only imposed in extreme cases but are part of ensuring fairness and staff well-being.

Reasonable Adjustments for Disabilities or Distress

We recognise that some constituents may have disabilities, mental health conditions, or neurodiverse conditions that affect how they communicate. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to accommodate individuals who might find standard communication methods challenging.

For example, upon request we can explore using alternative communication methods, providing information in accessible formats (such as large print or translated materials), or being more flexible with timing if someone needs extra time to express themselves. If a phone conversation becomes overwhelming or unproductive, we can give an opportunity to adjust behaviour or take a break, rather than terminating immediately.

We encourage constituents to let us know if they have specific communication needs, so we can work together productively. While we will do our best to accommodate genuine needs and ensure everyone can access our services, these adjustments do not extend to tolerating abuse or threats.

For some constituents, they may find it easier to arrange a surgery appointment in the first instance rather than communicate via written mediums or over the phone. In these instances, we are committed to being flexible and prioritising surgery appointments for those who need them most.

Staff safety remains paramount. Even where a constituent has communicated a specific need or adjustment, our team will not accept aggressive, offensive, or threatening language or behaviour. If inappropriate behaviour persists even after adjustments are made, this policy will be applied to protect the wellbeing of Marie Tidball MP and her staff.

Actions and Consequences

Our overriding goal is to manage the situation in a way that protects Marie Tidball MP and our staff and allows us to continue our work on behalf of all constituents.

The Office of Marie Tidball MP operates a zero-tolerance approach to abusive, harassing or inappropriate behaviour. This means that if a constituent’s behaviour falls short of the standards outlined above, we will take appropriate action. The exact response will depend on the circumstances and will be determined at the MP’s or staff’s discretion on a case-by-case basis.

Possible actions and escalation measures include:

• Informal warning: In some cases, a staff member or the MP may politely point out the inappropriate behaviour during the interaction and ask the constituent to moderate their tone or language. (For example, a caller may be asked to stop shouting or using insults.)
• Formal written warning: The Office of Marie Tidball MP can send a written warning to the constituent explaining that their conduct is unacceptable and must change if they wish to continue receiving assistance. This sets clear expectations for future contact.
• Restricting contact to a specific staff member or channel: We may designate a single point of contact in the Office of Marie Tidball MP for that constituent or require that all future communications be in writing (email/letter only) rather than by phone or in-person. This can help manage the situation and create a clear record of interactions.
• Limiting the frequency of contact: In cases of excessive contact, we may limit how often or how rapidly a constituent can communicate with us. For example, we might respond only at set intervals or decline to respond to repetitive messages covering issues that have already been addressed.
• Temporary suspension of contact: For serious instances of abusive, harassing or inappropriate behaviour or after repeated warnings, the Office may impose a temporary cooling-off period during which we will not respond to the constituent. This suspension could last for a defined period (weeks or months), during which time the constituent’s emails or calls may be filtered or not acknowledged. The constituent will be informed of this decision in writing.
• Terminating all direct contact (indefinite ban): In the event of grave or persistent misconduct, the Office of Marie Tidball MP may cease all direct communication with the constituent indefinitely. This is a last resort measure. It means our Office will no longer engage with the individual via any channel. Their emails may be blocked, and phone calls refused or sent to voicemail without response. (In such cases, the constituent would still be able to receive public updates from Marie Tidball MP – for example, via public newsletters or statements – but they would not receive personal responses or meetings.) Additionally, our office reserves the right to refuse future in-person appointments or refuse entry to events if someone has been banned under this policy.
• Reporting to authorities: At any stage, if a constituent’s behaviour constitutes a threat, harassment, or a potential crime, we will report the matter to the police and/or Parliamentary security. This could occur with or without warning, depending on the severity of the behaviour. For example, any credible threat of violence will be reported to the police immediately. Less overt incidents (such as a pattern of harassment) may be referred to the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Operation for monitoring. In extreme cases, Marie Tidball MP may seek legal remedies such as injunctions against individuals who seriously harass or stalk members of the office.

Whenever formal action is taken under this policy, a record of the incident and the action will be kept on file. This ensures that there is a documented history of the problems and the responses. Such records are kept in line with data protection rules and are used only to inform internal decisions or to assist law enforcement if necessary.

Application of Policy and MP’s Discretion

This Standards and Behaviour Policy is intended to set clear expectations, in line with existing legal standards, precedent of Parliamentary security and official guidance. The Office of Marie Tidball MP will decide, at our discretion, how and when to apply these guidelines in individual cases. In practice, this means that the MP and staff will evaluate each situation and determine the appropriate response. We reserve the right to invoke any of the above actions as soon as they are warranted, without exhaustive debate with the constituent.

Marie Tidball MP and her staff also reserve the right to relax or lift restrictions mentioned in this policy where behaviour has noticeably changed and/or there are new circumstances that merit consideration. This will be done at the discretion of the MP or her staff and will be done on a case-by-case basis.

Please note that choosing to contact the Office of Marie Tidball MP signifies an acceptance of the expectation of civil and respectful discourse. Our aim is always to help resolve constituents’ issues wherever possible while maintaining a safe environment for those interactions. By adhering to this policy, constituents ensure that our team can focus on addressing concerns effectively, and that all members of the public can have fair access to their Member of Parliament’s support.