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Campaigns Ambassadors in Westminster to tell UK Government that 'Together, we can end cancers caused by smoking'

SmokefreeUK

Smoking is still the biggest cause of cancer in the UK. Cancers caused by smoking have reached an all-time high, at around 160 cases per day.

When governments take action, smoking rates go down. With bold action, the UK Government could help prevent tens of thousands of cancer deaths from tobacco each year.

During the general election, we called on the next UK Government, regardless of the political party elected, to reintroduce world-leading legislation to create a smokefree generation by raising the age of sale of tobacco. If made law, this could help avoid thousands of cancers caused by smoking and could help stop future generations from ever taking up smoking.

On 5 November, the Labour government's new Tobacco & Vapes Bill was formally introduced to Parliament for its First Reading. Now, we need MPs to vote in favour of the Bill, and champion the Age of Sale legislation during its journey through Parliament so that it can be passed and implemented in all four nations.

Campaigns Ambassadors hold signs to tell campaigners to 'Ask your MP to help end cancers caused by smoking'

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Turning Point for Cancer

Our manifesto for longer, better lives

Cancer cases are increasing, patients face unacceptable waits and unequal access to treatment. Life-saving research faces a £1bn funding gap over the next decade. We need to see action.

This general election, we asked all political parties to commit to the long-term change needed for people affected by cancer, by backing our pledges for longer, better lives:

Back research: Set out a plan to close the more than £1bn funding gap for research into cancer over the next decade.
End cancers caused by smoking: Raise the age of sale of tobacco and fund a world-leading programme of measures to help people who smoke to quit.
Drive earlier diagnoses: Implement proven measures, including a lung screening programme, to diagnose cancers early and reduce inequalities in access.
End the waits: Ensure cancer wait time targets are met across England.
Lead on cancer: Publish a long-term cancer strategy for England and Establish a National Cancer Council, accountable to the Prime Minister, to drive cross-government action on cancer.

Our five Turning Point pledges come straight from our 2023 manifesto for cancer research and care that set out the measures and commitments the next government can make to help prevent 20,000 cancer deaths every year by 2040.

Read all about it here

Developing yourself

Your personal reflection record is a helpful guide and place for you to log your objective, learnings, skills and achievements from your time volunteering.

Whether you've been campaigning with us for 10 years or 10 minutes, this pack was designed for you. Add to your skills builder pack directly from your device or print for a paper copy - it's up to you!

Explore your Ambassador Skills Builder Pack today

Catch up on Policy Presents & other workshops

Watch our most recent Policy Presents to learn more from our experts about policy and campaigning at Cancer Research UK and build your skills as an Ambassador.

NEW Nov 2023: Responding to UK Government consultation on 'smokefree generation'
July 2023: Confidence in meeting your MP workshop recording
July 2023: Confidence in meeting your MP workshop slides
February 2023: E-Cigarettes and vaping with Julia Cotterill, Alizeé Froguel and Alice Davies
January 2023: Ambassadors Unite for World Cancer Day: Shaun Walsh and guest researcher, Nic Tapon
December 2022: Local Government Campaigning (England)
November 2022: Westminster Public Affairs Manager with Ian Caleb
October 2022: Introducing our new Director of Policy, Dr Owen Jackson
September 2022: New Government: Policy Positions and the PM with Shaun Walsh

UK Parliament and Government in Westminster

This section is in development - for now please follow these links to learn more.

Find your MP

An introduction to Parliament

Explore our guidance on MP Offices

The Assembly in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland over 9,520 people are diagnosed with cancer each year – more than 26 people every day. Cancer survival is improving, with 56% of patients surviving for five years or more, however survival in Northern Ireland still lags behind other comparable countries around the world.

Health is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland. This means decisions about health policy are made by the Northern Ireland Executive and the Northern Ireland Assembly. That is why we work closely alongside the Executive, Assembly, Department of Health, Health and Social Care (HSC) Board, Public Health Agency (PHA) and Health and Social Care Trusts to ensure cancer remains a priority in Northern Ireland.

Our Campaigns Ambassadors in Northern Ireland are a critical part of that effort as they influence MLAs and other government stakeholders to support policies that help beat cancer.

Follow @CRUK_NorthernIreland on Twitter

The Senedd in Wales

Every year around 19,500 people in Wales are diagnosed with cancer. Thanks to research, cancer survival in Wales is improving, with 58.5% of people surviving their cancer for five years or more. Yet there is still more to be done to accelerate progress so that 3 in 4 people survive their cancer by 2034.

We work with MSs within the Senedd to keep cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care among Wales’ top public policy priorities.

Our Campaigns Ambassadors in Wales are a critical part of that effort as they influence MSs to support policies that help beat cancer. That’s why we want to involve you in our Senedd Campaigns, to make sure cancer is a top priority for the Welsh Government.

Follow @CRUKCymru on Twitter

The Scottish Parliament

Cancer remains Scotland’s biggest killer. While notable progress has been made in improving survival rates, the incidence of cancer continues to grow. There are also major and persistent health inequalities in Scotland, with people from less well-off communities, for example, typically presenting later for treatment and dying earlier.

Health is a devolved matter in Scotland. This means decisions about health policy are made by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament. That is why we work closely alongside the Scottish Government and the 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), advising on cancer and research issues and campaigning for prevention measures and early detection services.

Our Campaigns Ambassadors in Scotland are a critical part of that effort as they influence MSPs and other government stakeholders to support policies that help beat cancer.

Follow @CRUKScotland on Twitter

National and local politics in England

Cancer Research UK connects with Ministers, Parliamentarians and Civil Servants in Westminster, as well as local decision makers across England to support them to address cancer in their communities.

Our policy experts, researchers and clinicians provide expert evidence to parliamentary committees, All Party Parliamentary Groups and public inquiries. They also help us frame responses to key government departments and other relevant public consultations.

We campaign nationally on policy issues to beat cancer through the NHS in England, from screening to early diagnosis and access to treatments. Through local government, we campaign to support the implementation of our national priorities on prevention, in particular on stop smoking services.

How we campaign to beat cancer

Our campaigning on tobacco

Around 4 in 10 cancers are preventable - tobacco is still the biggest cause of cancer and the biggest cause of all premature death in the UK. Smoking causes around 54,300 cancer cases a year in the UK – that’s around 150 cases of cancer every day.

Through campaigning, we’ve made progress.

In 2006, smokefree workplaces, commonly referred to as 'the smoking ban', became law.

In 2009, laws were passed to remove vending machines and tobacco displays.

And in March 2015, MPs voted in favour of plain, standard cigarette packs.

We’ve made progress, and these were huge victories for public health but the UK Government must do more to make the UK smokefree. Now, you can be part of our next tobacco campaign victory

Our campaigning on reducing obesity

The more junk food ads young people see, the more they eat. The big businesses behind junk food will tell you this won't work, ads don't make that much difference to children's diets. But if that's the case, why do they spend so much money on them?

Around six ten-year-olds, in an average classroom of 30, are obese. For kids today, and for future generations, we need to act now. The UK Government promised to ban junk food adverts on TV before 9pm and online, something Cancer Research UK campaigners had been asking for since 2016 and in the Health and Care Act 2022, this became law.

Our campaigning on early diagnosis

Cancer that’s diagnosed at an early stage, when it isn’t too large and hasn’t spread, is more likely to be treated successfully. For many common cancers survival triples when diagnosed at an early stage. That's why we're working to help people get their cancer diagnosis as early as possible.

Since 2017, our campaigners have stood Shoulder to Shoulder and told governments that Cancer Won't Wait. On the day our NHS turned 70, we handed in a letter to Number 10 with 174 MPs and Peers signatures pledging their support for extra funding to recruit and train more NHS staff. Shortly afterwards, then Prime Minister Theresa May committed to diagnosing 3 in 4 cancers early by 2028.

And cancer didn’t stop because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so neither did our cancer campaigners. Nearly 4,000 of you acted to secure safe spaces for cancer services by writing to your politicians.

Change takes time, and every little action adds up to the life-saving policy change we need to see to save more lives.

Our campaigning in elections

Every one of the 650 MPs elected to Parliament has the opportunity to make real change happen on the issues that affect cancer patients in the UK. They are given a platform from which they can support and deliver on measures that we know from our research will save more lives. That’s why it’s important that even before an election is held, we make sure the candidates standing for a seat in the next Parliament are fully engaged with the issues around cancer.

Through campaigning, we can provide important information about what we think are the top priorities for beating cancer, increasing awareness of the critical role the candidates could play if they become an MP, and helping to make our priorities their priorities.

Our campaigning on tobacco
Our campaigning on reducing obesity
Our campaigning on early diagnosis
Our campaigning in elections

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SmokefreeUK

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Turning Point for Cancer

Our manifesto for longer, better lives

Read all about it here

Developing yourself

Catch up on Policy Presents & other workshops

UK Parliament and Government in Westminster

The Assembly in Northern Ireland

The Senedd in Wales

The Scottish Parliament

National and local politics in England

How we campaign to beat cancer

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SmokefreeUK

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