Commissioners from six different Poverty Truth Commissions recently stepped into the House of Lords for a conversation with their MPs about trust — how we build it in society, in politics, and how the Poverty Truth approach can help. It was a day of big questions, historic surroundings, and honest reflections, writes Andrew Tomlinson, Parliamentary Officer for the Poverty Truth Network.

For some there was pride in being heard, and joy in meeting MPs face-to-face. But there was also honesty about what could be better: more time, less rushing, and deeper conversations.

Community Commissioner Yssy shares her experiences of the day and writes about her involvement with the Poverty Truth Network’s new initiative: Politics Alongside, below.

Why did you agree to be involved? 

I agreed to be involved in the Poverty Network initiative for cultivating trust because firstly I’ve struggled with feeling like I’ve had a voice as an individual and importantly, I was given an opportunity to help make another ripple in our pond and help gather the wind to blow out the poverty candle!

Tell us about your experience – was it what you expected?

The experience was nothing like what I expected. It was way grander and nourishing. I thought the interactions I had with the fellow Commissioners were priceless. I loved every second of it, and I can’t wait for more experiences with them. I’d like to get to know them better, and the same goes for the members of Parliament who came to speak with us and hear what we had to say. We had a tour around the House of Lords, which was insane. It was interesting to learn about the different faces of history and the things that go on, and are still going on, from hundreds and hundreds of years ago. Some things I thought could have been done better: more time with the MPs, and more MPs to talk to. But as this is our first outing together, I think it went very well.

What were the best bits?

My favourite bits were getting to know the people that I had already met more, and also physically meeting the people I had met on our Zoom calls in the months spent planning our trip. Another favourite part was definitely the trip round the House of Lords, and getting to see two debates in the time that we got to sit down and watch. Also, the cakes were pretty good!

What are you hoping will happen next?

I’m hoping that this is the first of many of these meetings and this is just a seed being planted in both politicians and members of the PTN ‘s minds. 

I think we can turn our learning into another layer of our confidence and armour to move forward. It was only Sara from Stripy Stork and me who came from the Southeast. Everybody else came from hundreds of miles away in the UK to come to London, so for the majority, London is a novelty — it’s a big, bright, shiny, unknown, beating, living beast. It’s a thing that you talk about as “that London,” and then go there to do work for one day… The other people who came deserve huge respect for not only standing up to the mark, but being really energetic and meaningful in their interactions.

I think we will possibly have more confidence now we’ve met each other, and we’ve gone to London. I think we’ll have our sleeves rolled up ready for the next meeting and get down to the nitty-gritty; asking demanding questions and answering challenging questions but not a bead of sweat to be seen. 

I see a great future for this team and we will absolutely throw a stone into that pond and make some ripples. Watch this space!

The Poverty Truth Network’s Politics Alongside initiative is about building positive relationships and connections between people with direct experience of poverty and key national decision makers and institutions, so that the core challenges of poverty can be more effectively addressed. Poverty Truth Commissions show that genuine change happens when those who experience poverty and those who make decisions work together as equals. It has been our experience that taking a slow, considered and relational approach has generated solutions that are more effective, and that otherwise would not have been considered. Through Politics Alongside, we want to take this consensus-building and relational way of making change into national political spaces to create a “bigger us” capable of shaping lasting change.