Engaging UK MPs in the Right to Repair

On 7 May 2024, the Restart Project, Back Market, Community Repair Network, the Green Alliance and Design Council held an event to engage UK MPs in repair and reuse, to support the Right to Repair and to sign the Repair and Reuse Declaration.

Hosted by Helen Hayes MP, in the Jubilee Room at the Houses of Parliament, the event highlighted the impact of our electrical waste, our options for more repair and reuse and provided an opportunity to support or sign the Repair Declaration. There was also a repair cafe demonstrating repair and repairing items brought in.

Repair Cafe groups from all over the UK attended. The event was well attended and more MPs offered support and signed the Declaration. The Repair and Reuse Declaration asks the UK Government to:

– Make repair more affordable, through tax reductions (80% support) and repair vouchers (79% support).

– Expand the UK’s right to repair regulations to cover all consumer products, strengthen design standards and remove barriers to repair for everyone (85% support). 

– Introduce a repair index to help the public choose more repairable and durable products (80% support). 

– Introduce requirements and targets for reuse and repair to be prioritised over recycling and providing investment to make this a reality. This should be a key part of amended extended producer responsibility rules (83% support).

– Support a new generation of repairers through repair training, accreditation and apprenticeships(85% support).

With a growing list of signatories and cross-party support an improved right to repair will hopefully become law in the next parliament and bring the UK back in one with Europe and US states.

Thank you to all the MPs who signed …. a step in the right direction.