Pressure Groups

Question	Answer
What is a pressure group?	An organisation which seeks to influence decision in relation to a particular issue or policy. They do not stand for election in office Can be linked to some political parties e.g CBI and the conservatives
Proliferation	the spread of pressure group activity The Freedom of Information Act (2000)- We now have freedom of speech and the internet enables us to find out more issues. (social media, emancipation of social classes, diverse society and news)
Participation	Method by which individuals can participate in local, national and global politics
Policy making	Formulate recommendations which government's and/or opposition parties can absorb as policies in specific areas
Programme monitoring	Can scrutinise work of government and report on how programmes impact on the group's membership
Influence	Groups can engage to provide information to the government on areas in which they are experts (expert knowledge)
Representation	Put forward the views of the group's membership
Mobilise voters	Get out the vote (get people out to the polling booths) by persuading them of the importance of casting their votes
Public education	Inform the public about specific areas in which the group is an expert
Lobbying	To solicit or try to influence the votes of members of usually parliament
Communications between public and government	Act as a mouthpiece between the government and the public (usually through the group's membership)
Section groups (interest groups)	-Aim to protect the interests of their members -Membership is normally exclusive (criteria for qualifying) -e.g. Only qualified or trainee teachers can join NUT -e.g. NFU, BMA, NUT, CBI
Cause groups (promotional groups)	-Aim to promote issues and policies that do not exclusively benefit the group's members -The Child Poverty Action Group campaign on behalf of children and those in poverty -Membership open to all -e.g. Greenpeace, Oxfam, RSPB, CPAG
Insider groups	-Groups that regularly consult with the government -Able to work effectively 'inside' parliamentary procedures -e.g. Contacting and meeting with MPs or appealing before select committees etc (RSBP)
Outsider groups	-Do not have regular contact with the government, or much direct influence on policy making in Parliament -Attempt to reach their goals more by influencing the public and capturing medias attention- through publicity stunts e.g. Greenpeace
Peak/Umbrella groups	They represent the interests of other groups- come together to argue with one voice e.g. CBI
Temporary/Permanent	Goals change over time which affect whether they are permanent e.g. Cancer Research won't be needed once a cure for cancer is found
Local/Regional groups	Stop Stansted Expansion limiting the expansion of Stansted Airport
National Groups	Bring Back British Rail Renationalising rail
Transnational groups	Greenpeace Environmental, poverty, issues that affect more than once country
Exclusive branch	Target ministers and civil servants to ensure that your issue is on the governments agenda. It is easier to shape bills before they are written than it is to ensure an amendment in Parliament
Professional Lobbyiest	Someone who attempts to influence government policy and legislation on behalf of another individual or group. Often retired politicians or civil servants who can make the most of old contacts.
Consultation with the government	While drafting up policy ideas, governments often invites responses from individuals and groups outside of Parliament. They benefit from specialist expertise, measure the reaction of the proposal and avoid conflict by getting groups onboard
Green papers	A government document that sets out various different ideas and options for a bill- designed to provoke debate and outside input
White papers	A government document that sets out more concrete intentions and plans for upcoming bills- still invites comments and outside input
Gay Marriage 2012	Whilst drafting up plans to introduce gay marriage in 2012, government undertook and 12 week consultation. They sought the views of members of the public, religious groups and LGBT organisations.
Policy communities	Small and stable groups of government officials and interest groups, that have a shared interest in a particular policy - difficult for others to join.
Policy networks / issue networks	Much looser and larger groups, including a larger number of pressure groups and also academics and think tanks. Likely to more disagreements over policy decisions.
Secondary legislation / Delegated legislation	Rules and regulations made by the ministers and other public bodies under powers given by an Act of Punishment. Used because it isn't always practical to include every detail in the Act and because flexibility might be needed
Example of Secondary legislation / Delegated legislation	In 2003, the Transport Secretary made new regulations banning the use of mobile phones when driving, using the powers which were conferred to him by the Road Traffic Act (1988)
Parliament	Groups that lack the insider status need to work with the executive branch can still lobby backbench MPs to amend or block legislation, or to introduce new bills.
Ballot bills	MPs wishing to introduce a Private Members Bill can put their name forward and twenty names are drawn randomly in a ballot every year. In reverse order they are given priority to timetable their 'Ballot bills' for debate - so they are targeted by pressure groups.
Select committees	For each government department, there shall be a dedicated select committee to examine their: expenditure, administration and policy. e.g. Department of Health is scrutinized by Health Committee
Donations	There are no limits on the size of donations given to political parties. However, the law does require the names of anyone donating over £7,500 to be made public.
Access points for pressure groups	- Government - Civil servants -Mps / House of Lords - Law / Courts - Media - Social Media - Multi level governance (EU, Local / Regional)
Insider methods	MP sponsorship, direct lobbying of MPs, participation in official committees, evidence to parliament committees and party donations
Insider methods	Petitions, contact access points, consultation with government, conferences and lobby directly
Outsider methods	Sectional groups may strike (National Rail strikes 2015), Petitions / e-petitions, Internet campaigns (fox hunting vote 2015), lobbying on a single issue, social media, celebrity endorsement, litigation, direct action, protests and marches.
Strikes	NUT- 2013 strike Strength - capture media attention, involvement (more politically active), strong support Weakness - impacts people who use the service, strikers lose income (economy effected), affects lives of others
Protests / Demonstrations	2011 student protests and Occupy at St Paul's Cathedral Strength - capture medias attention, support (politically active) Weakness - could be useless if government ignores it, people can get hurt, disturbs daily life
Petitions / e-petitions	Pardoning of Alan Turing Strength - chance of it being discussed, strong support, looks bad (compromises the govt. legitimacy if they ignore it) Weakness - government don't have to listen, online hacking could alter results
Internet Campaign	RSPB, Britain First Strength - Widely acceptable, knowledge, can reach a lot of people Weakness - could be hacked, not everyone can access it
Party funding	Labour and TUC Strength - support, stronger campaigns Weakness - inequality between parties and groups
Media campaigns	Fawcetts society 'This is what a feminist looks like', Britain First Strength - reaches a lot of people, raises awareness, support Weakness - Can make the public see what they want them to see, deception and lying
Illegal Activities	Animal Liberation Front 2005 - guinea pig farm Strength - publicity Weakness - People can get hurt, encourages more violent behavior, wastes services time, reflects badly on the government if they give into the group
Celebrity endorsement	This is what a feminist looks like (Benedict Cumberbatch, Emma Watson etc), Oxfam (coldplay) Strength - High outreach, support Weakness - Celebrities can exploit their power = Scarlet Johanson and Russell Brand
Supreme court	Groups can try to prove it to a court that the government has done something it is not legally entitled to do (ultra vires). Prove that a UK law violates an EU law or prove that the UK violates the Human Rights Act (1998)
Interventions	Individuals and organisations who are not involved in a court case, but are interested in its outcome, can submit additional information that they think will help the judges reach a more informed decision
Intervention Examples	Liberty, a cause group that campaigns to protect civil liberties and human rights, regularly intervenes in human rights cases Rv secretary of State for the Home Department (2014)
Intervention Examples	The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974), requires some convictions to be 'spent' after a particular rehabilitation period. However, the Police Act (1997) allowed employers, in careers involving children or vulnerable adults to request an 'enhanced criminal record certificate' which included 'spent' convictions...
Intervention Examples CONTINUED	...and cautions. Liberty and the Equality and Human Rights commission both intervened, arguing that the law undermined the human right to privacy, as protected in Article 18 of the European convention on Human Rights. THE SUPREME COURT AGREED AND THE LAW CHANGED.
Prosecutions	The RSCPA has no legal enforcement powers, but collects evidence and brings private prosecutions against individuals who harm animals ensuring that the law is properly enforced
Supernational Issues	Issues which go beyond a single nations borders e.g. Environment, terrorism, international trade
Lobbying the EU	The UK joined the European community in 1973 following the European Communities Act 1972
Doctrine of Supremacy	EU law replaces any conflicting national laws. Since 1986, decisions in the EU made through qualified majoring voting (QMV), nation given certain number of votes depending on population size. e.g. Europeans for Fair Roaming - campaigned against roaming fees, 2013 EU stopped these fees.
Media Campaigns (Outsider groups)	Buy advertising space, or try to get the media to cover their issue Eurosceptic groups regularly collect and publicize polls to show the public opposing to the EU.
Social Media (Outsider groups)	Use # and 'likes' to show popular support for their cause e.g. In 2015, The Independent newspaper encouraged the use of #refugeeswelcome to demonstrate support
Direct action (Outsider groups)	The use of violent and/or non-violent protests attempt to pressure the government to meet their demands, rather than using
Direct action - legal (Outsider group)	Legal - Brian Haw, 2001, lived at a camp in Parliament Square to protest against UK and US foreign policy for almost 10 years. This was civil disobedience as he refused to comply with legal restrictions on protest
Direct action - illegal (Outsider group)	illegal - Stop Huntington Animal Cruelty used intimidation and violence against staff of Huntington Life Science. The groups object to labs using animals in tests
E-democracy	38 degrees 'Save the Forest campaign' - a a link was posted to government plans to sell public forests on the fb page. A poll began, petition was signed by over 500,000 people and over 100,000 contacted their local MP. 84% of the public were against the plans, donations were given and the govt withdrew
'Success' for Pressure Groups	Affecting government policy and new legislation Influencing people's beliefs, opinions and actions Influencing the the political agenda - bringing attention to an issue
Why might large / wealthy groups have more success than others? Financial resources	> Hire professional lobbyists > Open offices near access points > Donate to political parties > Harder to ignore businesses with lots of employees and have greater hold over the economy
Why might large / wealthy groups have more success than others? Human resources	> A large membership base gives the group greater legitimacy > Makes certain methods, like strike action, much more effective > Membership fees also increase the group's financial resources
The threat of opposition	Many well equipped, experienced pressure groups face challenges from equally equipped opponents e.g. Trade Union Congress with 6 million workers Vs Confederation of British Industry with 190,000 businesses
Divided membership	Can undermine legitimacy and requires much greater cooperation and coordination e.g. the teaching unions have disputes often as there are different representing groups such as the NUT, wheres the BMA represents all doctors and nurses
Umbrella groups	Organisations that represent the views / interests of a number of different pressure groups, with similar interests or causes e.g. COPA or COGECA
UKs biggest protest	15th February 2003 1million people marched to protest against plans to invade Iraq in order to remove Saddam Hussein 15 million marched around the world
What enables pressure groups to be successful?	Strong finance Public support Silent issues The willingness of decision makers and government ministers Celebrity endorsement media attention
Pluralist theory	Power is fragmented and dispersed Large numbers of groups all compete with equal opportunity to influence
Elitist theory	Power is concentrated and restricted Many groups might compete, but very few have real influence
Pluralist democracy	Open and fair competition between all political parties and pressure groups. So many groups are competing against each other that no single group is able to become too powerful
Liberal democracy	Freedom and equality, rule by the people, constitution - clear limits on govt power, regular and fair elections, protect individual rights and liberties, representatives decide issues by majority rule.
Tyranny of the majority	Pressure groups often give voice to minority, rather than majority groups. Their voices get heard more which is unfair
Evidence for the pluralist view	> Access points > choice of groups > methods like protests > demonstrations > change from insider to outsider > policy monitoring > education functioning
Evidence for elitist view	> methods don't work - protests / demonstrations > wealthy groups have more influence > poor and unorganized are usually less successful > aren't always democratic > leaders don't always represent the correct views of members

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	Created by Shannon O'Shea over 8 years ago