Democracy and Participation

Democracy and Participation

1. Pressure Groups

   • Difference between a Pressure group and a political party
     • PG don't seek government power whereas PP want to gain power
     • PG don't have to make themselves accountable accept to their own m
     • PG have narrow concerns
     • PG are a loose organisation with supporters not members
   • METHODS
     • Lobbying MPs
       • giving evidence to committees
       • Brief them on issues of concern
       • Professional lobby organisations may be used
       • Insider groups- National Farmers Union , British Bankers Association
         • NFU also offer the government the benefit of specialised knowledge in return for influence over policy
     • Strikes
       • BMA- insider status but strikes for junior doctors in autumn 2016. Outsider group tactic
       • mobilises public opinion and shows the level of support to decision makers
     • Publicity stunts and staging demonstrations
       • Fathers for Justice- drew attention to themselves by wearing superhero costumes and standing on buildings
       • Black Live Matter obstructed lights at London City Airport
   • Reason for Success or Failure
     • Size of pressure group and resources- if large it shows a large section of the public agrees and pursues the government
     • Public Opinion- Snowdrop Campaign wanted to ban the use of handguns, public reaction was good because of Dunblane primary school 1996.
     • Lack of Finance may restrict power. Environmental groups have seen their income fall as recession caused funds to drop
     • Lack of members. They fall to recruit volunteers and publicise message to a wider audience.Government won't support group because it doesn't support the nations needs
     • Groups can get backing online - 2016 38 degrees group got 321,437 online signatures to help persuade the government not to privatise the land registry
   • Case Study: The BMA and the Ban On Smoking in Cars Carrying Children 2011-2015
     • originally wanted a ban on smoking in cars even if no other passengers were present, Insufficient support so concentrated on campaigning for no smoking in cars carrying children.
       • Labour peer introduced amendment to 2014 Children and Families Bill
     • Supported by Asthma UK who they teamed up with to create advertisement
     • Online tech was released to get support and gave members a web based form to personalise and send to their local MP
     • Factors to achieve Aims: public support and government were willing to protect children as a vulnerable group, willing to focus on attainable goal, patient in getting public support
   • Case Study: The Occupy London Movement
     • October 2011- group protested in front of St Pauli cathedral and camped swell because believed corporate greed in the city of London was responsible for social inequality
     • Success:
       • attention drawn to cause and coalition governments spending cuts shunned. Senior Clergyman at St Paul's resigned agreeing with protestors and sympathy when police sent to clear camps
       • SHORT TERM RESULTS
     • Fail to achieve long term results
       • Authorities did not allow protestors to settle anywhere else in London, movement objectives were too broad and represented general hostility to global capitalism with no practical and achievable goals

2. Rights in the UK

   • The Development
     • Magna Carta 1215- start of democracy and where are system is founded says we are equal
     • Human Rights Act 1998- the right of life, right to a fair trial etc
     • Equality Act 2010- brought together earlier pieces of legislation that sought to outlaw discrimination and unfair treatment. Made it illegal for anyone to discriminate on any grounds
   • Does the HRA effectively protect rights and liberties in the UK
     • Rights are entrenched in Statute Law
     • Legislation has to comply with HRA and if legislation contradicts HRA it cannot be passed
     • Citizens can access rights protection through UK based courts
     • The act itself is not entrenched and therefor can be replaced
     • The act cannot overturn primary legislation in parliament
     • Act can be set aside e.g. derogation of the rights of terror suspects act 9/11
   • Case Study: Abu Qatar Deportation Case and HRA
     • 1994-2002 alleged that he established links with extremists in the UK,and made speeches justifying violence. Wanted him sent back to Jordan. Deportation fought for 8 years on grounds that he might be tried using evidence under torture which is a breach of the act. 2013 UK signed a treaty with Jordan pledging evidence would not be used. Flown back to Jordan and he was cleared of involvement in terrorist bombing plot in Jordan