Influences

• What can influence law making and reform?

  Public opinion, political ideology, social movements, the media, pressure groups and lobbying
• Political influence comes from a political party : the government has the most seats meaning the majority of people support new law ideas, e.g. "MPs vote to raise tuition fees" [2010 coalition]
• Public opinions/media

  If public strongly push for change, government may accept : high profile cases add to the weight of public opinion, e.g. "expenses scandal" [2009]
• Pressure groups and lobbyists

  a group of people who share a common interest trying to bring a certain issue to parliament's attention.

  they pressure government to make or change law
• Sectional pressure groups : Criminal Bar Association (barristers), British Medical Association (doctors) and NEU (teachers)
• Cause pressure groups : Green Peace (environment), Stonewall (workplace equality), Fathers4Justice (rights of fathers)
• Lobbying : pressuring a single MP to support your cause or raise an issue in parliament - e.g. CON cut recycling targets due to British Plastics Federation [2016]
• What can influence law making and reform?

  • political influence
  • the Law Commission
  • the public
  • the media
  • pressure groups
  • lobbying
• Political influence

  • political party
  • government
  • manifesto
• Political Influence

  2010 coalition between tories and libdems.

  Lib dems promised to freeze uni fees.

  Con wanted to raise uni fees.

  Lib dems influenced by political pressure from tories.
• Public opinion

  MPs expenses scandal 2009
• Pressure groups

  1. sectional
  2. cause
• Sectional pressure groups

  Represent a section or group of people, or profession.
• Cause pressure groups

  fight for a specific cause.
• Lobbying

  Mostly done by professionals, on behalf of business or charity, working in PR
• Lobbying

  2016, tories cut its recycling targets.

  Green Peace found that it was because the British Plastics Federation pressured them to make the change, not small businesses.