pressure groups

• Pressure groups are a collection of likeminded individuals who seek to influence government policy, particularly new legislation.
• Pressure groups are different from political parties in that they can be formed around a single issue and do not issue full manifestos at elections.
• Single-issue political parties, such as Cannabis Reform and We Demand a Referendum Party, seek to attract publicity from elections rather than win power.
• Social movements are informal networks of people who broadly support a specific ideology, such as the Feminist movement.
• Social movements can result in the formation of pressure groups.
• The Labour movement during the Industrial Revolution resulted in the formation of trade unions and eventually the Labour Party.
• While most movements are left wing, particularly in times when Labour was in power, right-wing ones emerged.
• Pressure groups provide representation, ensuring that all views are considered and giving minorities a voice.
• Pressure groups do not follow the 'tyranny of the majority'.
• Pressure groups provide a more direct means of people being able to contribute as election turnout has fallen.
• Pressure groups provide education, giving the public vital information about political issues and providing evidence and expertise to the government to improve legislation.
• Pressure groups help to develop policies, relying on pressure groups to help enforce these legislations.
• Pressure groups provide scrutiny, providing resources and expertise to scrutinise governments actions.
• Pressure groups are a collection of likeminded people who stem off of social movements, helping to streamline these issues as they become more popular and giving the minority a voice.
• Pressure groups provide education, scrutiny, and help to encourage participation.
• Single-issue parties blur the lines between pressure groups and parties.
• Gaining influence can be done through money, lobbyists, and contributing to committees.
• Lobbying the executive and working with ministers is a way to get your point across.
• Pressure groups can attempt to influence before a bill is made or through secondary legislation.
• Pressure groups can put forth ideas to back benchers with the potential of a Private member bill.
• Private members bills are targeted by pressure groups, lucky enough to be randomly drawn to present their own bill.
• Talking to politicians at annual conferences is a way to try and make connections.
• Pressure groups can be called on by the government to provide expertise.
• Each government department has a committee to help rule it, and committees call on pressure groups to provide written statements or expertise on subject matters.
• Giving donations over £7,500 makes them public.
• In 2003, the transport secretary banned the use of phones while driving, a power later amended by the Road Traffic Act 1988.
• Pressure groups can be categorised as sectional groups, which aim to protect the interests of members and are exclusive in membership, or cause groups, which aim to promote issues and policies and do not benefit members.
• One group can function as both a pressure group and a cause group.
• Policy communities are small groups of government officials and interest groups, with a shared interest in a particular policy area, and interest groups get inside and time to argue their case yet membership is highly selective and exclusive.
• The status of a group can change under the government, for example, a teachers union may have insider status in a labour government but not in a conservative government.
• Methods used by pressure groups include access points such as Prime minister, parliament, Supreme Court, local mayors, county councils, district councils, and international such as European Union’s executive branch.
• Networks are much larger and loosely controlled, with many disagreements and less influence.
• Green papers set out various different ideas for a bill, provoke debate and outside output.
• Insider groups employ professional lobbyists, often retired civil servants or politicians, and when writing bills the government often invites a response from pressure groups.
• Insider groups regularly consult government work effectively within parliamentary procedures, for example, Royal society for protection of Birds.
• Not all groups have influence inside or outside, for example, a pressure group may use different methods to achieve aims.
• White papers are concrete intentions, allowing comments on the bill.
• British medical association advises the government and pressure to change legislations but also helps to protect the interests of doctors and medical staff.
• Outsider groups influence public opinions, often using publicity stunts to capture attention in the media, for example, green peace using more protest and public methods.
• Secondary legislation are acts of parliament that allow freedom for reforms and adjustments in a legislation passed to help put the bill into practice, by ministers and civil servants.