insider groups

• insider groups align with government policy or are critical to economy or offer key services
• insider groups have privileged access to decision-makers
• insider groups are usually sectional/functional groups
• CBI represents big industry and try to influence policy to their advantage e.g. lowering corporate tax
• insider groups are aligined with the government so are unlikely to hold them to account, causing a democratic issue as they have all the power
• insider groups weaken plurality as they concentrate power
• insider groups are able to influence government in opaque ways = lack of transparency = lack of democratic accountability
• more likely to be able to request a judicial review of public bodies
• can be part of government policy committees at local, regional and international level
• APPGs - MPs form these subject groups, and PGs will approach these to exert influence
• aerospace subject group (APPG) - supported by ADS which represents 1100 UK aerospace companies
• TPA - gave free merchandise at Conservative conference in Manchester
• TPA - head has office near the HoC
• TPA - 2022, shared personel with government, Truss' Chief Economic Adviser (Sinclair), used to head TPA
• BMA in 2021 - threatened to strike when government tried to enforce a minimum of face-to-face appointments
• CBI is no longer an insider group despite the fact that it offers expertise through surveys because of April 2022 sexual assault allegations
• examples are Taxpayer's Alliance, Countryside Alliance, BMA
• National Trust able to reverse the nationalisation of forests
• BMA convinced government to increase spending on the NHS by 3.4% per annum from 2019-2024