Evaluating Influences On Parliament

Advantages of the Law Commission

The Law Commission is a group that consists of non-political experts who carry out large scale research and make well informed recommendations.
They are able to select specific areas or issues to review.
The Law Commission is an independent body, so they are not governed by a third party.

1 of 8

One third of recommendations made by the Law Commission are not implemented.
The investigation and research process is very detailed, but it is lengthy and can take years.
Normally around 20 to 30 different areas are under review at one time.
The government do not have to consult the Law Commission on any new bills.

2 of 8

They can raise public awareness of an issue, which can be done through highly publicised stunts that gain media attention. For example, Fathers 4 Justice get lots of attention through climbing landmarks whilst dressed as superheroes.
They can get attention from Parliament, and inform them on what the public want. For example, the Howard League works closely with the government on penal reform.
They usually have specialist knowledge in the area that they are campaigning for. For example, the British Medical Association has considerable expertise in medicine.
Pressure groups have often have a high number of members that can support and fund them. For example The National Trust has six times more members than all the main political parties put together.

3 of 8

Newspapers are not monitored by a watchdog so they can sometimes be biased. For example, the Sun supported old Labour and would report in favour of them.
Newspapers and the media in general exist to make a profit, so to sell copies they would rather get a good story than report truthfully.
The media can often blow things out of proportion, which can cause moral panic. One example of this is the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) which was rushed due to public outcry and the media.

4 of 8

The media can raise awareness for important causes. For example, the Snowdrop Campaign was backed by the Daily Mail.
The media is connected to MPs and other sources of influence. For example, the Evening Standard is edited by George Osborne MP.
By raising public awareness through the media, there will be more pressure on the government and Parliament to make reforms. The government and the House of Commons are more likely to listen to what the public want because they are elected and are therefore accountable.
Radio and TV are neutral as they are monitored by watchdogs.

5 of 8

Pressure groups are often biased towards their own cause.
Most pressure groups so not have access to those who can change the law, so they have very little influence. For example, Fathers 4 Justice is a well known group but they have not influenced the law.
Some pressure groups are too passionate so do controversial acts. For example, the ALF stole the body of a close relative of a scientist involved in animal testing.
Parliament is often led to believe that a pressure group has more support than it actually does. This is because some pressure groups may have minimal support but they are loud enough to pressure Parliament.

6 of 8

Political parties are often democratic.
They represent the views of their members.
There is a wide range of political parties that can represent the views of their members, which will cover many areas of society. For example, the Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol Party represent views that may not be represented through the media or the Law Commission.

7 of 8

Tyranny of the majority means that the party or parties in power can essentially pass any piece of legislation they want if they have a majority in the House of Commons. This means that other political parties have little influence in Parliament.
Some MPs simply vote with their party, rather than voting for what their constituents want.
MPs from smaller parties, such as Caroline Lucas from the Green Party, rarely get to represent the views of their constituents because government bills are prioritised.

8 of 8