Pressure Groups

Try to influence details & implementation of decisions

• e.g. Health & Social Care Act (2012)
  • British Medical Association & Royal College of Nursing campaigned for amendments

Focus of narrow range of issues

• single issue groups  (e.g. Plane Stupid, 2005, campaign against airport expansion)
• muti-issue groups (e.g. trade unions)

Operate at different levels of Government

• policy bodies, ministers & civil servants
• Westminster Parliament
• Devolved assemblies / local government

Operate in Law Courts

Key part in governing process

• inform government & ensure interests of sections of society taken into account

Help individual peers promote private members' legislation

Represent specific sections of society / whole community

• functional representation - PGs serving specfic interests of group in society

Educate & Inform public & governing institutions

Opportunity for political participation

Hold Government accountable

Scrutinise legislation / policy proposals

Allow for tension release

Differences:
Pressure Groups don't seek power

• offer candidates for election to Parliament, etc to gain publicity not power

Pressure Groups not held accountable

• policy proposals
• can break law / carry out civil disobedience

Pressure Groups focus on single / narrow range of issues

Similarities:
Put candidates forward in elections (not seeking power)
Single issue parties similar to Pressure Groups
Trade unions adopt wide range of policies
Some Pressure Groups closely associated with Parties

Sectional Groups

• interest groups
• represent specific section of society
• e.g. trade unions (NUT)

Promotional Groups

• cause / issue groups
• serve interest of whole community - focus on one / few issues
• e.g Greenpeace, RSPB

Dual-function Groups

• sectional & cause-based
• e.g. Countryside Alliance, Cancer Research, local pressure groups

Insiders

• part of decision-making process
• consulted by government bodies (provide information, express views of members)
• e.g. CBI - reports on how businesses are operating/performing & attitudes to issues
• CEHR - set up by government to advise of matters of rights, discrimination, etc
• have to be responsible - no civil disobedience, etc
• could lose insider status - e.g. new party gains power

Outsiders

• prefer to be outside decision-making process
  • carry out civil disobedience / illegal acts (e.g. Greenpeace)
• trying to gain insider access
  • aspiring insiders
  • conflict with government policy / beliefs
    • (e.g Trade Unions insider under labour, outside under Thatcher)

Education

• provide information to people (independant from government)

Representation

• represent interests to government (whether member of PG or not - passive representation)

Participation

• help hold government accountable

Minority Issues

• prevent 'tyranny of the majority'

Pluralism

• spread power more widely (empower wider membership) esp. mass membership groups

Disproportionate Influence

• sectional groups = more influence (represent vital section of society - e.g. farmers)

Finance

Size

Digitalised Democracy

• internet campaigns = spread false information / idea of support from un-informed population

Elitism

• concentrate power - e.g. producer groups represent management, not workers

Internal Democracy

• leaders = unelected (don't represent views / wishes of members)

Lobbying

• outsiders lobby policy makers to get views heard

Parliamentary Methods

• retaining fees to MPs - raise their issue in parliament
• large PGs have MPs committed to representing them in parliament
• support peers in HoL campaigning for amendments to legislation

Direct Action

• gain publicity
• e.g. protests / marches /civil disobedience / illegal action / stunts

Public Opinion

• use the weight of public support for government / parties in elections to gain leverage
• smaller PGs try to gain public support through media / stunts

Philosophy

• beliefs / wishes aligned with governmentt = greater chance of success (e.g. trade unions)

Finance

• donations to political parties in elections - sympathetic & expensive campaigns 

Size

• provides wealth & voting power

Organisation

• organise successful demonstrations = greater media coverage (e.g. Greenpeace)

Opposition Groups

Insider Status

Celebrity Involvement

more access-points to decision-making institutions available

Examples:

• European Union
  • Union instututions which develop policy & lobbyists in European Parliament
• devolved assemblies / parliaments
  • Scottish, Welsh & Northern Ireland government = power over health / education / etc
• policy-making bodies outside traditional party system
  • think tanks / policy advisers / policy units give policy options to government
• public opinion (media / social media)
  • direct action - more effective than being insider?
• courts (Human Rights Act)
  • HRA (1998) - reinforce / protect rights (especially minorities)
  • minority groups seek court judgement to prevent / protect from oppressive legislation
• Digital Democracy
  • use internet for publicity / e-petitions / campaigns