Politics Paper 1 – Revision
1- Democracy and participation
Pressure groups and other influences
⇒ Podcast
Insider groups are very powerful and very influential whilst outsider groups are not that is the
conventional wisdom when discussing pressure groups in the UK.
Insider groups tend to be organisations that can negotiate quietly behind the scenes using private
contacts in white hall Westminster to influence decision makers. They may even be given the
opportunity to offer their view on draft legislation for example private health care companies help
draft the controversial health and social care act that they themselves stood to benefit from. Think
Tanks [research groups] are close to political parties or factions within political parties often having a
good chance in influencing policies. The Adam Smith institutes advocates low taxes and free trade
and is often seen as close to neo liberal conservatives the IPPR another think tank espouse many of
the policies adopted by Blair in the 90s. Big corporations that operate across borders that generate
huge profits often seen as a form of insider pressure groups due to the financial muscle an importance
to the economy and can often persuade government to impermeant favourable policies. Nissan for
example and their threats to leave the UK due to Brexit was somewhat rewarded by that threat when
May’s administration offered sweeteners for them to stay in Sunderland.
Outsider groups meanwhile lack contacts in government and thus are forced to attempt to influence
the political process through things like email campaigns, petitions, or publicity stunts. 2019
Extension Rebellion Oxford Street. These are not things insider groups have to resort to and in many
ways, it is a symbol of their lack of influence that they must resort to these measures. They also may
well commit direct actions. 2010 student demonstrations against increase in university fees were
prosecuted for disorderly conduct and tuition fees were increased regardless. Demonstrating that
insider groups often immensely powerful and outsider groups those without the government contacts
are not. However, let's not overplay this. Insider groups are not influential in every circumstance
whilst not all outsider campaigns fail often a very good outsider campaign may get noticed nationally
induced public sympathy and then forced decision makers to act. Likewise, not every insider group is
listened to the CBI is often associated with the conservative party, but it absolutely rejects the current
conservative party policies on Brexit showing how it is not possible for an insider group to be
influential on every single issue. Meanwhile, even outsider groups can exert their influence over
government policy. Lawyers acting with the human rights group liberty used their lobbying in order to
put their views across on counter terrorism policies that effect peoples civil liberates therefore, while
insider groups are invariably more influential than outsider groups there continued influence is not
guaranteed.
➥ What you need in a pressure group in terms of membership numbers, resources and comparing that
with tactics, expertise and leadership
So, groups with resources and large membership are supposed to be influential. A large membership
who pays subscription means that a group is likely to have the financial resources to run offices and
organise publicity. For example, the IRSPCA employs about 1600 people supported by thousands of
volunteers and can therefore afford to take out full page advertisement on national newspapers
therefore influencing the public and then perhaps decision makers.
The size of a pressure groups membership can also be important in persuading government. That it
reflects a significant section of public opinion. However, group size does not always bring success.
,Sound tactics and expertise are far more important. The campaign for nuclear disarmament had an
estimated of 10,000 members in the mid 1980s but the thatcher government could afford to ignore its
large and well-orchestrated demonstrations because it could rely on the passive support of the
majority of the population that perhaps was not interested in getting rid of nuclear weapons. Large
membership still may be passive as well. Cheque book members who are happy to contribute
financially but not interested in active campaigning experience capable leadership instead as vital to
success. In 2012 the RMT union organised a series of strikes to secure a bonus for members during
the Olympics. Successful groups will know which access points in the UK political system to target
and these are points in which a group can apply pressure environmental groups for example have long
since targeted the European union as a place to seek and gain influence ‘friends of the earth’ have
become particularly good at running long ultimate successful campaigns to compel the UK through
EU legislation to clean up beaches as required by the EU influenced by environmental groups on that
sought of legislation.
Groups using social media hold a better chance at success if it is an effective campaign. The online
group 38º allows members to express their opinion very quickly on an unprecedented scale. It is the
leadership and muscles of these groups that matter as not all these groups have a vast number of
members
➥ Public support + government support to that public support
It seems to go without say that pressure groups' agenda is in step with public opinion are usually more
successful than those whose objectives fail to engage it or whose methods alienate those potentials
sympathises the snow drop campaign to ban the use of handguns was successful largely because of
public reaction to the 1996 Dunblane Primary School massacre resulting in the death of 16 children
and their teacher. Favourable media coverage can also play an important role in winning support as
can be the involvement of the well know publicity. For example, Hugh Grant was the public face of
the “hacked off” campaign which targeted tabloid newspapers that had hacked the phones of a number
of people from celebrities to missing teenagers and in doing so hacked off influenced the closure of
the news of the world newspaper. A lack of public support does not automatically mean a pressure
group will fail. But if a pressure group is campaigning against something that enjoys widespread
public support, then it is much likely to fail. Evidence of this is shown in the country club alliances’
attempt to relax the ban of fox hunting in 2012 as the league against RSPCA enjoyed greater public
support. Likewise, the coalition for marriage failed in its campaign for legalising gay marriage
because public opinion favoured it.
However, government attitude perhaps matters more than public opinion when it comes to pressure
groups exerting influence. Insider contacts with government officials and servants are often a key to
success government will usually listen to group in which it relies to specialist knowledge of a policy
area and with whose agenda it could see some common ground. The national farmers union links to
Defra were instrumental in bringing about the 2013 budget cull intending to protect cattle against
tuberculosis despite the wishes of animal welfare groups who advocated vaccinations of herds as a
more humane approach. The national union of students failed in its campaign to stop tuition fees
being increased in 2011 while disability right groups inclusion Scotland failed to end the bedroom tax.
These were all well supported campaigns with public demonstrations and even celebrity
endorsements. Yet they failed because the coalition government in 2010-2015 was committed to its
policy of hysterics and raising tuition fees the conservative government in 2015 was determined to
introduce a new policy for a 7-day NHS. Therefore, the BAME campaign against the proposals were
always likely to fail.
The government is often able to resist a campaign even a popular one. Noticeably demonstrated by the
‘stop the war’ campaign. Failing to prevent the invasion of Iraq in 2003 because the Blair government
was not only committed to this course of action but had the support of parliament and could therefore
, resist a well organised popular campaign. Due to the security offered and the coalition agreement and
the fixed term parliament act the coalition felt able to resist popular protests against benefits and
tuition fees. In the knowledge that it has around 3-4 years to convince the public that they were the
right choices. While government attitudes really matter at the time that the pressure group is trying to
exert influence if a pressure group, then turns to the opposition and influences the opposition that may
well affect the policies of that party and when they get into power can influence government later
down the line. Nevertheless, government attitude matter and public opinion matters, and one often
drives the over
In conclusion, if the question is simply evaluating the factors that affect pressure groups success.
Could be argued that there are a range of factors that affect pressure group success. A better chance of
succeeding if you are an insider group, have sound leadership and tactics and a good use of social
media in an intelligent way that captures the imagination. Public opinion really does matter.
Government attitudes in this unitarian system where parliament is sovereign, and a government can
often dominate parliament probably then means government attitudes matter more a given time.
Loom // Notes
How do pressure groups defend and promotes rights?
✧ A group that defends and promotes rights would be pressure groups, as depending on the nature of
the pressure group being an outsider, insider, or sectional group [able to target specific topics putting
sustained pressure on the government] would determine their strength but overall are strong in
defending rights. As well as the nature they can support and represent unpopular minority rights.
Along with that, pressure groups can force the government to uphold rights by using judicial reviews.
A limitation would be that not all pressure groups have equal resources, cannot create legislation only
pressure as well as that some may be too extreme, alienating public opinion and support such as using
methods as civil disobedience.
✧ A group that defends and promotes rights would be Parliament/Government, the strength of this
group would depend on how popular the party is and how influential they are // members in their
party as well as, make legislation such as Equality Act 2010 and Human Rights Act 1998. A
limitation would be that there is a tyranny of majority which holds back the government and will not
be able to protect everyone's rights that does not have the support of the wider public as they might
not champion the rights of minority [rights of people being deported, immigration] as they want to
win votes.
✧ A group that defends and promotes rights would be Supreme Court/judicial branch, as they can
release a declaration of incompatibility [9/10 parliament can change and adapt]. We live in a right
space democracy, so parliament does not want to be seen as a body who abuses human rights as
parliament is sovereign.
➥ Four ways pressure groups promote and support rights
- Pressure groups have been at the front face of securing rights in the UK
Pressure groups speak up on behalf of others and articulate their demands, the campaign of lowering
voting age and women's rights came about through the pressure groups action. We can argue that the
government legislation simply reacts to public demand and merely complies with well supported
