4. What methods are available to pressure groups Part 2

Question 1

How can pressure groups use the courts to achieve their aims?

Answer 1

Supreme Court:
- Groups can try to prove in court that the government has done something it is not legally entitled to do (ultra vires)
- Prove that a UK law violates an EU law
- Prove that a UK law violates the Human Rights Act (1998)

Question 2

What are interventions?

Answer 2

Interventions:
- Individuals and organisations who are not involved in a court case, but are interested in its outcome, can submit additional information that they think will help the judges reach a more informed decision
- Liberty, a cause group that campaigns to protect civil liberties and human rights, regularly intervenes in human rights cases

Question 3

How can groups use prosecutions to achieve their aims?

Answer 3

Prosecutions:
- The RSPCA, has no legal enforcement powers, but collects evidence and brings private prosecutions against individuals who harm animals, ensuring that the law is properly enforced

Question 4

What are supranational issues?

Answer 4

Supranational issues – issues which go beyond a single nation’s borders
e.g.
Environment
Terrorism
International Trade

Question 5

What is indirect lobbying?

Answer 5

Indirect lobbing – targeting the public

Educate the public with a media campaign –> convince the public –> encourage support –> collect polling data –> MPs are held accountable at election

Question 6

Why and how do pressure groups use the media and social media?

Answer 6

Media Campaigns:
- Buy advertising space, or try to get the media to cover your issue

Eurosceptic groups regularly collect and publicise polls to show public opposition to the EU

Social Media:
- Use hashtags and ‘likes’ to show popular support for your cause
- In 2015, The Independent newspaper encouraged the use of #refugeeswelcome to demonstrate public support

Question 7

What is direct action?

Answer 7

Direct Action – The use of violent or non-violent protest to attempt to pressure the government to meet your demands, rather than using official chemicals

Question 8

types of legal direct action

Answer 8

Legal:
- Strikes
- Sit-ins
- Boycotts

Question 9

types of illegal direct action

Answer 9

Illegal:
- Harassment
- Property Damage
- Trespassing

Question 10

an example of legal direct action

Answer 10

Legal – Brian Haw – starting in 2001 lived at a camp in Parliament Square to protest against UK and US foreign policy for almost ten years
Civil disobedience – refused to comply with the legal restrictions on protest

Question 11

an example of illegal direct action

Answer 11

Illegal – Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty – The group has used intimidation and violence against the staff of Huntingdon Life Sciences
The group objects to the laboratory’s use of animals in its tests

Question 12

what is 38 degrees

Answer 12

38 Degrees:
- An online community organising space
- Individuals raise political issues they are concerned about, and others join in, voting on what actions to take next
- Petitions are started, demonstrations are planned etc. all by concerned individuals

Question 13

what is the ‘Save The Forests’ campaign

Answer 13

• A single person posted a link to a news story about government plans to sell public forests on the 38 Degrees Facebook page
• A poll began on the 38 Degrees website about whether to start a campaign, and the group began to get legal advice
• An online petition was launched and signed by over 500,000 people, and over 100,000 people contacted their local MP
• Donations were collected to hire a polling company, which found that 84% of the public wanted the land to go unsold