Chapter 1.2 - pressure groups and rights

Question 1

what 4 types of pressure group are there in the UK?

Answer 1

• sectional/ interest
• cause/promotional
• insider
• outsider

Question 2

what are sectional/ interest pressure groups?

Answer 2

representing interests of particular groups in society such as the (national union of students) who lobby the government on behalf of these social groups

Question 3

what are causual /promotional PGs

Answer 3

focus on particular issues (green peace members are united over their shared interest in protecting the environment)

Question 4

what are insider pressue groups

Answer 4

access to government decision making such as the (british medical association)

Question 5

what are outsider PGs

Answer 5

Don’t have access to government so have t gain attention of government by using public support (ex Gurkha campaign)

Question 6

how do pressure groups achieve insider status?

Answer 6

• specialist knowledge
• political circumstances
• bais of the government
• wealthy groups base their offices in key points of access such as London (

Question 7

example of group having specialist knowledge

Answer 7

(such as the British medical Assosication)

Question 8

example of a group having insider status through political climate

Answer 8

1970s trade unions were so powerful that jack jones who, as head of the TGWU, was often called ‘the most powerful man in Britain

Question 9

example of insider status due to bais of the government

Answer 9

trade unions contribute funds to the labour party so they are more likely to exercise insider influence during a labour gov

Question 10

how can wealthy groups gain insider status

Answer 10

base their offices in key points of access such as London (the independent decision-making power of the London mayor means London is a prime point of contact for pressure groups

Question 11

other ways to gain status

Answer 11

• celebrity endorsement (Johanna Lumley and the gurkhas)
• e petitions (Gurkhas campaign got 250,000 signatures)
• civil disobedience (poll tax riots)
• internet enabling mobilisation of public support
• trade unions

Question 12

factors contributing to pressure groups success

Answer 12

Resources
Ideological compatibility with the government
Populatiry
Expertise

Question 13

fathersforjustice methods and outcomes

Answer 13

campaign to change law on behalf of fathers rights in cases of divorce and separation

first stunts were hurling purple flour bombs at tony blair duirng pmqs

to maintain momentum later stunts became more outlandish tim harries was given 6 months in prison after spray painting ‘help’ across a portrait of queen liz in westmister abbey and going on hunger strike while in prison

these failures have led them ot focus more on positive use of social media and have attempted to distance themsleves from the civil disobediance.

Question 14

liberty methods and outcomes

Answer 14

exposes discrimination and highlight infringements of the HRA

works closely with MPS to encourage cross party support for porection of civil liberties. after Brexit demanded a people’s clause’ was included in legislation that underwrote all existing EU human rights legislation

liberty has launched judicla rviews in cases where the gov has acted ultra vires
(2017 challenged the legality of the investigatory powers act on the gorups that the ECOJ had declare its ‘general and indiscriminate’ approach to private indicuals data to be illegal)

Question 15

what is a think tank

Answer 15

a group whos role it is to generate ideas

usually like minded thin-tanks work the the government to develop policy

blair used them heavily

Question 16

how to think tanks influence the government

Answer 16

• fabian society work with conservative and labour to develop policies
• chatham house provides highly respected impartial analysis on global politics which politicians consult
• demons is a cross-party think-tank specialising in the development of social policy

Question 17

what are lobbyists?

Answer 17

lobbyists represent the interests of a particular group-of cause and seek to influence politicians in its’s favour

Question 18

example of lobbyists infleuncing the government

Answer 18

• lobbysist have put forward interests of gin drinkers. after the Gin Act 1751 small scale gin production was banned in order to stop bootlegging however in 2008 lobbyists succeeded in having ht begin act repealed and now boutique gin is becoming g one of the UK’s most enterprising new exports

Question 19

criticsm of lobbyists

Answer 19

they can represent people in society who pay for their services with arguably means they allow people to buy thier influence

Question 20

example of lobbyists providing accsess for cash?

Answer 20

former foreign secutary was found doing this to a fake firm in 2015
malcom rifkin told the fake company that he could provided ‘useful accsess to every ambassador in the UkK’ for a free of 5,000 to 8,000 a day

similarly owen pattinson was found guilty of accepting money form several food comapnies in order for him to lobby the government on their behlavs

Question 21

example of lobbyists arguing that they broaden political debate so that both sides are heard

Answer 21

the raptor alliance that represents pigeon fanciers was worried that the RSPBs protection of birds of prey is killing off pigeons

encograged support but making a lords v commons pigeon race in 2018 with may even sponsoring a bird in parlaiment

Question 22

what rights do the British public traditionally have?

Answer 22

negative or residual rights. rights aren’t set out in one document but instead derive from our rights as citizens and key constitutional and legal events such as:

1215 magna carta: law should be impartial (civil liberties)
1687 bill of rights: constitutional monarchy bound by law
somerset v stewrat: eliminated slavery

Question 23

when did the development of a rights based culture appear in the UK?

Answer 23

1997. rather than relying on common law decisions and constitutional conventions there have been a greater emphasis of codification of positive rights that british citizens have:

HRA 1998
freedom of information act 2000
equality act 2010

Question 24

how does the HRA protect rights in the UK

Answer 24

1998 law clearly establishes postive rights that protect citizens such as right to life, right to a fair trial freedom from torture ect
even after brexit the Uk consituntion still includes the European convention of human rights

Question 25

how does the HRA not protect rights

Answer 25

however many ministers such as gove and raab want to disregard the HRA due to itsportection of dangeorus criminal such as abu quatada in 2012 adn they argue that this then prohibits the rights of other cirizens who could be vicitms of these peopels crimes

Question 26

how do parliamentary bills protect rights

Answer 26

they can be reactive due tot he nature of the consitution and easily passed in order to proctect citizens

ex 2000 freedom of infromations act
2010 equality act
equal pay act

Question 27

how do parliamentary bills encroach on rights

Answer 27

the 2021 proposed policing bill encoraches on rights by protentially ending demonstations for being too noisy which would encorach on freedom to speach and demonstation

2001 anti terrorist crime and security act have gov legal power to detain terror suspects withut trail going agaisnt the right to fair trial

Question 28

example of judical review portecting rights of uk citizens

Answer 28

from the 1990s to 2007 judical review requests ave increased by thousands which suggests that more peopel are taking intiative to questiont he governemnt and proctect rights

2004 judges foudn that detainign foreign susperct was desciminatory under the european convention of human rihgts and gov had release detainees from belmarsh

Question 29

example of rights not being protected by judcial review

Answer 29

due to parliamentary soverignty the governemnt can ignore judical review and dont have to out in action what it sets out

ex snoopers charter and 2004 belmarsh case just legisaute to restict terror suspects in a differenent way

Question 30

stop the war coalition

Answer 30

despite having huse public support and media attention the 1 million people who marched through london in 2003 to march against the iraq war was ignored

blair had a substantial majoirty and so passed parliament to be able to go to war

Question 31

insider status in think tanks

Answer 31

ian duncan smith made hsi own think thank whihch creates policy for work and pensions departments

balir relied heavily on tink tanks to produce his progressive policies