CHDS Higher Pressure Groups

Question 1

Why do people join pressure groups to affect decision makers?

Answer 1

1. No political party shares their views.
2. They can influence government policy in between elections rather than wait 5 years.
3. They feel strongly about a cause and want to use strength in numbers to persuade the government to change their minds.

They don’t want to run the country and many of them won’t actually vote.

Question 2

Name at least 3 pressure groups and what they hope to achieve?

Answer 2

1. Greenpeace - environmental issues.
2. BMA a sector pressure group for DR’s rights.
3. Plane Stupid, a group fighting against airport expansion.
4. Ghurkha campaign group to allow soldiers to have residency in the UK
5. Fathers 4 Justice, to get better rights for fathers and paternal grandparents in custody cases.

Question 3

Describe the difference between insider and outsider pressure groups

Answer 3

1. Insider pressure groups have influence/ expertise that the government want to benefit from. The government will ask for their advice/opinions when forming legislation. Known as having the ‘ ear of the government’.
2. Outsider pressure groups will not be invited in by the government to give advise on policy making. These groups need to use other methods in order to get attention from the government such as publicity from media stunts.

Question 4

Give examples of insider and outsider pressure groups

Answer 4

Insider
1. CBI under Cons
2. Countryside Alliance under Cons
3. NFU
4. BMA
Outsider
1. Animal Liberation Front
2. Greenepeace
3. Plane Stupid
4. Fathers 4 Justice

Question 5

Explain why insider status can change?

Answer 5

Different governments want the expertise and influence of different pressure groups. Labour government’s who rely on funding from the Trade Unions and have close links with them will have the TUC as an insider, whereas the Conservatives who favour business owners will be more likely to invite in the CBI than the TUC.
Similarly the Countryside Alliance was an outsider pressure group under Labour but insider under Conservatives.

Question 6

Give examples of the achievements of inside pressure groups

Answer 6

1. NFU - legally invited in, post-Brexit agriculture strategy
2. BMA - representing Doctors getting MUP in Scotland and free prescriptions
3. CBI - Confederation of British Industry - Since Cons victory in 2010 there has been lowering of corporation tax every year, despite it being already the lowest of G20 countries.

Question 7

Why does large membership not always guarantee success?

Answer 7

TUC has 6.5 million members but is outsider under Cons so less influence. Not got the ‘ear’. Whereas the CBI with only 1/4 of a million members has the ‘ear’ of the Cons government.

Question 8

Support from MPs, after lobbying can help pressure groups to be successful. For example speaking in debates or introducing Private Members Bills. Give examples.

Answer 8

1. FAC - Labour MP support to overturn the Offensive Behaviour Act ( Scotland)
2. End Period Poverty - Labour MP - Scottish schools give free sanitary products. Westminster uses 5% tax to help.
3. Ghurkha campaign - Labour MPs voted against their own party to let them stay.

Question 9

Outsider pressure groups often organise large demonstrations to show the government that there is popular support for their cause. However unless it coincides with government aims and manifesto they are unlikely to succeed. Give examples.

Answer 9

1. Stop the war coalition protests against the UK foreign policy such as intervention in Afghanistan and Syria but do not change govt. policy.
2. National Union of Students campaigned against rise in uni fees in England and Wales.
3. EU Referendum, calls for a second referendum have been ignored so far.

Question 10

Explain why some outsider pressure groups are unsuccessful in influencing government policy.

Answer 10

1. Their aims may differ wildly from the aims of the government.
2. They do illegal stunts which mean they lose credibility and and hostility from the public for breaking the law and wasting tax payer’s money.