Essay: Evaluate the view that Pressure Groups have protected rights

Question 1

Themes

Answer 1

Insider v outsider
Legal rights
Size/funding/tactics

Question 2

P1

Insider - have adequately protected rights

Answer 2

• Work w/ government
• National Farmers Union
• British Medical Association - protect doctors’ and nurses’ rights

Question 3

P2

Outsider - haven’t protected rights

Answer 3

• Fathers 4 Justice ineffective at right protection - their methods overshadowed their cause
• Membership has fallen - 4.2% to 0.8% from 1980 to 2010
• Unelected - therefore not in a position to protect rights

Question 4

P3

Legal rights - pressure groups do protect

Answer 4

• Exercise their legal rights in order to defend civil liberties
• Joanna Lumley - Ghurka rights campaign - saw establishment of 2008 judicial ruling - won the legal battle to stay for right to settle in the UK
• Pressure group Liberty - use the law to defend rights

Question 5

P4

Legal rights - pressure groups don’t protect

Answer 5

• HS2 alliance vs secretary of transport
• Human Rights Act - doesn’t legally strike down legislation but only makes recommendations to Parliament - therefore, any PG actions that have been taken through the use of the judicial systems are compromised as they don’t overthrow or amend bills only provide information on where they are deemed constitutional
• Dominic Raab and Boris Johnson - bill planned to reduce and remove the human rights act - will remove lots of powers used by pressure groups - replaced w/ British Bill of Rights

Question 6

P5

Size/funding/tactics - PG do protect rights

Answer 6

• RSPCA
• Snowdrop campaign
• Greenpeace

Question 7

P6

Size/funding/tactics - PG don’t protect rights

Answer 7

• Campaign for nuclear disarmament

- Rules against lobbying