Participation Flashcards
What was the voter turnout rate in 2001?
59.4%
What was voter turnout in 2017
69%
What was the average turnout in 2016 local elctions
33%
What percentage of the electorate is a member of the 3 main parties, compared to 1983
1.6% vs 3.8%
How has the membership of the conservative party changed?
150,000 in 2016 compared to 400,000 in the 1990s
What has been a recent trend in party membership in the UK (2)
- Increased membership of smaller parties.
- SNP had a membership of 120k in 2016
Voter turnout in Scottish referendum
84%
Voter turnout in the EU referendum
72%
Voter turnout in the EU referendum
72%
Examples of sectional/interest groups (2)
- Law Society
- National Union of Teachers
- National Union of Farmers
Example of Cause Groups
- Greenpeace
- Electoral Reform Society
Example of Insider groups(2)
- National Union of Farmers
- Confederation of British Industry
Which group purposefully is an outsider group
-The ‘Occupy’ movement, sees government as closely aligned to the global capitalist movement
Example of government ignoring a pressure group
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament had 110,00 members in 1980s but was ignored
Example of pressure group influencing policy
- The BMA contributed to the ban on smoking in enclosed spaces in 2007
- Ban on smoking in cars carrying children in 2015
Example of pressure groups being unsuccessful
- The Occupy London movement in 2011, protested capitalism and social inequality.
- BUT objectives were too broad and incoherant
Example of the influence of Think Tanks
Shift of Conservative Party in the 1970s, attributed to the
- Centre for Policy Studies
- the Adam Smith Institute
Development of rights in UK law (3)
- European Convention of Human Rights
- The Human Rights Act (1998)
- The Equality Act (2010)
Example of insider groups with government links
National Union of Farmers work closely with DEFRA gov. department
Example of insider group being discreet, low-profile
Howard League of Penal Reform
Example of high profile insider group
Confederation of British Industry, supplement their lobbying with use of the media
What makes a pressure group effective (4)
- Resources
- Tactics and Leadership
- Public support
- Government attitudes
Example of pressure group having many resources
RSPCA - 1600 Employees and thousands of volunteers
Example of Think Tanks contributing to policy (2)
Adam Smith Institute and Centre for Policy Studies influenced 1970s
Example of policy directly influenced by Think Tank
Center for Social Justice, directly helped implement ‘universal credit’
What is the limitation on Think Tanks
in government it is necessary to make compromises, so the less politically practical ideas dreamed up by think tanks are often ignored.
What did the government say about Lobbyists under Cameron
-Denied lobbying firms changed government policy BUT companies could discuss their concerns with the Business Department in the Treasury
