Participation and Democrcay

Question 1

What is the BMA and what type of group are they+ example of their influence

Answer 1

Insider group status, sectional group as it represents Doctors
-influence was amplified during Covid
It can also function as a cause group, on issues that affect public health. Its professional status and ability to provide scientific evidence give it credibility with government.
- helped introduce a smoking ban in public spaces from 2007
-BMA concentrated on campaigning for prohibition when children were being carried. This attracted the support of other pressure groups such as Asthma UK. The BMA used online technology to lobby for support, providing its members with a web-based form to personalise and send to their MPs.
-Ban came into force in 2015

Question 2

What type of pressure group is stonewall+example of influence

Answer 2

-outsider pressure group
-LBGTQ inclusive teaching
-protection from discrimination
-same sex couples marriages act
(Relates to a change in norms and values in society so government are more accepting and progressive)

Question 3

What is cage uk

Answer 3

Cage uk is an outsider pressure group that advocates for anti terror laws and empower Muslims who only make up 6.5% of the population can be easily ignored
-little electoral power- link to tyranny of majority and minority voices not being heard

Question 4

What is the significance of corporations and example

Answer 4

• have an influence on govt economy so are too powerful for the govt to let them fail so can have undue influence on govt policy in order for the economy to flourish
  -pressure groups don’t have the same impact on economy so have less influence
  Eg - formula 1 and smoking ban (Bernie ecclestone ) , donated 1 million
• British soft drinks association attendance of conservative conference to oppose sugar tax

Question 5

What is lobbying and what are some examples

Answer 5

Attempt to influence govt policy
-2015-2017 £25 million spent by big businesses on lobbying
-Greenshill scandal-2020, David Cameron lobbied Rishi Sinai to allow greensill to join Covid cooperate financing facility to keep them afloat
-ex ministers can lobby and have undue influence

Question 6

What are some notable and contemporary pressure group examples you can use

Answer 6

-Insulate Uk- breaks law and engages in direct action
-UKUNCUT during austerity , direct action forced companies that avoid tax to repay £2 million to the treasury eg Starbucks
-Marcus Rashford free school meals, biteback2030
- amnesty international - care homes and Covid 19 deaths
-liberty

Question 7

What are forms of direct democracy in the uk

Answer 7

E petitions
Citzens juries and town hall meetings- on starters agenda/utilised them but tend to lack any real use or influence
Recall elections
(2015 act)

Question 8

What evidence is there of a participation crisis X3 points for an essayb

Answer 8

-low turnouts
-membership of political parties
-low turnouts in other elections
- discuss other routes into politics

Question 9

Evaluate the view that uk democracy is in crisis

Answer 9

-participation crisis
-limited govt / accountability
-devolved powers

Question 10

What evidence is there for a participation crisis and significance of participation crisis

Answer 10

—decreasing turnouts - 71.4% in 1997 vs 59% in 2001
- regional elections of 2018- 36% turnout
-signifance as suggests voters are disengaged from politics and have become increasingly disillusioned
-reduce legitimacy of govt eg conservatives 2015 only 36% of vote share on a turnout of 66%
However 2001 election is an anomaly and can attributed to hapathy- happy with status quo so didn’t feel the need to vote
-referendum have high turnouts Scotland 85%

Question 11

Examples of low membership of political parties

Answer 11

-tories have 172,000 members as of 2022 compared to millions they used to have
-lab 432,000 members as of 2022

Question 12

Evaluate the view that rights in the uk are not sufficiently protected

Answer 12

• government
• Supreme Court
• pressure groups (rights based culture )

Question 13

Examples of govt protecting rights for and against

Answer 13

-HRA 1998
-Equalities act 2010- established protected characteristics
Against
-2023 Dominic Raab and British bill of rights
-judicial review act
-police crimes and sentencing act
-Illegal migration act
-criminals and victims act

Question 14

Examples of the supreme court protecting rights for and against

Answer 14

-Caitlin Reilly against department of work and pensions jobseekers act ruled in her favour
-judicial review - rejected claim of sovereign immunity as it violated HRA
-judicial review - Gurkhas veterans reside in uk
- powers limited uk govt passed further legislation to avoid paying 130 million in benefits
- Rwanda bill- nov 2023- passed further legislation uksc can be easily ignored
-judicial review act of 2022

Question 15

Examples of pressure groups protecting rights for and against

Answer 15

• Liberty and amnesty international help educate public and cultivate a rights based culture
• Liberty uses its large influence and following and media -investigation powers bill
  -2016 lack of privacy safeguards crowdfunded £35k and court issued that the govt had to rewrite act as incompatible with eu law
  -Howard league campaigns over child arrest - reduced by 59%
  -Cage uk easily ignored little influence due to lack of electoral support
  -police crimes and sentencing act reduces powers of pressure groups to peruse aims
  -insider vs outsider groups

Question 16

Evidence of self interested pressure groups- can lead to hyperpluralism

Answer 16

-anti fox hunting groups clash with countryside alliance

Question 17

Example of high pressure group membership

Answer 17

-national trust 4 million , x9 that of Labour

Question 18

Example of resources of a pressure group not equalling success

Answer 18

• nuclear disarmament campaign had over 100,000 members but ignored by thatcher

Question 19

Evaluate the view that uk is a genuine pluralism

Answer 19

• pressure groups influence policy vs unlawful acts undermine
  -elitism vs pluralism
  -refrenda
• devolution

Question 20

Evaluate the view that the uk is facing a democratic deficit

Answer 20

-doesn’t accurately reflect views of electorate vs open and free debate is promoted
-apathy and disillusioned public (participation crisis) vs removal of govt by public
-lack of accountability (politicians) vs methods of accountability
-rights eroded vs free fair and open electoral system

Question 21

Evaluate the view that referendums cause more harm than good

Answer 21

-direct democracy vs public does not have enough knowledge
- not all issues fully settled vs helped develop peace in NI
-increased participation vs means to satisfy political parties (on paper looks like people have power)
-have polarised society- Brexit

Question 22

Evaluate the view that the funding of political parties needs reform