PGs UK + lobbying Flashcards
Just Stop Oil
- Founded in 2022, high profile, high disruption
- Blocking M25
- Targeting National Gallery
- Not effective – Public Order Act 2023, expanded anti protest powers given long prison sentences (5y)
- Media attention used – effective
Electoral Reform Society
- Insider group - Labour voted to try to work towards PR in 2022
- Uses research and expertise to show flaws of FPTP
- Influential in devolved institutions
- Effective - but also not adopted
B5 Business Lobby
- Insider, well funded
- Collective lobbying power
- Unsuccessfully lobbied against NI contribution hike
- Secured energy relief packages for businesses through data driven expertise
Greensil Capital
- Cameron lobbying for them, payed over a million a year
- secured support for Greensil
- also used private channels to lobby
- Cameron hadn’t breached the rules because the rules were not strict enough (independent review commissioned by Johnson)
Corporate (coca cola)
UK Sugar tax 2018
- Engaged directly with MPs – Insider group
- Evidence based approach – harming the economy and ineffective
- Public ad campaigns focussed on coke zero and diet
Corporate (alcohol)
Minimum Unit Pricing
Not instituted in UK after extensive lobbying
o Framed as potentially illegal
o Officials said more evidence needed
- Not been adopted since, even though afterwards, Scotland’s effort in 2018 proved to reduce binge drinking
Extinction Rebellion
- Non violent civil disobedience
- Disruptive, outsider, media focused
- UK parliament decalring climate emergency in 2019
- Occupied central London landmarks for 11 days in April 2019
IFS
- Institute for Fiscal studies – insider group, uses evidence-based lobbying
- Shaped reforms to income tax, NI contributions
- Flaws in UK tax framework exposed and measures working to simplify tax system introduced by Sunak – raising NI contributions
- Analysis of government widely used by media
Resolution Foundation
National Living Wage
- Lobbied with reports, which then were widely discussed and Gov introduced Min Wage – (Osborne in 2015)
- Advocated for a rise – followed by gov
Chatham House
- Insider group working to promote climate diplomacy – active in leading to Paris agreement
- Also prepped gov for COP 2021 and other COPs
- Lord Stern- part of Chatham house – instrumental in making the economic case for climate action
Liberty
- Human rights org.
- Lobbied for saving HRA - coalition of 130 NGOs, inc. Amnesty, Stonewall
- High court challenge to the Investigatory powers Act – got ECJ to rule it was unlawful
- Failed to counter secret courts – despite Lib Dem support during coalition
- Advocating for gay couple against discrimination
- 2021 Crime bill restricting peaceful protest campaigned against – then watered down
Howard League for Penal Reform
- Campaigned against child arrests – rate did half from 2010-2015, but more due to cuts in policing
- Books for Prisoners – successful media campaign with many high profile writers, including Salman Rushdie and Carol Ann Duffy with a successful legal challenge
- Criminal courts charge dropped after lobbying from Howard League – (if convicted, defendants paid fees)
BMA
Junior Doctors’ Contract Reforms
- Involved in pay negotiations and organising strikes
In 2019, junior doctors voted to accept improvements to their contracts, including:
- a £90 million investment over four years,
- a guaranteed 2% annual pay uplift,
- better pay for weekend and late shifts,
- and enhanced safety measures
CBI
Tax reform
- Advocated for clear and stable corporate tax framework - wanted it capped
- Gov introduced Corporate Tax Roadmap
- Corp Tax capped at 25% for 4 years
- Investment reliefs including full expensing, R&D tax credits and an Annual Investment allowance
NFU
Agriculture Bill 2020
NFU advocated for protection of UK food and farming standards post Brexit
Government amended Agri Bill to strengthen an independent Trade and Agriculture Commission
TUC
Legal challenge against Agency worker regulations (2023)
Gov allowed for employers to employ temps to replace striking employees
TUC with 11 other unions sued gov did not consult unions
Court ruled in favour in 2023
Failure: Adressing Worklpace Safety concerns 2023
TUC survey on safety highlighting issues and gov reducing funding to safety board
No action yet from gov
