Pressure groups more powerful in US than UK

Question 1

Access points

Answer 1

• More access points in the US system - because the separation of powers and federalism create a multitude of power centres
• In the UK - power is concentrated in the hands of the govt, the only groups that gain power are those that can influence the govt (insider groups) - outsider groups - e.g. Extinction Rebellion not listened to by govt due to some of their methods

Question 2

Party strength

Answer 2

• US interest groups able to influence legislative politicians more than in the UK due to the lack of powerful party leaders (caused by the separation of powers and primaries)
• Stricter party discipline in UK - MPs are strongly accountable to political leaders
• Pressure groups know it will be difficult to persuade individual MPs to vote against the party line

Question 3

Frequency of elections

Answer 3

• Electioneering far more intense in the US - can be highly effective method
• In UK - highly unlikely that an environmental campaign group would be able to unseat any of their target MPs in a general election - hard to imagine a UK version of the US League of Conservation Voters