Ways in which citizens can influence voting behaviour (pressure groups isolated) Flashcards
Responding to Consultations point
Consultations are when the Government asks the public a question which the pubic respond to and if the responses suggest the public want to change the issue in the consultation then the Government will consider taking action. Pressure groups can reponsed too.
Consultations bal k
example, in 2017 the UK Government consulted on letting disabled people vote electronically, then took a year to respond by rejecting the idea despite the Royal Society for the Blind supporting it.
Consultations Balance
If Gov disagree with public then they can refuses to act on issue. A government might consult to look like it takes pressure groups views into account but may have already made up its mind
Consultations k
the Scottish Government recently consulted on tougher penalties for people who harm wildlife. The Law Society, a sectional / insider pressure group responded with their experience and the proposal became law in 2020.
Consultations eval
Effective
Petitions point
way that pressure groups can influence government decision making is setting up and signing a petition. Petitions are often started by groups to demand action.
Petitions k
For example, in 2019 the UK Government supported the introduction of Finns Law after the Finns Law group set up a petition that it received over 100,000 signatures in a petition. This law gave greater protection to police dogs and horses after the police dog Finn was stabbed.
Petitions Balance and Boost point
As effective as it might be in some cases, some petitions are not always practical or in the interests of the government to support it. This means that the government may decide to reject the petition.
Boost extra- Many petition signatures can prove to Gov that pressure group has support increasing pressure for change.
Petitions k- Balance (petitions set up by Pressure Groups don’t always work) Boost (although petition didn’t work originally the fact over a thousand people signed the petition increased the pressure on the Scottish Gov which they eventually made Scottish Eduction LGBT inclusive showing it’s effectiveness)
For example, pressure group called TIE first tried to use a petition to change the law to change Scottish education (make it more LGBT inclusive) at the start of their campaign but this was rejected by the government and others.
Balance (petitions set up by Pressure Groups don’t always work) Boost (although petition didn’t work originally the fact over a thousand people signed the petition increased the pressure on the Scottish Gov which they eventually made Scottish Eduction LGBT inclusive showing it’s effectiveness)
Petitions Eval
effective
Lobbying Government point
One method used by Pressure Groups is to lobby the government. This involves members of the pressure group meeting directly with members of the government to try and persuade them to make changes.
Lobbying k
For example, in 2021 Scotland will become the first country in the world to have a LGBT inclusive education system because the TIE pressure group lobbied enough MSPs and Government Ministers eventually gaining their support.
Lobbying balance
If the issue is one that the government is against it can be very hard to get access to members of the government directly as their diaries are protected and often there is security.
Lobbying k bal
For example, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has been lobbying MPs in parliament for over 40 years but the UK government has remained committed to having nuclear weapons no matter what party is in power.
Lobbying Eval
Not effective
