Democracy

Question 1

What is a think tank?

Answer 1

A group established in order to generate ideas, political parties often work closely with affiliates to think tanks to gain policy ideas.

Question 2

What is a lobbyist?

Answer 2

Lobbyists represent the interests of a particular group or cause and seek to influence politicians in its favour.

Question 3

What is a corporation?

Answer 3

A business who tries to be closely involved with the decision making process to further their profits.

Question 4

Give me examples of the impact of lobbyists?

Answer 4

> in 2023 the UK government met with oil and gas lobbyists every single day, this was made apparent after the UK backtracked on its climate change agreement and doubled down on North Sea oil and gas.
Owen peters a former Northern Irish MP lobbyied for a company called randox a global heath company and gained them a massive government contract without the proper tending process at the start of Covid.

Question 5

How much is spent every year on lobbyists?

Answer 5

£2 billion

Question 6

How much is estimated the average MP is contacted by lobbyists?

Answer 6

The Hansard society estimated the average MP is contacted 100 times a week by a lobbyist.

Question 7

What is the revolving door in politics?

Answer 7

The revolving door is the idea that MP’s or special advisors turn into lobbyists once they’re no longer working for the government giving lobbyists easy access into the political sphere.

Question 8

Give me an example of the revolving door?

Answer 8

Chris Ward former advisor to Keir Starmer worked for Hanbury strategy a lobbying firm with clients such as Israeli Oil and Royal Mail for two years in the 2024 election he stood for election in Brighton.

Question 9

How do coorporations influence the government?

Answer 9

> hire lobbyists
Political donations
Support political campaigns
Employ former politicians or civil servants to further their cause.

Question 10

Give me an example of the role lobbyists play for corporations?

Answer 10

> 80% of lobbyists are employed by major corporations
oil and gas companies met every day with the UK gov in 2023 via the links provided by lobbyists

Question 11

Give me examples of political donations?

Answer 11

> £250,000 by Flowieau to the conservatives
£200,000 by dusty TLP to labour

Question 12

How can cooperations support political campaigns?

Answer 12

Many corporations support Marcus Rashfords free school meals campaign which forced the Conservative Party to change its stance.

Question 13

How can former politicians assist Corporations?

Answer 13

David Cameron in 2020 lobbied for green shill capital and became a share holder he attempted to gain funding during Covid for the corporation but fell flat.

Question 14

Is it democratic?

Answer 14

> On the one hand corporations should pay lots of taxes and are vital in the economy so deserve a say and they have a lot of expertise to offer in particular fields.
But many corporations also drown out the influence of individuals like trade unions and only work for themselves not the benefit of the wider community.

Question 15

Examples of think tanks:

Answer 15

• Fabian society (labour)
• Adam Smith institute (conservative)
• Demos (cross thinking)

Question 16

How are think tanks influential?

Answer 16

• Can be influential on policy ideas, such as Joseph Rowntree foundation which has been cited in over 157 policy documents
• Iain Duncan Smith founded the centre for social justice was made leader of the Conservative Party highlighting the link between think tanks and the political sphere.

Question 17

How are think tanks limited in their influence?

Answer 17

> only influential of their respective ideological party is in power
the rise of pragmatism and abandonment of ideology in UK politics has left many think tanks to become ignored by established political parties.

Question 18

What is a sectional pressure group?

Answer 18

> sectional pressure groups represent the interests of a particular group within society
Muslim council of Britain

Question 19

What is a causal pressure group?

Answer 19

> Pressure groups that represent a wide ranging issue
anyone can be a part of the pressure group
friends of the earth

Question 20

What is an insider pressure group?

Answer 20

> an insider pressure group attempts to inact influence using insider links to the political sphere to influence key decision makers in government.
for example the BMA

Question 21

What is an outsider pressure group?

Answer 21

> a pressure group that doesn’t have as much access to government than insider ones so attempt to influence the government by winning public support
for example the Ghurka justice campaign.

Question 22

How can insider pressure groups gain access and influence?

Answer 22

Certain pressure groups can offer an area of expertise on certain issues, such as the BMA who are often consulted on healthcare issues, giving them access and influence to decision makers.

Question 23

How are pressure groups influence often changed by political circumstances?

Answer 23

> certain governments don’t allows insider access to certain pressure groups, trade unions often get access during labour office whilst they struggle to under the tories
on the other hand groups like the tax payers alliance a pressure group advocating for small government can gain access under the conservatives.

Question 24

What is the best example of a powerful pressure groups?

Answer 24

> in the 1970’s under the labour administration pressure groups had immense power.
the leader of the transport and general workers union a man called Jack Jones was credited to be the most powerful man in Britain all because of the hold he had over the prime minister
yeah he was the fucking bollocks.

Question 25

Why do some pressure groups not engage with the government directly?

Answer 25

> some outsider pressure groups do not engage with the government because it compromises their principles > such as green peace > it is also because they do not have the funds to lobby the government.

Question 26

How can pressure groups gain public support?

Answer 26

> pressure groups like Oxfam and friends of the Earth have a large social media presence, this is called ‘clickogracy’ and is used to mobilise public opinion. > Civil disobedience can be used to gain media attention like Just stop oil. But it can often back fire and create a negative portrayal

Question 27

Give me an example of a successful outsider pressure group:

Answer 27

> the Gurkha justice campaign in 2009 > famous actress Joana Lumly endorsed this pressure group giving them a solid platform where they got 250,000 signatures on a petition to secure equal status for the residency of Ghurkas which Gordon Brown in 2009 signed.

Question 28

How can trade unions mobilise the public?

Answer 28

> trade unions like the teachers union in recent years have gone on strike to gain public support > the RMT union have gone on nation wide strike to in act change.

Question 29

How are UK rights established?

Answer 29

> acts of parliament > constitutional landmarks > court cases

Question 30

Give me an example of how constitutional landmarks have changed human rights in the UK:

Answer 30

> Magna Carta in 1215 established that the law is impartial and everyone has the right to a fair trial

Question 31

Example of how court cases have shaped UK human rights:

Answer 31

> Somerset V Stewart 1772- established the slavery was illegal in the UK

Question 32

Example of how an act of parliament has shaped UK rights:

Answer 32

> representation of the people act 1928- brought about universal suffrage > bill of rights 1689- established the principle of the constitutional monarchy.

Question 33

What type of liberties are these?

Answer 33

Negative liberties, essentially everything that is not expressly forbidden is within our human rights.

Question 34

How did the approach to civil rights change in 1997?

Answer 34

> wanted more emphasis on codified positive rights > to ensure UK citizens had greater knowledge of their own rights.

Question 35

What was the human rights act 1998?

Answer 35

> the HRA was passed in 1998 accepting that the European convention on human rights would now be binding to UK courts

Question 36

What was the freedom of information act (2000) ?

Answer 36

> established a right of access of information held by public bodies, so UK citizens could no more about how public bodies that serve them operate > The MP expenses scandal was exposed by Journalists demanding information via the 2000 information act.

Question 37

What was the equality act (2010)?

Answer 37

> established equality before law for all citizens, meaning discrimination was illegal in 9 recognised areas, such as: > race > gender >age

Question 38

What are civic duties?

Answer 38

> responsibilities held by UK citizens that can be enforced by law, such as paying taxes or serving on a jury.

Question 39

How can this infringe upon our civil rights?

Answer 39

> highlights the fact the public cannot do whatever it wants. > if civic duties are not followed the government can restrict certain rights for the collective good of the community.

Question 40

How have terrorist attacks potentially restricted the rights of UK citizens?

Answer 40

> the anti terrorist crime and security act 2001 gave the government the legal power to imprison foreign terrorist suspects indefinitely without trial > in 2005 the serious organised crime and police act limited the right of protest outside parliament > In 2016 parliament passed the investigatory powers act which authorises the retention of personal electronic data and its access for law enforcement.

Question 41

Give me two examples of how the HRA has protected human rights?

Answer 41

> in 2004 senior judges declared the way in which foreign terrorist suspects are being held by the government was in breach of the HRA as a result the gov released them from Bel Marsh prison > Attempts by the UK government to deport Abu Qatada an Islamist preacher who came to the country illegally were stopped for 8 years on the grounds that the evidence used against him were obtained through torture methods which is in breach of article 3 of the ECHR

Question 42

How is the HRA potentially not effective at protecting our liberties?

Answer 42

> it can be removed by an act of parliament as parliament is still the supreme law maker parliament can suspend or repeal the HRA. > it can also make legislation in conflict with the HRA, as Tony Blair did after the foreign detainees were released from Bel Marsh by quickly in acting legislation that kept them under close surveillance.

Question 43

How can parliament also protect civil liberties?

Answer 43

> in 2005 when the Blair government attempted to increase the time a terrorist suspect could be held in prison for to 90 days it was defeated in the House of Lords > in 2010 the coalition government committed itself to the repeal of identity cards

Question 44

What did Boris Johnson as Mayor of London during increased fear of terrorism in the UK?

Answer 44

> ‘I’m not particularly interested in this civil liberties stuff’

Question 45

How have politicians defended the suspension of civil liberties?

Answer 45

> they’re not infringing on civil rights but protecting the citizens of the UK

Question 46

To what degree do UK citizens agree?

Answer 46

> the fact very few acts have produced much public outcry expcept the identity cards issue their seems to be a level of understanding that to achieve the collective good sometimes UK rights must be put on hold.