Pressure groups and other influences Flashcards
(30 cards)
To what extent are pressure groups goof for democracy and participation themes
Participation - But not always positive
Check on government - But undermines parliamentary checks
Representation - But makes it hard for government to represent whole public
Stop the War coalition 2003
Up to 2 million protesters protested in London against the Iraq War
Chequer book membership example
National trust has 3.7 million members
Issue with anti Brexit marches
Majority had voted to leave in the referendum, only divided the country further
How was CBI involved with the conservative government over Brexit
Worked with the Department of Trade to setup the Northern Ireland Brexit Taskforce, which provided NI with a direct voice over issues such as the VAT margin scheme
How do pressure groups undermine parliament
Undermines parliamentary sovereignty, especially with the ‘revolving door’
Douglas Hurd quote on pressure groups undermining government
“Serpents that strangle efficient government”
How do pressure groups give better representation
Offer minority groups more support such as the Muslim Council of Britain
Prison reform trust
Ensures that prisoner rights are protected and brought attention to the rising suicide rates in UK prisons
How do pressure groups make it hard for the government to make the bets decisions for the majority
They focus on their ions interests
How did protests against HS2 not help government
They argued that it wouldn’t be eco friendly and affect house prices, when it would actually benefit the economy massively by providing 22,000 jobs
How does Greenpeace show that membership is important for PG success
It has 2.9 million supporters worldwide, with 95% of their funding coming from individual donations
It has allowed them to stop the Cambo Oil field being built in the North Sea
How does Joanna Lumley’s Gurkha campaign prove that membership is most important
Shows that specific members like celebrities are key
Joanna got a petition signed by 250,000 people and allowed her to gain rights for Gurkhas who had served 4 years of more for the British army to have residency in Britain
How does the National Trust undermine the importance of membership
Cheque book membership is an issue, with the national trust having 3.7 million members, with many of them just in it for the benefits
How does the Trade Union Congress undermine membership
It represents 6 million workers, but has had little success recently with conservative government, proving that status is more important
How does Joanna Lumley’s Gurkha campaign actually support status rather than membership
Joanna Lumley had insider status, as she consulted Gordon Brown in No.10 and interviewed Phil Woolas on BBC Westminster
How is status most important for PG success
Insider status means that they are regularly consulted by government
How does BMA’s involvement in the junior doctor’s strike show that status isn’t most important
BMA failed to come to an agreement with the Department of Health for a new contract for Junior Doctors
How is issue the most important factor in PG success
If the issue is fair, and supported heavily then it will be sympathises with by the government
How does the Living Wage Foundation prove that issue is most important
They don’t have insider status or particular ;large membership
Achieved the National Living Wage for all adults over 25
How does status undermine the issue
Insider status means that the issue can be fast tracked to government
How is resources the most important factor in PG success
Funding means that it can employ experts to work for them
Hoe does the NSPCC show that resources are important
It has employed 2,500 members, with many of them on ChildLine
It helped them achieve their aim of making 5 million children safe in 2019, with 334,900 coming from employers of their ChildLine
How does Unison prove that status is more important than resources
It is a wealthy trade union with other 1.2 million members, but has struggled to influence the conservative government
