Pressure groups, think tanks and lobbyist Flashcards
(48 cards)
1
Q
Lobbying case studies
A
- Uni tuition fees (Willits)
When universities are publicly funded, they are at the bottom of the heap
Alternative was to cut funding for resources
Despite public outcry, tuition fees were raised - Swansea Bay Tidal lagoon (Shorrock)
Wanted to generate power from the sea with government help and money
Paid £15,000 to get a table with a conservative minister and Cameron provided the go ahead
2016 scrapped following Camerons resignation - 2021 Greensill lobbying scandal came to light where Cameron unsuccessfully lobbied Sunak for more furlough funding (Unsuccessful)
2
Q
Pressure group case studies 2020
A
- BLM protests 2020
Huge following and 1 million raised
As of 2022 No changes have been made - Extinction rebellion 2020
Blockaded printing presses and raised £800,000 in a few days
Limited impact in terms of government response - FSM Campaign June 2020
Government made a U-Turn over FSM policies and extended them over summer
3
Q
Successful pressure groups
A
- NSPCC
Well respected + insider
Received £1.6 million in Gov funding
Flaw in the law campaign was successful - Age UK (2005) successful in persuading to getting greater pension funding
- 2014 Howard league pressured the government in to giving prisoners books
4
Q
Failures of pressure groups (prisons)
A
- Howard Reform have failed to get the government to give prisoners voting rights
- Liberty failed to stop the introduction of secret courts in 2013
5
Q
Think tanks definition
A
- Public policy research organisations that seek to influence government policy
- Tend to be on the political spectrum
- main output is the publication of their research
6
Q
Think tanks successes
A
- Adam Smith institute (Neo-liberal)
Various governments have adopted its recommendations eg 1988 education reform act, lowering the top tax rate and the privatisation of several industries
Only influential under a neo liberal government when it is ideologically compatible
7
Q
How is the influence of lobbying limited ?
A
2014 Transparency of lobbying act has created a register so it is as transparent as possible
8
Q
What are the 4 types of pressure group categories ?
A
- Sectional/interest = represent a particular group within society eg Muslim council of Britain
- Cause/promotional = Promote a particular issue eg Greenpeace
- Insider = privileged access to government decision making eg British Medical Association
- Outsider = Don’t possess access to political action making eg the Gurkha justice campaign
9
Q
How do pressure groups achieve success ?
A
- Insider status
- Publicity
- Social media
- Clickocracy
- Civil disobedience
- Trade unions
- Court action
- Lobbying eg Rashford
10
Q
What is insider status and some examples of pressure group with it ?
A
- More access points and direct access to decision makers
- British medical association (BMA) and National farmer’s union (NFU) will be called on by all governments
11
Q
How does the BMA regularly represent the view of doctors and patients in parliament ?
A
- Issue briefings to MPs/Peers on subjects relevant to the medical profession
- Provides written and oral evidence to select committees and enquiries
- Aims to influence legislation (April 2022) = lobbying the government which has introduced a new Health and care bill
12
Q
Political circumstances impact on insider status (trade union) :
A
- Political circumstances eg in the 1970’s trade unions were so powerful that Jack Jones (secretary for transport and General workers union) was called ‘the most powerful man in Britain’ for the influence he wielded
- Modern politicians are likely to consult with environmentalist groups for specialist info eg Friends of the Earth is regularly consulted by the Scottish Government on its environmental strategy
13
Q
Factors that impact whether a group holds insider status :
A
- Whether political decision makers see it to their advantage
- Political circumstances
- Political bias of the government
- seek access through holding offices as close as possible
14
Q
Debate over smoking between Action on smoking and health (ASH) and Freedom organisation for the right to enjoy smoking (FOREST)
A
- ASH have been facilitated by research by BMA on the risks of smoking and the support for stronger restrictions + have been successful in 2014 smoking in cars containing children was banned (due to access points and support from BMA
- FOREST has had limited significance or impact as it has less access points and isn’t an insider group
15
Q
Political bias of pressure groups (how it effects their insider status) :
A
- Trade unions which contribute funds to labour will be more likely to exercise insider influence during a left wing government
- Pressure groups which represent big business eg the taxpayers alliance will be more influential during a conservative administration
16
Q
How wealth of pressure groups effects their status as insider groups ?
A
- Wealthier pressure groups which seek access to decision making bodies will run offices as close as possible to those access points
- Eg Brussels and Strasbourg are full of lobbying offices trying to seek to influence the EU policy
- Devolution in the UK means groups such as friends of the earth and ASH have offices in Edinburgh and Cardiff
- Decision making power of the London Mayor means they have more access points
17
Q
How pressure groups attempt to seek influence by taking their case directly to the public :
A
- Greenpeace are reluctant to work with the government as it could compromise their principles + lack the funds to directly lobby decision makers so mobilise support through online campaigns and high profile media events/celebrity endorsement
18
Q
How pressure groups attempt to seek influence through social media :
A
- New opportunities to engage with the public
- Groups like Amnesty international, Oxfam and Friends of the Earth all appreciate the importance of having a considerable internet influence
- FB/twitter provide a valuable way of keeping the public informed
19
Q
How pressure groups attempt to seek influence through clickocracy :
A
- Engagement with pressure groups purely online
- 28 degrees provides a forum for its members to quickly choose and and launch their campaigns and can focus public attention on local issues eg protecting green space or national issues eg a drinks container national scheme
20
Q
How pressure groups attempt to seek influence through civil disobedience :
A
- The suffragettes sought influence through tactics such as breaking windows and planting bombs (Successful in securing some women the vote in 1918)
- 1990 : The violence off the poll tax riots in Trafalgar Square further undermined a weakened Thatcher which further contributed to her resignation and Major then abandoning the Tax
- XR
- Insulate Britain
21
Q
How pressure groups attempt to seek influence through trade unions :
A
- Trade unions can deploy industrial action
- The national union of Rail, Maritime and Transport workers (RMT) has called for strikes in order to try stop the introduction of driver only operated trams which jeopardised both public safety and the jobs of conductors
22
Q
Example of how a combination of factors (pressure groups) can change policy :
A
- Until 2015 Government policy was to not admit significant numbers of Syrian refugees to the UK
- Criticised by Amnesty international but little had been achieved
- Shocking image of a Syrian body who drowned on a beach in Greece provoked outrage, 4 million people signed an e-petition and the Daily Mail demanded action
- Cameron announced the UK would take 20,000 refugees by 2020
23
Q
Example of successful pressure group campaigns (Gurkha Justice campaign)
A
- Only Gurkhas who retired after 1997 were granted the right to live in Britain
- Aim : to extend the right to live in Britain to all retired Gurkhas
- Celebrity endorsement from Joanna Lumley, 250,00 signatures on a petition and constant pressure from Gordon Brown meant there was so much negative publicity that equal rights were granted to all Gurkhas
24
Q
What factors contribute to pressure group success :
A
- Resources
- Ideological compatibility with the government
- Popularity
- Expertise
25
Example of pressure groups not fulfilling any RIPE criteria :
- Plane Stupid opposed a third runways at Heathrow and Stop HS2 opposed the new high speed rail link between Birmingham and London
- Both failed as they didn't have enough government support
26
Examples of groups fulfilling RIPE and being successful :
- Migration Watch UK cultivated links with May's government as they had the shared belief in reducing immigration in the UK
- The expertise of BMA provides its insider status under any government
27
Example of successful pressure group campaign (water) :
- Surfers against Sewage
- Demonstrated public outrage at the way in which disposable plastic containers are blighting coastlines
- 2018 the government announced it was going to introduce a deposit return scheme for plastic, metal and glass containers
- Success was helped by the way facts were produced with viable solutions and May and Gove were keen to move forward like Germany has demonstrated
28
Examples pf unsuccessful pressure group campaigns (blair)
- Stop the war coalition (Against the 2003 Iraq war)
- Biggest demonstration in British history (1 million people) marched through London in protest to Blair's support of the American invasion of Iraq
- It was peaceful yet didn't change government policy due to Blair being committed to the overthrow of Hussein and the conservatives supported the government in voting for war
29
Functions of pressure groups :
1. Represent and promote the interests of certain sectors of the community
2. Protect the interests of minorities
3. Promote certain causes that haven't been adequately taken by political parties
4. Inform and educate the public
5. To hold the government to account
30
What are think tanks ?
- Groups established to generate ideas
31
What are lobbyists ?
- Lobbyists represent the interests of a particular group/cause and seek to influence politicians in its favour
32
Examples of criticisms at Lobbyists :
- Enabling the rich and powerful tory and buy influence
| - 2015 : 2 former foreign secretaries Straw and Rifkind were secretly filmed offering to provide access for cash
33
Example of civil disobedience as a tactic for pressure groups :
- Greenpeace destroyed genetically modified crops
- Extinction rebellion have blockaded bridges
- Plane stupid blocked runways
- Just stop oil protesters have blocked key oil terminals eg Buncefield
- Insulate Britain have closed bridges and roads etc
34
Successful/unsuccessful lobbying of a pressure group
+ Rashford (2020) succeeded in influencing the government to offer free school meals to eligible families over the summer holidays
- However the government often don't want to work with the cause eg Oct 2020 FSM were not offered despite lobbying
35
Successful/unsuccessful example of public campaigning from pressure groups
+ August 2020 following A-level results there were protests and within a week the government changed them
- 2020 : BLM protests haven't succeeded in anything apart from raising awareness
36
Successful/unsuccessful examples of pressure groups using media campaigns
+ Fairshare has achieved good media coverage and has caused there issue to come to light during COVID
- The government can ignore this
37
Successful/unsuccessful example of committees being used by pressure groups
+ The chair of the education select committee supported the extension of FSM over 2020 summer holidays
- Nothing is guaranteed
38
Example of civil disobedience from a pressure group being unsuccessful
- XR sept 2020 blocked the printing o press and delayed the release of newspapers
- Priti Patel called it an attack on democracy and it wasn't well received by the government HOWEVER it attracts major media attention
39
Successful/unsuccessful examples of. pressure group using court action :
+ NSPCC launched a flaw in the law campaign and in 2017 a new law was announced making it illegal to have sexual communications with a child a criminal offence
- Ravat v. Haliburton 2012 : confirmed that protection from unfair dismissal should be extended to British overseas workers
40
How much was raised by XR and BLM ?
- BLM : £1 million
| - XR : £800,000 in a few days
41
How was the leader of the Lords previously involved in a think tank ?
- Baroness Evans was deputy of centre right think tank 'policy exchange' for 3 years
- Gove also a leading light in the early years of Policy exchange
42
Fabian society
- Participated in the foundation of the Labour Party and is strongly associated with the Labour Party with Starmer speaking at the Fabian Society's New Year Conference (5x most recently in 2021)
- Widely accredited with influencing labour to increase National insurance to raise £8 billion for NHS spending due to their Tax commission of 2000
43
Policy exchange
- Centre right think tank that was particularly inflection under Cameron's conservative government
44
IEA (institute for economic affairs)
- One of Britain's oldest think tanks (1955) and it advocates free market principles (Thatcher and Cameron)
45
Demos
- In the run up to the 1997 general election it was seen as close to the Labour Party + Blair
- Seen as central to Labour's vision for Britain and the Director went on to work inside Downing Street in 1997
- 2008 cut back on workforce leading to speculation there was financial difficulty
46
Greensill/Cameron lobbying scandal
- Cameron lobbied Sunak in 2020 in order to get Greensill a loan which was intended for pandemic-related economic recession
- Reported to have made $60 million from a listing of the company
- FAILED
47
Owen Paterson lobbying scandal
- 2021 accused of breaking lobbying rules for MPs + on behalf of companies he approached officials at the Food standards agency and the Department for International development a number of times
- Resigned
48
Influence of petitions
- FSM petition received 1.1 million signatures
| - revoke article 50 petition received 6.1 million signatures
