What characterises an insider pressure group?

Regular access to government decision-makers and consultation on policy development, often because they possess expertise or represent key stakeholders.

What characterises an outsider pressure group?

Lack of direct access to government, relying instead on public campaigns, protests, and media attention to influence policy indirectly.

Why might an outsider pressure group choose direct action over lobbying?

Because it lacks access to government decision-makers, so it must use disruptive tactics to generate media attention and public pressure to influence policy indirectly.

How do pressure groups use lobbying ministers and MPs to influence policy?

They directly contact and persuade ministers and MPs to support their cause, provide information, and seek to shape legislation or government decisions.

How do pressure groups use expert evidence to influence policy?

They provide specialist knowledge and research to select committees and government consultations, establishing credibility and shaping policy discussions.

Edexcel A-Level Politics 9PL0

Democracy and Participation

Topic overview Current systems of representative and direct democracy A wider franchise and debates over suffrage Pressure groups and other influences Think tanks, lobbyists and corporations Rights in context

Political Parties

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AnarchismNon-core

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FeminismNon-core

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Topic overview Key concepts and the politics of recognition Minority rights and their critics Diversity and its critics Different types of multiculturalism Berlin, Taylor and value pluralism Parekh, Modood and Kymlicka

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Topic overview Nationalism: core ideas and principles Different types of nationalism Rousseau, Herder and cultural nationalism Mazzini, Maurras and Garvey

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US CongressUSA

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Comparative Theories and the UK-US ComparisonUSA

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Global Comparative TheoriesGlobal

Topic overview Realism: states, anarchy and the balance of power Liberalism: morality, interdependence and global governance Divisions between realism and liberalism The anarchical society and the society of states Evaluating realism and liberalism against events since 2000

Democracy and Participation

Pressure groups and other influences

3 things to know
Component 1

Overview

Recall questions on what a pressure group is, insider and outsider groups, lobbying, expert evidence, demonstrations, direct action and legal challenges, the factors that decide a group’s influence, the debate over groups against parties, and the BMA and Just Stop Oil as contrasting cases.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Numbers

How does public support affect pressure group influence?

Process

How does media access affect pressure group influence?

Key term

What is a pressure group?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is a pressure group?
Model answer
An organisation that seeks to influence government policy or public opinion on a particular issue without seeking to hold political office itself.
2
What characterises an insider pressure group?
Model answer
Regular access to government decision-makers and consultation on policy development, often because they possess expertise or represent key stakeholders.
3
What characterises an outsider pressure group?
Model answer
Lack of direct access to government, relying instead on public campaigns, protests, and media attention to influence policy indirectly.
4
Why might an outsider pressure group choose direct action over lobbying?
Model answer
Because it lacks access to government decision-makers, so it must use disruptive tactics to generate media attention and public pressure to influence policy indirectly.
5
How do pressure groups use lobbying ministers and MPs to influence policy?
Model answer
They directly contact and persuade ministers and MPs to support their cause, provide information, and seek to shape legislation or government decisions.
6
How do pressure groups use expert evidence to influence policy?
Model answer
They provide specialist knowledge and research to select committees and government consultations, establishing credibility and shaping policy discussions.

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Democracy and Participation

Political Parties

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Voting Behaviour and the Media

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ACitizens elect representatives to govern on their behalf.

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