Insider groups have access to information and are often called to formulate policy Direct Mailing Contacting people To ask for financial Support and to take action Professional lobbying Paying professionals to Lobby decision makers. Lobbying MPs/MSPs Usually takes place in Conjunction with a petition Or march. MSPs would Meet representatives and Listen to their arguments How pressure groups Influence government policy Letter writing Thousands of letters Being sent directly to Representatives. Mass Media. Petitions, marches Posters gain a lot of attention and PGs can use the media to get to a huge audience. Poster and leaflet Campaign. Used to draw attention to a campaign. Public Petitions Often hundreds of Thousands of people Will sign for or against A proposal Direct Action Often used by outsider groups and Trade Unions. Grabs media attention. Can disrupt normal society and force the government to pay attention.

How Pressure Groups influence Government policy…examples… Insider Groups – Age Concern Scotland gives advice to government about pensions etc…

How Pressure Groups influence Government policy…examples… Professional lobbying – businesses and unions have access to MSPs/MPs and lobby them for changes to law PM David Cameron addresses conference of Confederation of British Industry

How Pressure Groups influence Government policy…examples… Mass media – contacting newspapers and news media, using the internet to gain followers and attention. Many pressure groups use the Mass Media directly through official representatives. They also attract attention for other reasons…

How Pressure Groups influence Government policy…examples… Direct Action – Both insider and outsider groups will use direct action such as PROTESTS, MARCHES AND STRIKES, to gain the attention of the media and the government. EIS Teachers Strike 2016 Strikes lead to further negotiation Student Protests 2014

How Pressure Groups influence Government policy…examples… Direct action – civil disobedience, e.g. peace protesters with CND blocking access to Faslane naval base

How Pressure Groups influence Government policy…examples… Public petitions – The Snowdrop campaign gained 750,000 signatures in 6 weeks – called for tougher gun laws after Dunblane Massacre. Soon after, private hand gun ownership was banned in the UK. (Example: Pressure Group influencing the government!)

How Pressure Groups influence Government policy…examples… Letter writing – Nil By Mouth encourages people to write to government to discourage sectarianism

How Pressure Groups influence Government policy…examples… Letter writing – Nil By Mouth encourages people to write to government to discourage sectarianism

Scottish CND poster campaign Poster and leaflet campaign – Scottish CND issues posters aimed at turning public opinion against nuclear weapons

How Pressure Groups influence Government policy…examples… Direct Mailing – pressure groups can send mail to thousands of people to gain finance and support and raise awareness of their concerns

Pressure Groups clips… http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/insider-pressure-groups/4048.html - insider groups http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/outsider-pressure-groups/4049.html - outsider groups

Knowledge Questions Describe, in detail, two of the methods used by Pressure Groups in a democratic society 6 Explain, in detail, the ways in which Pressure Groups can influence the Government. You should give a maximum of three reasons in your answers. 8