1. 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.

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

3. 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

4. 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…

5. 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

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

7. 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!)

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

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

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

11. 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

12. Pressure Groups clips…
- insider groups
- outsider groups

13. Knowledge Questions
Describe, in detail, two of the methods used by Pressure Groups in a democratic society
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