liberty pressure group case study

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Cases studies of Pressure Groups

Case study Revolving door UK Greensill and David Cameron   2021

Can’t pay, won’t pay Soaring costs have given rise to a civil disobedience movement 2022

The BMA is a sectional group whose main purpose is to protect the interests of doctors. It can also function as a cause group, on issues that affect public health. Its professional status and ability to provide scientific evidence give it credibility with government. The BMA had already contributed to the introduction of a ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces from 2007. It saw the prohibition of smoking in private vehicles as the next stage in its campaign for a smoke-free UK.

When the BMA first made its case in November 2011, on the grounds that passive smoking is particularly harmful in a confined space, the government had no plans for legislation. Instead it preferred to discourage drivers from smoking by publicising the health risks. The BMA did not secure all of its objectives. Originally it argued for an outright ban on smoking in cars, regardless of whether passengers were being carried. There was insufficient support for this, so the BMA concentrated on campaigning for prohibition when children were being carried. This attracted the support of other pressure groups such as Asthma UK. The BMA used online technology to lobby for support, providing its members with a web-based form to personalise and send to their MPs. It also made its case to members of the House of Lords. A Labour peer introduced an amendment to the 2014 Children and Families Bill, which was passed by the Lords and later accepted by the Commons. The ban came into force in October 2015.

This is a good illustration of successful pressure-group politics. The BMA showed a willingness to focus on an attainable goal. It proved patient and resourceful in mobilising support and using the parliamentary process. It was also fortunate in that public opinion and the government were willing to protect children as a vulnerable group, while they would have seen a total ban on smoking in cars as an unnecessary intrusion into people's private lives.

In April 2019 Extinction Rebellion - a climate change protest group use very similar tactics to Occupy.

Extinction Rebellion

In October 2011 a group of protestors occupied the square in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, where they erected tents until they were evicted by order of the High Court 4 months later. They were protesting about corporate greed in the City of London, which they held responsible for social inequality. Their actions were echoed by demonstrations in other cities, including in Wall Street, New York. Superficially they had some success in drawing attention to their cause, at a time when the coalition government's spending cuts were widely condemned on the left of British politics for making life harder for the poor, while wealthy people in

the financial sector seemed unscathed. A senior clergyman at St Paul's resigned his post in solidarity with the protestors and there was some sympathy for them when the police were sent in to clear the camp. However, Occupy London failed to achieve long-lasting results. In part this was due to the strong stand taken by the authorities. Although initially they tolerated the camp, when they decided to take action they were determined not to allow the protestors to settle elsewhere in London. Fundamentally, the movement's objectives were too broad and incoherent to give them any chance of success. They represented a generalised hostility to global capitalism and did not have practical, achievable goals. Even if the government had been prepared to negotiate with the campaigners, it is hard to see what it could have done to satisfy them.

The Automobile Association (AA) and the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) were both highly critical of the Johnson government’s plans to introduce smart motorways. These are motorways on which the hard shoulder is removed to increase capacity. It is replaced with refugee areas (no more than 1.6 miles apart), which drivers should head for. According to both organisations, smart motorways significantly increased the risk to drivers 

Why were they successful?

The tactics they deployed made the most of their professional expertise and insider status to directly influence policy making. In 2021, the RAC’s report on motoring survey showed that 54% of drivers believed that smart motorways made them less safe. According to the AA, smart motorways could leave stranded cars like ‘sitting ducks’. In 2021, the AA and the RAC, together with West Midlands police and Highways England, provided specialist evidence to the Transport Select Committee. On the recommendation of the committee, the government decided to delay building new smart highways for 5 years while their safety implications were assessed

Free School meals in lock down

When schools closed during the 2020 lockdown, children on free school meals were deprived of this provision. This naturally put an added financial burden on the poorest families. Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford, whose mother had struggled to provide for him as a child, empathised with their pligh

 why were they successful ?

Rashford determined to use his celebrity status to take action on behalf of these families. He worked closely with the charity FareShare to provide free meals and used his Twitter account to advertise businesses that were offering free meals. This generated considerable favourable publicity, which Rashford followed with an e-petition, ‘End child food poverty – no child should be going hungry’, signed by 1.1 million people. Pictures of Rashford with his mother sorting food parcels generated further positive coverage. As Rashford’s campaign gathered momentum, a growing number of Conservative MPs were also becoming highly critical of the prime minister. Consequently, in a series of climb-downs, the government announced that it would provide a £120 million ‘Covid summer food fund’ and a £170 million ‘Covid winter grant scheme’ for vulnerable families

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Against Borders for Children complaint to ICO

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Liberty v Director of Legal Aid Casework

When Liberty client Sarah Ward was refused legal aid to bring a case against a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in Poole, Liberty challenged the Legal Aid Agency’s decision.

Sarah Ward v Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole

Liberty acted as lawyers for Sarah Ward in the first challenge against a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) that effectively criminalise homlessness.

Right to rent scheme

Liberty intervened in the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants’ (JCWI’s) challenge to the right to rent scheme both in the High Court and later in the Court of Appeal.

Data Protection Act “immigration exemption”

Liberty intervened in the challenge to the “immigration exemption” in the Data Protection Act brough by Open Rights Group and the 3 million.

Liberty and Southall Black Sisters’ Super-Complaint on data-sharing between the police and Home Office regarding victims and witnesses to crime

In 2018, Liberty and Southall Black Sisters (SBS) launched the first ever police Super-Complaint – a new scheme which allowed designated bodies to raise issues on behalf of the public about harmful and systemic practices by the police.

After Edward Snowden revealed in 2013 that the UK Government was spying on ordinary people not suspected of wrongdoing, Liberty and nine other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) challenged the surveillance regime in the Investigatory Powers Tribunal. The Grand Chamber ruled in May 2021 in our favour. Like the previous court, the Grand Chamber ruled that the surveillance regime had insufficient safeguards. However, it also ruled that bulk interception should in principle be allowed.

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Civil Liberties in Recent Years

Recently, there has been a growth of a human rights ‘culture’ amongst judges, perhaps as a result of measures such as the HRA. Judges increasingly see themselves as the protectors of human rights and are increasingly willing to challenge ministers. This is often a response to the perceived trend of governments to expand their own powers at the expense of rights/liberties. Examples are below.

Civil liberties under Labour: _(adapted from politics.co.uk) _The Labour government elected in 1997 was frequently accused of running a “nanny state”, but by the time of the 2010 general election, criticisms had increased to more serious accusations of excessive state interference and state control, infringements of civil liberties and a gradual erosion of the rights of the individual. One of the main concerns was the enormous number of new criminal offences brought in by Labour. Between 1997 and 2009, 4,289 new criminal offences were created, approximately one for every day the party was in power; and the number continued to increase, rising from 27 new offences a month under Tony Blair, to 33 a month under Gordon Brown.

Further concerns about infringement of civil liberties were raised by the passing of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), dubbed the ‘snoopers’ charter’. The Act creates a regulatory framework to govern the way public bodies, such as the police and security and intelligence services, use covert techniques when investigating terrorist threats and other serious crimes, the purpose being to ensure investigatory powers are used in accordance with human rights.

There were numerous other measures introduced by Labour, claimed as necessary to fight the so-called “war on terror”, which was seen as perhaps the most serious threat to civil liberties. Tony Blair suffered his first defeat as prime minister in 2005 when MPs rejected his call for the pre-charge detention limit for terror suspects to be increased from 14 to 90 days. The move had attracted warnings of a possible infringement of habeas corpus. MPs later agreed on an increased time limit of 28 days. A further attempt in 2008 under Gordon Brown’s leadership to increase the time limit to 42 days was thrown out by the Lords.

The introduction of ID cards together with an accompanying national identity register was widely opposed, as was the increased retention of data on the DNA national database, particularly the decision to store the DNA of large numbers of innocent people. Excessive use of stop and search powers also caused concern. Any police force authorised by the Home Secretary could randomly stop and search any person or vehicle on suspicion of terrorism under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Civil liberties under the Coalition: _(adapted from politics.co.uk) _The Coalition came to power promising to restore the rights of individuals. The use of Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 which allowed police to carry out random stop and search acts - and which had been ruled unlawful by the European Court of Human Rights in January 2010 - was repealed by the Coalition and replaced with a more limited power under the Protection of Freedoms Act introduced in 2012. Other measures in the Act include reducing the pre-charge detention of terrorist suspects to a maximum of 14 days; requiring schools to obtain parental permission before taking fingerprints of children; and ending the storage of DNA of innocent people.

However, not all civil liberties concerns have been addressed by the Coalition and the spectre of another ‘snoopers’ charter’ has raised its head in the form of the Draft Communications Data Bill published in June 2012. The Bill proposes to allow security services access to all communications data – i.e. records of all emails, texts and phone calls – and for communications service providers (CSPs) to collect the data which will be stored for 12 months.

The right to protest and the policing of protests is another issue which constantly raises questions about infringements of civil liberties, one current bone of contention being so-called ‘kettling’ where demonstrators are contained within a particular area by the police. The Ministry of Justice has also had to defend cuts to legal aid, included in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act passed in May 2012, a move which has provoked outrage from civil liberties campaigners, disability groups, the legal profession and others. Liberty warned that publicly funded legal advice and representation “will be put beyond the reach of vast swathes of the British population” and the Labour peer, Lord Bach, led a Lords rebellion against the cuts.

Conflicting Views of Civil Liberties

There are competing ideas as to which rights should be protected, and about civil liberties generally. One view, which tends to be upheld by judges, civil rights campaigners and Liberal Democrats, can be seen as:

• Civil liberties should not be weakened or ignored under any circumstance
• They are fundamental and inalienable
• They serve as the basis for democracy
• They are vital to protecting people from government
• The focus here is on individual rights

However, others, for example, government ministers and many Conservatives, take a different view of civil liberties:

• Rights are relative
• The rights of an individual must be set against the rights of others
• Civil liberties go alongside civil responsibilities and duties- the duty to pay tax, to vote, to act responsibly
• Some rights may be more important than others
• It is up to elected Parliament to decide on rights issues

Liberty is also known as the National Council for Civil Liberties and was founded in 1934. Their aim is to uphold fundamental rights and freedoms in the UK, believing that the values of individual human dignity, equal treatment and fairness are the foundations of a democratic society.

Liberty ‘promote(s) the values of equality, dignity, fairness and accountability in all that we do’ according to its own website, and is free from government involvement. Liberty campaigns to protect basic rights and freedoms through the courts, in Parliament and in the wider community, through a combination of public campaigning (for example in favour of maintaining the HRA and against the so-called ‘snooper’s charter’), test case litigation (for example acting as solicitors for those bringing a case), parliamentary work (for example meeting MPs to discuss issues and providing committees with evidence), policy analysis and the provision of free advice and information to citizens concerning human rights.

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Pressure group success - the CBI

28th April 2023

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The ongoing turmoil at the key business group is a good case study in PG success

After former leader Tony Danker was sacked as the boss of the Confederation of British Industry, things are now seen as so bad that current boss, Rain Newton-Smith, is looking to rename the body. This is according to a report in today's Guardian .

A quick recap on PG success, by the way...

How do some pressure groups achieve success?

• It is worth defining ‘success’. This would mean the prevention of unfriendly legislation, the passage of friendly legislation, amendments to legislation, or raising public and political awareness of an issue. In the case of the train staff, it is improving pay and conditions - i.e. a salary increase that mitigates the effects of inflation and/or limiting layoffs by the train companies.
• Achieving insider status (see above for methods) can promote success. Farming and environment groups in the UK are good examples.
• A factor in success is finance. Wealthy groups, such as those representing industries or the professions such as the British Medical Association can afford to mount major campaigns, undertake research and access the media to campaign.
• Good organisation can promote success. Organising major demonstrations is impressive and can influence both public and political opinion. Thus the Countryside Alliance put rural affairs on the political map in 2003 by putting 300,000 demonstrators on the streets of London. The use of the Internet and mobile phones mean pgs can organise demonstrations quickly and effectively – as the anti-fuel tax lobby has discovered.
• Good use of the media is a useful tool. Joanna Lumley and the Ghurkha Justice Campaign is an oft quoted example.
• Related to a nu prof these points is god leadership.
• Sometimes a group may be ideologically in tune with the party in government. Thus rights groups such as Liberty will prosper when the government has a liberal flavour - relatively more successful when New Labour was in power than after.

So if we look at point four, underneath he penumbra of "organisation" we can also consider the importance of good leadership. A successful PG leader should be able to exploit the reputation of an established group and successfully lobby through political channels in Whitehall within the central executive territory. Clearly, the CBI's reputation is in tatters, with many businesses terminating their association (see video below), and surely, therefore, its political clout has been severely diminished?

• Pressure Groups

Mike McCartney

Mike is an experienced A-Level Politics teacher, author and examiner.

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1 Pressure groups and other influences

How different pressure groups exert influence and how their methods and influence vary in

contemporary politics.

 Case studies of two different pressure groups highlighting examples of how their methods and

influence vary.

 Other collective organisations and groups including think tanks, Pressure groups and other

collective organisations in UK political life

 Consider how groups engage in politics and their access points.

1 Rights in context

 Major milestones in their development, including the significance of Magna Carta and more recent developments, including the Human Rights Act 1998 and Equality Act 2010.

 Debates on the extent, limits and tensions within the UK’s rights-based culture, including

consideration of how individual and collective right may conflict, the contributions from civil liberty pressure groups – including the work of two contemporary civil liberty pressure groups.

NOTE ABOVE- IT IS CRUCIAL YOU HAVE YOUR CASE STUDIES COMPLETE

Possible questions:

 2 (a) Evaluate the view that think-tanks, lobbyists and pressure groups have little

Impact on government decisions.,  you must consider this view and the alternative to this view in a balanced way..

 AND EITHER 2 (a) Evaluate the view that the actions of pressure groups have been more significant than government legislation in defending and promoting rights in the UK. You must consider this view and the alternative to this view in a balanced way. (30)

 Evaluate the factors that affect pressure group success in the UK. (30)

 2 (a) evaluate the view that citizens can no longer feel confident that their rights in, the uk are secure and established. you must consider this view and the alternative, to this view in a balanced way. (30),  1 (a) using the source, evaluate the view that pressure group activity supports, democracy and participation.,  evaluate the view that pressure groups have been effective in upholding human, rights in the uk.

2 Established political parties

 The origins and historical development of the Conservative Party, the Labour Party and Liberal Democrat Party, and how this has shaped their ideas and current policies on the economy, law and order, welfare and foreign policy. A brief synopsis of each of the three political parties and the tendencies/factions which exist within them.  For the Conservative Party this includes the One Nation faction and the New Right (Thatcherism), the change from Cameron to May.  For the Labour Party this includes Old Labour, Social Democracy, the Third Way, Corbyn’s leadership and Momentum.  For the Liberal Democratic Party this includes the Social Liberals and the Orange Book Liberals, the switch from Clegg to Farron.  An overview of their key ideas and how these match up with the polices they have/are developing and their stance taken at the most recent election. 2 Emerging and minor UK political parties  The importance of other parties in the UK.  The ideas and policies of two other minor parties. Examining the share of the vote achieved and impact minor parties over recent decades on UK politics.

 This covers share of the vote at regional and national level and the wider choice which exists now for voters compared with the choice on offer in the past - this brings associated problems with the

current first-past-thepost electoral system.

 The influence other parties have had on the polices adopted by the Governments and the major

parties. This will include the impact of UKIP on the three major parties and the recent EU referendum.

 This element covers the political parties in the devolved regions such as Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party – it also covers UK minor parties such as the Greens and UKIP.

 Knowledge ‘in depth’ is required on two minor parties only and these choices are at the discretion of the teacher and may vary over time.

2 UK political parties in context The development of a multiparty system and its implications for government.

 Various factors that affect party success – explanations for why political parties have succeeded or failed, including debates on the influence of the media.

 Consider if there is a mould in UK politics which other minor or third parties cannot break – and understand some of the reasons which are behind this such as electoral systems, finance tradition etc.  The continued success since 1945 of Labour and the Conservative party and the barriers which face

other parties to secure electoral victory.  Appreciate how the UK’s political party system can be classified by reference to several models, all

of which could apply.  One party dominant – indicative of long spells in office for both Labour and the Conservative

parties.  Two party model - application with revolving governmental roles with Labour and the

Conservatives.  The two and half party model - showing the importance of the Liberal Democrats including the

impact of their time in coalition on their popularity.

 First-past-the-post (FPTP), Additional Member System (AMS), Single Transferable Vote (STV) Supplementary Vote (SV).

 The advantages and disadvantages of these different systems.  Comparison of first-past-the-post (FPTP) to a different electoral system to a devolved

parliament/assembly 3 Electoral system analysis

 Debates on why different electoral systems are used in the UK. The impact of the electoral system on the government or type of government appointed.

 The impact of different systems on party representation and of electoral systems on voter choice.

Possible questions

Using the source, evaluate the view that proportional representation would improve, elections to the house of commons (30), or (b) evaluate the view that the various electoral systems in use in the uk make, significant differences to party representation. you must consider this view and the, alternative to this view in a balanced way. (30), evaluate the extent to which the use of alternative electoral systems has improved, democracy in the uk (30), evaluate the extent to which the first-past-the-post electoral system promotes strong and, stable government. (30), evaluate the view that the emergence of multiple parties in the uk means that the, westminster electoral system must be changed., you must consider this view and the alternative to this view in a balanced way..

Voting behaviour and the media

• 4 The influence of the media

The assessment of the role and impact of the media on politics – both during and between key general elections, including the importance and relevance of opinion polls, media bias and persuasion. The difference the media can make in supporting political success and undermining political confidence. The media during elections and the issue of bias andpersuasion for the electorate. The importance and reliability of opinion polls both during andbetween elections.  The debate as to whether the media creates and shapes political opinions or whether it simply reflects and replicates the prevailing contemporary political views.

Possible questions Evaluate the view that the influence of the media in politics is exaggerated; it is not heavily biased and has little power of persuasion. You must consider this view and the alternative to this view in a balanced way. (30)

Using the source, evaluate the view that opinion polls bring more

Than disadvantages to elections and referendums., constitution.

The exclusive powers of the House of Commons  The right to insist on legislation  The powers of ‘confidence and supply’  The Salisbury Convention The Commons has exclusive powers as outlined in the specification and also the legitimacy of being directly elected and providing the Prime Minister and the bulk of other ministers.  The Lords is insulated from government opinion and the government does not command a majority. They also possess greater expertise and time to scrutinise laws in close detail.

• 2 The legislative process The different stages a bill must go through to become law.  The interaction between the Commons and the Lords during the legislative process, including the Salisbury Convention. Stages of a bill In each house:  First reading – formal presentation to the House.  Second reading – voting on the principle of the bill.  Committee stage – detailed scrutiny of the bill.  Report stage – consideration of amendments.  Third reading – final vote on the bill. Followed by interaction between houses (as below) and then:  Royal assent – formal approval of the bill by the monarch. Interaction between the Commons and Lords  Lords can propose amendments for consideration by Commons.  Commons can accede, or insist.  Lords can then accept the Commons will, or insist.  Lords will generally accede eventually, but can delay bills by up to a year.  Salisbury convention exemplified in glossary.
• 2 The ways in which Parliament interacts with the Executive The role and significance of backbenchers in both Houses, including the importance of parliamentary privilege.  The work of select committees.  The role and significance of the opposition.  The purpose and nature of ministerial question time, including Prime Minister’s Questions. Scrutiny – government whips limit role of their backbenchers, whilst opposition face inbuilt majority.  Debate – limited time and no direct impact on legislation.  Representation – lack of representation of women and minorities, inability to represent all views. Role and powers of select committees  Scrutiny of the work of specific departments.  Power to investigate issues, summon witnesses, and issue reports.  Government majority on all commitments, but chairs elected by Parliament as a whole. Questions as to significance of opposition  No ability to initiate legislation.  Inbuilt government majority.  Lack of resources relative to government.  Relatively weak, having lost the election.

Evaluate the extent to which the executive has become less powerful in relation to Parliament.

In your answer you should draw on relevant knowledge and understanding of the study of Component 1: UK Politics and Core Political Ideas and consider this view and the alternative to this view in a balanced way. (30)

Evaluate the extent to which the executive can control the UK Parliament.

Evaluate the extent to which Parliament is able effectively to call government to account.

Using the source, evaluate the view that parliament is effective in carrying out its work of scrutinising the Government. (30)

Using the source, evaluate the view that the principal role of backbench MPs is now to hold the government to account. In your response you must: · compare and contrast different opinions in the source · examine and debate these views in a balanced way · analyse and evaluate only the information presented in the source. (30)

Evaluate the extent to which the UK government’s control over Parliament has reduced in

Recent years..

Using the source, evaluate the view that the roles and membership of the House of Lords require reform. (30 marks)

Evaluate the view that although the House of Lords has less power than the House of Commons, in practice it exerts more influence on government decisions. (30 marks)

3 Prime Minister and Executive 3 The structure, role and powers of the Executive  Its structure, including Prime Minister, the Cabinet, junior ministers and government departments.  Its main roles, including proposing legislation, proposing a budget, and making policy decisions within laws and budget.  The main powers of the Executive, including Royal Prerogative powers, initiation of legislation and secondary legislative power 3 The concept of ministerial responsibility The concept of individual ministerial responsibility. The concept of collective ministerial responsibility

• Multiple Choice

Subject : Politics

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