PRESSURE GROUPS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

'Pressure groups in the United Kingdom' can be divided into two categories. "Cause groups", also known as "Promotional groups" lobby for a policy objective such as electoral reform or animal rights. The other type are "Sectional Groups", also know as "Interest Groups", which represent a section of society, such as teachers or farmers. Most sectional groups in the UK call themselves trade unions. Of these groups some, such as the Law Society, have formal consultative status within the higher echelons of the government may be referred to as "insider groups". Most do not have this status and may be referred to as "outsider groups".
Groups which are dedicated specifically to campaigning on political issues are generally excluded from charitable status and the tax advantages which go with it. However, some charities do campaign strongly on political issues associated with their area of interest, and this occasionally gives rise to controversy.
Pressure Groups are often attacked for impinging upon the course of democracy, as more wealthy pressure groups can enforce economic and political sanctions on the government if support is withdrawn.^[1]

Contents

Sectional

Cause

Political

Think tanks

Environmental

Food

Animal welfare and animal rights

Family life

Cultural

Women

Human Rights

Science

Business

Britain and Europe

International Development

Religiously/Secularly based political

References

See also

Sectional

See: List of trade unions in the UK

Cause

Political

★ Article 19

★ Campaign Against Arms Trade

★ Campaign for Freedom of Information

★ Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

★ Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom

★ Celtic League

★ Charter88

★ Defy-ID

★ Electoral Reform Society

★ MigrationWatch UK

★ NO2ID

★ Society for Individual Freedom

Think tanks

★ Adam Smith Institute

★ Institute for Fiscal Studies

★ Economic and Social Research Council

★ Institute for Public Policy Research

★ Social Market Foundation

★ Institute of Economic Affairs

★ Fabian Society

★ CentreForum

★ Institute of Ideas

★ Civitas

★ Reform

★ Royal Institute for International Affairs

★ New Local Government Network

★ Centre for Policy Studies

Environmental

★ Campaign to Protect Rural England

★ Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales

★ Greenpeace

★ Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)

★ Friends of the Earth Scotland

★ Forum for the Future

★ Women's Environmental Network

★ Rowers against Thames Sewage (RATS)

★ Surfers against Sewage

★ Transport 2000 - anti-car group

★ Countryside Alliance

Food

★ Food Commission

★ Sustain the alliance for better food and farming

★ The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)

Animal welfare and animal rights

★ Advocates for Animals

★ Animal Aid

★ British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection

★ League Against Cruel Sports

★ Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

★ Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

★ Countryside Alliance

Family life

★ Fathers' rights movement in the UK

★
★ Families Need Fathers

★
★ Fathers 4 Justice

★
★ Fathers Direct

★ Society for the Protection of Unborn Children

★ Mothers Apart from Their Children

Cultural

★ Welsh Language Society

Women

★ The Fawcett Society

Human Rights

★ JUSTICE

★ Liberty

Science

★ Genewatch

★ Save British Science Society

Business

★ Corporate Watch

★ Mediawatch-uk

★ Confederation of British Industry

Britain and Europe

★ European Movement

★ Campaign for an Independent Britain (CIB)

★ Britain in Europe - cease to exist from August 2005

★ Scotland in Europe

International Development

★ World Development Movement

★ People & Planet

★ Oxfam

★ Christian Aid

Religiously/Secularly based political

★ Christian Institute

★ National Secular Society

References

1. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/bbc_parliament/2443603.stm

See also

★ Politics of the United Kingdom

★ UK topics