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Parliamentary Law Making - Coggle Diagram
Parliamentary Law Making
Influences
Political
Example The Hunting Act 2004 followed the promise by the Labour Party to outlaw fox hunting if elected.
Advantages Each political party has its proposals ready. A government majority means that most of the Bills it introduces will be passed.
When a general election is called, the political parties publish a manifesto, which amounts to a promise of new law that may be introduced once a party is elected.
Disadvantages While it is easy to make a promise, it is much more difficult when in power to fulfil that promise, particularly without an overall majority.
Public Opinion
Example Public opinion was mixed as to whether to leave the EU or not. In a national referendum in 2016, the majority of those who voted chose to leave the EU. This allowed Parliament to legislate in 2017, to allow this to happen.
Advantages Where the majority of the public has certain beliefs or demands, then Parliament can safely pass legislation on that issue.
These are the views of members of the general public in the UK. This is a very strong influence as the public can vote in political parties and therefore vote in laws through the creation of manifestos.
Disadvantages Gauging public opinion can be notoriously difficult. Realistically, no one can definitively say that the majority of the public believe one way or another in a specific issue.
Media
Media is where there is a strong public opinion about an issue. The government may give in in order to fulfil the public's wishes and dissolve the pressure inflicted on them. This typically takes place where there is a high profile case with added weight of a public opinion.
Example Danger Dogs Act 1991 - One instance of a dog seeming dangerous resulted in an act preventing people from owning dogs that were initially bred for fighting despite dogs being domesticated.
Advantage UK's free press is able to criticise government policy or bring widespread attention to current problems or issues through the use of public opinion. (Good way of having Government and public interaction)
Disadvantage Responding too quickly to high-profile incidents leads to poorly drafted law (Dangerous Dogs Act 1991). Media companies can also manipulate the news and create a false public opinion and shed the government in a negative light.
Pressure Groups
Example In 2007, laws against smoking in public places were introduced because of public and medical opinion.
Advantages Pressure groups often bring important scientific discoveries to the government's attention, e.g. the damage being done by the greenhouse gases and other pollutants.
Sectional Represent the interests of a particular group of people. Casual Promote a particular cause.
Disadvantage There are occasions when two pressure groups have conflicting interests, e.g. the League Against Cruel Spots wanted to ban fox hunting but the countryside alliance wanted it to continue.
Lobbyists/lobbying firms
These are usually professionals or organisations who try to persuade or influence governments to enact, amend or repeal legislation that affects them or their representative interests.
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Advantage Citizens or organisations can approach a lobbyist to represent and present their interests directly to government ministers or their departments, where lobbyists have political contact.
Disadvantage Lobbyists are expensive and may therefore only represent citizens or groups who can afford their services. Accusations of corruption ('cash for questions'.
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