British Parliament

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the workings of the British Parliament with particular focus on the role and influence that special interests and lobbyists have on that process. The paper explains that these groups have a great deal of influence on the legislation passed in the Parliament and that, often, special interest groups and lobbyists are the only ones that can affect the outcome of legislation. The paper further points out that access to Parliament is far from equal, which creates an advantage for some interests and a disadvantage for others.

From the Paper:

"It is often said that pressure groups, unlike parties, do not seek to govern. What does this actually mean? The usual interpretation is that pressure groups do not put forward candidates for parliamentary elections in a serious attempt to win seats and form a government. Although this is generally true, one should be aware that occasionally pressure groups do get involved in electoral politics. A number of them seek to influence the selection of candidates themselves within the parties in an attempt to ensure, for example, that they are pro-Europe, unilateralist, anti-abortion, pro-hunting, and so on. At election time some groups campaign on behalf of candidates supporting their aims. Others monitor the views of election candidates and circulate this information to members and in some cases to the wider public. There have been cases where pressure groups have put up their own candidates at elections. Also, pressure groups often seek to build close links both with prospective candidates and sitting Members of Parliament (MP) in an effort to create a significant bloc in Parliament. The trade unions, for instance, seek to achieve this through the sponsorship of candidates, while many industrial lobbies attempt to build bridges with MPs who have relevant consistency and financial interests."

More papers on British Parliament:

• Research Paper # 98573 : "British Parliament and a Written Constitution"
• Comparison Essay # 117294 : "British vs. American Government"
• Cause and Effect Essay # 128997 : "British Parliamentary Conspiracy between 1764 -1774"

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