Definitions – Pressure Groups

Match the definitions to the key terms.

– Pluralism

– Sectional/interest groups

– Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards

– Sleaze

– Insider group

-Outsider group

– Promotional group

– Lobbyist

– Populist movement

1. Paid individuals who seek to influence MPs and Ministers to make particular decisions.  They put the point across themselves, but to achieve the outcome they wanted, they would pay the MP to organise meetings with ministers or to do work in Parliament for their client.
2. A system of government that allows and encourages public participation, particularly through the activities of pressure groups to influence government.
3. Scrutinises the conduct and interests of MPs and supervises the compilation and maintenance of the Register of Member’s interests.
4. Have strong links with decision makers and are regularly consulted.  This may be because these groups are acceptable to the government or helpful for the process.  They can use direct methods to gain influence.
5. Promote a particular cause.  (They are sometimes called ‘cause groups’.  They are not ‘self-interested’ as they try to promote a particular idea or cause to further the general good.
6. Act on the behalf of a particular part of society.  They are also known as interest groups because they protect the interests of a section of society.
7. This term describes behaviour that brings a political party, or the House of Commons into disrepute.
8. groups that are concerned with a single issue which has captured the minds of the public.
9. do not participate in the consultation process, either by choice, or because they are excluded by government.  They can only use indirect methods to attempt to change policy.