Identify and explain two types of pressure groups. Illustrate your answer with examples

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Identify and explain two types of pressure groups. Illustrate your answer with examples.

A pressure group can be defined as a group of like-minded people who are organized with a view to influencing the formulation of government policy. Unlike political parties, they do not put forward candidates for election to government office and so they do not seek to become government, only to influence the outcome of government decisions. The two types of pressure groups I am going to discuss are Insider groups and Outsider groups.

Insider Groups have strong links with decision-makers and are regularly consulted. This may be because these groups are acceptable to the government or helpful or the consultation process. The fact that insider groups are part of the consultation process enables them to use direct methods in order to exert influence. Insider groups can be divided into High Profile Groups and Low Profile Groups. An example of an insider group under Margaret Thatcher was the Institute of Directors. Insider groups tend to very powerful and long-term. Another example is the Prisoners group. Public sector groups such as the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance are part of the government process and so must