why have pressure groups become more important in recent years

In the modern age, politics has become increasingly a single issue consensus. All parties now believe in similar issues  like the environment , NHS and market economy. Hence pressure groups can lobby about such issues and attract a wide range of people. This means that people can express the stragnht of oppsitions to a particular issue. They can also allow people to show opposition for a particular issue while still pledging allegiance to the party that support the issue.More young people are intereted in single issue politics, and use pressure groups as an effective way of influencing people.

The shift of power to the EU has meant that more power is increasingly being transferred to Brussels. Hence pressure groups are increasingly turning to Brussels to campaign on issues.As issues tend to operate on a global level eg global warming , hence pressure groups can now effect decisions made on a global level.The rapid rise of multinational companies laso means these coporations have influence ona global level.Hence people need to campaign through pressure groups to influence them on key issues like child labour and free trade.

Membership of poltical parties is declining while that of pressure groups is rising. This is because pressure groups are increasingly being used to fill the gaps in the political society. They can be used to represent minorities' traditionally under represented in politics to help them gain more rights and a stronger voice in politics. They also cover a wide range of issues from ban of fox hunting to anti smoking, hence there is an issue out there to appeal to everyone, and allow people to participate in politics in a small a scale.