Pressure groups in the United Kingdom

Pressure groups in the United Kingdom can be divided into two categories. Firstly there are "cause groups", which lobby for a policy objective such as electoral reform or animal rights, The other type are "sectional groups" which represent a section of society, like teachers or farmers. Most sectional groups in the UK call themselves trade unions. Of these groups some, such as the Law Society, have formal consultative status with the British government, and may be referred to as "insider groups". Most do not have this status and may be referred to as "outsider groups".

Groups which are dedicated specifically to campaigning on political issues are generally excluded from charitable status and the tax advantages which go with it. However, some charities do campaign strongly on political issues associated with their area of interest, and this occasionally gives rise to controversy.

Sectional

See: List of trade unions in the UK

Cause

Political

*Article 19
*Campaign Against Arms Trade
*Campaign for Freedom of Information
*Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
*Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom
*Celtic League
*Charter88
*Countryside Alliance
*Defy-ID
*Electoral Reform Society
*NO2ID
*Society for Individual Freedom

Think tanks

*Demos
*Adam Smith Institute
*Institute for Fiscal Studies
*Economic and Social Research Council
*Institute for Public Policy Research
*Social Market Foundation
*Institute of Economic Affairs
*Fabian Society
*CentreForum
*Institute of Ideas
*Civitas
* Reform
*Royal Institute for International Affairs
*New Local Government Network
*Centre for Policy Studies

Environmental

*Greenpeace
*Friends of the Earth
*Forum for the Future
*Women's Environmental Network
*Surfers against Sewage
*Transport 2000 - anti-car group

Food

*Food Commission
*Sustain the alliance for better food and farming
*The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)

Animal welfare and animal rights

*British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
*League Against Cruel Sports
*RSPCA
*Animal Aid

Family life

*Fathers' rights movement in the UK
**Families Need Fathers
**Fathers 4 Justice
**Fathers Direct
*Society for the Protection of Unborn Children
*Mothers Apart from Their Children

Cultural

*Welsh Language Society

Women

*The Fawcett Society

Human Rights

*Amnesty International
*JUSTICE
*Liberty

Science

*Genewatch
*Save British Science Society

Business

*Corporate Watch
*Media Watch UK

Britain and Europe

*European Movement
*Campaign for an Independent Britain (CIB)
*Britain in Europe - cease to exist from August 2005

International Development

*World Development Movement
*Fairtrade NUS Campaign
*People & Planet
*Oxfam
*Christian Aid

See also

*Politics of the United Kingdom
*UK topics