Pressure groups, petitions and campaigns

You do not have to be elected to influence decisions. Pressure groups and campaigns let citizens work together for change.

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Pressure groups

A pressure group is an organisation that tries to influence decisions and public opinion on an issue, without standing for election. That is the key difference from a political party.
Some focus on one issue; others cover a wide range. Trade unions represent workers' interests.
Pressure groups can give people a voice between elections, but some critics argue that well-funded groups can have more influence than others.

Methods

Common methods include:
lobbying: meeting or contacting MPs, councillors and officials;
petitions;
media and social media campaigns;
peaceful protests and marches;
legal action, challenging decisions in court;
and research to provide evidence.
Illegal or violent methods break the law and usually lose public support.

Parliament petitions

Anyone who is a British citizen or UK resident can start or sign a UK Parliament petition online.
At 10,000 signatures, the government responds.
At 100,000 signatures, the petition is considered for a debate in Parliament.
A debate does not guarantee a change in the law, but it puts the issue in front of MPs.
Worked example

A petition has 64,000 signatures. How many more does it need to be considered for a debate?

  1. The threshold for being considered for debate is 100,000.
  2. 100,000 minus 64,000 = 36,000.
  3. It has already passed 10,000, so the government will have responded.

Answer: 36,000 more signatures.

Key idea

Pressure groups try to influence decisions without standing for election. Methods include lobbying, petitions, media campaigns, peaceful protest and legal action. UK Parliament petitions get a government response at 10,000 signatures and are considered for debate at 100,000.

Key words
Lobbying
Contacting decision-makers, such as MPs, to try to influence their decisions.
Pressure group
An organisation that tries to influence decisions and public opinion without standing for election.
Political party
An organisation of people with shared views who try to win elections to put their ideas into action.
Citizen
A member of a country who has rights it protects and responsibilities in return.
Petition
A request for action signed by many people, sent to a decision-maker such as Parliament or a council.

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Extra practice

2 more questions

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  1. Which of these is a pressure group rather than a political party?

    1. Greenpeace
    2. The Labour Party
    3. The Conservative Party
    4. The Liberal Democrats
    Show the answer

    Answer: Greenpeace

    Pressure groups try to influence decisions but do not stand for election.

  2. A charity meets MPs to persuade them to change a law. What is this?

    1. Voting
    2. Devolution
    3. Lobbying
    4. Sentencing
    Show the answer

    Answer: Lobbying

    Lobbying means trying to persuade decision-makers directly.

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Sources and references

Checked by the GCSE-ready editorial team, 16 October 2026. Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.