Advantages of influences on law making

Government Policy

Government policy enables reforms to be introduced efficiently. This is because a government majority means most of the laws it intends to pass (set out in the party manifesto) will likely be passed. An example of this is the Human Rights Act 1998 which fulfilled a part of the labour manifesto by incorporating the European convention of human rights into UK law. However, minority/coalition governments can lead to compromises being made or a failure to fulfill their manifesto.

Media

The media helps ensure that the law reflects the views and needs of society. When majority of the public share an issue on an area or point of law, the government can respond and act quickly. An example of this is the Voyeurism Act 2019 which made upskirting a specific offence as a result of a high profile case that caused public outrage. However, the media can be accused of manipulating news and creating public opinions - so called ‘moral panics’.

Pressure groups

Pressure groups and lobbyists allow a wider range of people to participate in the law making process. This means that important issues can be raised to the attention of Parliament. An example of this is when Stonewall campaigned for the repeal of s.28 Local Government Act 1998 which previously banned the representation of LGBTQ couples in schools, their campaign was successful. However, it can be said that pressure groups impose their ideas on the majority - leading to accusations of using corrupt methods like the ‘cash for questions’ scandal.

Law Commission

The Law Commission can provide Parliament with specialist knowledge and expertise when considering law reform. This is evident as the Law Commission is made up of legal experts. Also, there have been whole areas of reform - an example of this is the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 which got rid of the defence for provocation of murder and replaced it with the defence of Loss of control. However, some reforms will never be passed due to the lack of political will.