The Rise and Fall of the EDL - Pressure Groups in Context

Mike Simpson (Bradford Grammar School) examines pressure group influence in the UK in the context of the rise and fall of the EDL.A printable version of this article appears in the latest edition of FPTP - tutor2u's digital magazine for AS & A2 Politics students.

The EDL have grabbed the headlines for their public demonstrations against the “islamification of the UK.” Marches in areas with a significant proportion of ethnic minorities have been heavily policed with counter demonstrations from Unite Against Fascism. Arrests and public disorder have accompanied these protests. This article will not examine the aims of the EDL but rather focus on the insights their brief moment in the spotlight provides with regard to the effectiveness of pressure groups.

Given the concentration of power with the executive under the UK’s system of government, it is frequently stated that insider status is the Holy Grail of pressure group activity. Insider status with the government can mean that a pressure group can have access and influence to policy making from an early stage. Indeed, such groups need not resort to public demonstrations which could be regarded as a sign of failure. This illustrates two key points with regard to the EDL and the factors which determine pressure group effectiveness.

• 1.The EDL was always an outsider group and as such was almost inevitably doomed to fail.
• 2.Pressure group effectiveness is largely determined by their ability to gain insider status.

The resignation of the leader of the EDL, Tommy Robinson, might be regarded as something of a hammer blow to the organisation. When questioned in the national media such as Newsnight and the Politics Show, Robinson was able to articulate in a reasonable manner the aims of the group[1]. His resignation highlights how a good leader contributes to pressure group success.

Robinson cited the threat of a neo-Nazi takeover of the EDL as one of the reasons why he was leaving to work with Quilliam[2]. The fact that the EDL were perceived to be extremists who were prepared to break the law meant that they lacked credibility and their aim was too radical for them to be granted insider status. This illustrates how the aim and methods of an organisation can influence their effectiveness. Interestingly, Robinson has stated “The only way to succeed is to have reformists, moderate Islamic voices with you.” Robinson then still intends to campaign for the same goal albeit with different methods (and presumably, a different organisation).

Pressure groups that have close links to political parties can exercise more political influence and when that party is in power, they can assume insider status. The fact of the matter was that the EDL was too extreme to gain recognition from any party and so they lacked political leverage. They had no links to a mainstream political party and were not involved in fund raising or the organisation of a party as the unions are with Labour.

Indeed such was the hostility to their cause and methods, that it evoked as much opposition as it did support which in effect cancelled out all their efforts. The scale of opposition to a group’s objectives is linked to their aim. Greenpeace face less opposition (from the public at least if not governments and business) than groups such as the EDL. This also explains the EDL’s failure to have an impact.

Whilst the EDL were able to arrange significantly sized marches, they did little more. They lacked economic leverage in that they had no powers to wield such as trade unions have with regard to strike action. The recent strikes by firemen arranged by the FBU in effect give them clout as they fulfil a vital public service and hence they have more prospect of success. Similarly teacher strikes can have a similar dramatic impact although the government seems determined to resist their claims. Still they are more powerful due to this ability to implement economic sanctions.

Without Robinson as their leader it does seem the EDL will fade from view and can generally be regarded as an unsuccessful pressure group for the reasons discussed above.

Questions.

• 1.)Why is Insider Status regarded as the Holy Grail of pressure group activity?
• 2.)Which pressure groups could be regarded as insiders with the present government and why?
• 3.)Can the UK be regarded as having an elitist form of government?

[1] See BBC I player clips of his interviews on TV and radio and make your own judgement.

[2] An anti-extremist think tank