... functions" (Bill Jones (ed.) 2001, p144), and in a few very seldom circumstances we can vote on one key issue in a referendum. But these prove to be very indirect methods of the individual having any influence over national politics. That is why Interests groups become so important. They aim to bring forward key issues; they will often have no wish to be in government at all, but merely a pressure organisation that can advance a shared interest on parliament itself. There are two forms of interest groups in Britain: 'sectional' and 'cause' groups. Though both strive to pressurise the government into delivering the best interests to their cause, sectional groups will tend to deal with the economic interests of their members, this is usually in the form of trade unions who I will discuss in more detail later. Cause groups on the other hand "exist to promote an idea not ...

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