Parliamentary lobbying and public affairs

Course summary

Maybe it's true that 'democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others', but it's worth being sure you know how ours works. Despite modernisation, Westminster and Whitehall can feel confusing and inaccessible to the uninitiated. This course guides you through government systems and helps you prepare the route for your future campaigns, so that you can get the best possible outcome for your members.


Course outline

Over the day you will cover:

• early involvement - participating in policy development
• ethical lobbying
• the legal framework for charities' lobbying
• developing a parliamentary strategy - objectives and evaluation
• understanding the Westminster and Whitehall agenda
• before Green Papers: early involvement and participating in policy development
• developing good relationships with MPs, Peers and civil servants
• demonstrating your credibility and reliability
• sustaining a presence and acting swiftly - implications for your organisation
• Parliament: opportunities and technicalities, ethos and protocols
• responses and briefings - writing styles and layout
• e-lobbying
• consortium working - pros and cons
• a different approach: opportunities in the devolved legislatures
• your own priorities - developing your campaign, raising your issues

Who is this course for?

The course is for those new to parliamentary or public affairs, or who wish to refresh and update their knowledge and skills in this area. It will help those who have to combine parliamentary activity with other work, particularly PR, to clarify and recognise the distinctive nature of work in the area of parliamentary and public affairs.



What will this course help me do: learning outcomes?

This course will help you prepare for future campaigns and give you further insight into the parliamentary system and the legal framework for charities' lobbying