Why is it sometimes difficult to distinguish between pressure groups and political parties?

Answer 1

Political parties and pressure groups both have similar aims, to get a policy or piece of legislation blocked or passed, however pressure groups can do this through protest and sometimes illegal methods, such as the student protests against tuition fees. Also parties seek governmental power, whereas pressure groups do not seek power, however some may put up candidates as independents such as Richard Thomas Taylor, who was MP for Kidderminster for 9 years after his campaign to save the A&E there, in addition some pressure groups may be converting themselves into Political Parties such as UKIP. Parties adopt policies across a full range of government responsibility; Pressure groups usually focus on single issues or a cluster of issues, on a narrow scale, although some pressure groups such as trade unions develop a wide range of policies. Parties have to be accountable for their policies, Pressure Groups don't pressure groups should be accountable to their members. Finally parties must behave in a reasonable way, some pressure groups may act illegally or promote civil disobedience, some pressure groups work so closely with parties and government It is difficult to distinguish between the two, a prime example is the NFU

Answer 2

Because both are formal organisations with specific goals, engages in campaigns to achieve them, often using similar methods and seeking to influence the political system; however there are crucial differences between them.