What is campaigning and lobbying?

The terms campaigning and lobbying are often used interchangeably, but it is worth considering the difference between the terms and thinking about whether one, or other, or both actions are likely to suit your purposes.

Lobbying is the practice of individuals and organisations trying to influence the opinion of political decision makers. It takes its name from the lobbies or hallways of Parliament where MPs and peers gather before and after debates in the Commons and Lords chambers. Traditionally, people wishing to influence the opinions of MPs or peers have frequented the lobbies seeking to persuade members of the validity of a particular viewpoint. However, nowadays the term lobbying is often used when referring more specifically to the work of private companies known as lobbyists, employed by organisations to represent their views to political decision makers. However, this work can also be undertaken by voluntary sector campaigns officers, public affairs officers or parliamentary officers in order to gain support for charity’s campaigning work and influence Parliamentary (or Assembly) decision making.

Campaigning, on the other hand, is the process of making and using organised, planned actions on specific issues with the aim of changing the policies of behaviours of groups and/or institutions. So, lobbying techniques might be used as part of the bigger process of campaigning.