UK Government gateway: http://www.open.gov.uk
This is an important access point to UK government websites. Links are provided to many local and national government sites.

Institute of Economic Affairs: http://www.iea.org.uk/
The IEA aim is to explain free-market ideas to the public, including politicians, students, journalists, businessmen, academics and anyone interested in public policy.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies: http://www.ifs.org.uk
IFS is an independent research organisation which aims to provide high quality economic analysis of public policy. The IFS home page provides links to analysis of topical economic issues, government budgets, IFS surveys and other online economics and social sciences resources

UK Statistics Authority: http://www.statistics.gov.uk
A useful website to be used as a reference for economic statistics.

HM Treasury: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/
The Treasury is responsible for formulating and implementing the UK government's financial and economic policy. Its aim is to raise the rate of sustainable growth, and achieve rising prosperity and a better quality of life with economic and employment opportunities for all. The HM Treasury website contains the full-text of HM Treasury publications, including press releases, ministers' speeches, and minutes of the Chancellor's monthly monetary meetings.

Business Cycle Indicators: http://www.tcb-indicators.org/
The Conference Board is a not-for-profit, non-advocacy organization business research and membership organization with 2,800 companies and other enterprises in 63 counties. It provides timely research on management practices and economic trends and is a frequently quoted private source of business information.

Confederation of British Industry: http://www.cbi.org.uk
The CBI represents companies from all sectors of UK business and is the premier organisation speaking for companies in the UK. Its website provides details of CBI surveys and discussion of topical economic issues.

Centre for Economic Performance: http://cep.lse.ac.uk
The CEP was established by the Economic and Social Research Council. Based at the London School of Economics and Political Science, it is now one of the leading academic research centres in Europe and a world leader in economic research. Its website provides discussion on causes of countries' and firms economic performance.

British Chambers of Commerce: http://www.britishchambers.org.uk/
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is the national body for a powerful and influential Network of Accredited Chambers of Commerce across the UK; Every Chamber sits at the heart of its local business community providing representation, services, information and guidance to its members.

Federation of Small Businesses: http://www.fsb.org.uk
With over 215,000 members, employing more than 1.3 million people and a combined turnover of £10billion, the FSB is a voice of self-employed and small and medium-sized businesses in the UK.

UK political parties:
Websites of the main UK political parties can be found at the following addresses:

Labour: http://www.labour.org.uk
Conservative: http://www.conservative-party.org.uk
Liberal Democrat: http://www.libdems.org.uk

European Union: http://europa.eu/
A useful entry point for information about the European Union. Provides information on the Parliament, the Council, the Commission, the Court of Justice, the Court of Auditors and other bodies of the European Union.

Fact Sheets on the European Union: http://www.europarl.eu.int/factsheets/default_en.htm
A comprehensive guide to how the European Community works, The Single Market, Common policies, Economic and monetary union and EU external relations.

EUsceptic.org: http://www.euro-sceptic.org/
A web site providing links to various organisations sceptical of the European Union.

International Monetary Fund: http://www.imf.org/external/index.htm
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) comprises 185 member countries pledged to co-operate to promote exchange stability and maintain a productive world economic environment. The website contains general information about the organization, working papers, and press releases. Information is available by country or region.

The Future Foundation: www.futurefoundation.net
A research organization that produces reports on the likely future shape of the consumption environment facing businesses, including the effects of social and demographic change. Many reports or abstracts are freely available.

Oxford Institute of Ageing: http://www.ageing.ox.ac.uk
This site provides some interesting insights into the changing consumption patterns of elderly people.

Pressure groups’ websites:
The following are examples of pressure groups within the marketing environment:

‘Which’ Consumers Association: www.which.co.uk
A not for profit organisation that has represented consumers on a number of issues.

Greenpeace: http://greenpeace.org
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment.

Friends of the Earth, UK: http://www.foe.co.uk
Friends of the Earth campaigns for solutions to environmental problems.