Lobbying is the act of trying to persuade people or governments to make decisions or support something. Lobbying can be done by many sorts of people, alone or in groups. Often it is done by big businesses, political parties, social movements, or ethnic groups. It can also be done by politicians and by ordinary citizens. Lobbyists are people whose job it is to lobby for big businesses or political parties. The word lobbying comes from the lobby of the Palace of Westminster in London. The lobby is between the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and there people would try to meet politicians as they came in and went out.