The role of party whips

adapted from https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/introduction-uk-parliament/2/steps/161149

Whips are appointed by each party to help organise their party’s contribution to parliamentary business. They are perhaps best known for their role in making sure that party members vote in line with party policy.

In fact, the whips are required to be party messengers in both directions. They let their backbench MPs know when important debates and votes are taking place, making sure they are aware of the party line. But they are also relied upon by the party leadership to feed back to them the views of backbenchers, so that internal disagreements or party rebellions can be resolved or headed off.

The Whip

Every week, the whips’ offices send out a circular to their MPs detailing upcoming parliamentary business. This is known, simply, as ‘The Whip’. The document highlights any divisions (votes) that are expected to take place in the week ahead and indicates the more important items by underlining them more than once.

Three-line whips

The most important divisions are underlined three times - hence, a ‘three-line whip’. These might include votes at the crucial stages of a major Bill.

Defying a three-line whip is seen as a serious matter and has occasionally resulted in the whip being withdrawn from an MP. This means they are effectively expelled from their party (though they still keep their seat) and means they must sit as an independent until the whip is restored. Front benchers will normally be expected to resign from their role if they choose to defy a three-line whip.

At times an MP may have to choose between voting with their party or with their conscience; a conflict of loyalties may also arise if their own constituency could be adversely affected by their party’s policy.

Free (unwhipped) votes

At other times, MPs are asked to vote on issues that have an ethical or religious dimension – examples would include votes on abortion or on restoring the death penalty. By convention, party leaders have allowed their MPs a ‘free’ (unwhipped) vote on decisions that are seen as a ‘question of conscience’.

Government majorities and the whips

The job of the whips becomes especially important where a government has a small majority. This can make it far more possible for an important vote to be lost and both government and opposition whips are under great pressure to ensure their members vote. In the Commons, where ultimately, the survival of a Government rests upon their ability to show they have the confidence of the House, a defeat for the Government can have particular significance.