Teaching Comparative

Whips in Parliament

So, this question showed up in my electronic mail box

What is a three line whip?


I could be silly and say that it's the name of a 1995 CD by British pianist Georgie Fame (a.k.a. Clive Powell), but I didn't know that until I looked it up.

As usual, there's a short answer and a long one.

The short answer is that a "three-line whip" is an order from a British Parliamentary party leader to MPs that they must show up and vote properly on a certain measure. No exceptions.

The name comes from the fact that the name of the measure is underlined three times on the document given or sent to the MPs. (The messages are probably faxed and e-mailed these days.)

The British Parliament web site summarizes the long answer this way:

"Whips are MPs or Lords appointed by each party in Parliament to help organise their party's contribution to parliamentary business. One of their responsibilities is making sure the maximum number of their party members vote, and vote the way their party wants...

"Every week, whips send out a circular (called 'The Whip') to their MPs or Lords detailing upcoming parliamentary business. Special attention is paid to divisions (where members vote on debates), which are ranked in order of importance by the number of times they are underlined. Important divisions are underlined three times - a 'three-line whip' - and normally apply to major events like the second readings of significant Bills.

"Three-line whips

"Defying a three-line whip is very serious, and has occasionally resulted in the whip being withdrawn from an MP or Lord. This means that the Member is effectively expelled from their party (but keeps their seat) and must sit as an independent until the whip is restored..."

If an MP has had the "whip withdrawn," it's likely that the local constituency party committee will withdraw its endorsement at the next election, and independents rarely get elected. A dissenting MP will also be very unlikely to get one of the many public jobs offered by the government or to ever have a place in the cabinet.

The most recent resistance to a three-line whip was in 2003, when 121 Labour MPs voted against Blair's proposed cooperation with the invasion of Iraq.

I can also add that a two-line whip demands attendance and a proper vote from an MP, but excuses for absences can be granted by party leaders (called whips) and penalties are unlikely for unexcused absences or votes against the party policy. A one-line whip allows a member to claim conscience or public opinion in a local constituency as legitimate reasons for voting against the party.

Former Chief Labour Whip and now Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith.

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N.B. #1: "The use of the word 'whip' within Parliament has its roots in the 18th century hunting terminology 'whipper-in'. It refers to a huntsman's assistant who drives straying hounds back to the main pack using a whip." -From the Parliament web site cited above

N.B. #2: The U.S. Senate web site offers this definition of Congressional whips: "whips - Assistants to the floor leaders who are also elected by their party conferences. The Majority and Minority Whips (and their assistants) are responsible for mobilizing votes within their parties on major issues. In the absence of a party floor leader, the whip often serves as acting floor leader."

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Labels: legislature, pedagogy, UK

posted by Ken Wedding @ 5:58 AM