The Whips: A Glossary

Breaking down The Office.

One unexpected outcome of writing a fairly niche political book was that some friends and family defied their personal tastes or interests by reading the damn thing.

I know for a fact that many of those close to me wouldn’t have purchased an unauthorised biography of John Bercow but for me writing it. That they made the effort meant a lot while also being mildly terrifying.

I confess that my heart sank whenever the message—‘Just about to start your book!’—came through from someone I knew was actively disinterested in politics. Let’s just say I’m still waiting for some people’s feedback. ‘Can’t stand that man!’ one family friend said of Bercow after giving up midway through.

Though these books target a specific audience, I’ve taken on these lessons for The Usual Channels, which I think is more accessible and has a broader interest.

Still, the whips’ office is full of insidery detail, obscure job titles and long-standing rituals. As such, about a year ago, I put together a light-hearted glossary of places and terminology used throughout the book. We no longer have enough space for it, so I thought I’d share it here to ensure you’re all up to speed (there will be a test! :)).

Some of it won’t mean much, but don’t worry; I explain what whips do, where they work, and why they exist early in the book. The glossary is not exhaustive or detailed for the geeks among you who know about this stuff, but it gives an overview.

I’ll post this in a separate article closer to publication, but for now, here is a rough guide to the world of whips in Westminster……..

THE WHIPS’ OFFICE

The Usual Channels: A catchall term for the working relationships/forum through which whips/other senior folk from rival parties negotiate, also used as a euphemism for the…

Principal Private Secretary to the Government Chief Whip: A very important (but not well-known to the outside world) civil servant who acts as an interlocutor between the whips’ offices of all sides. Fundamentally, a crucial person for the…

Government Chief Whip: Known as ‘Chief’, attends Cabinet and acts as a communication channel between MPs and the Prime Minister. A key parliamentary strategist, the Chief is in regular contact with their number two, also known as the…

Deputy Chief Whip: Referred to as ‘Deputy’, leads the daily whips’ meeting, handles discipline, and oversees the running of The Office, including liaising with the…

Comptroller of the Household: The number three. Often in charge of pairing (explained further down) and the business on the floor of the Commons. A member of the Royal Household (which supports members of the Royal Family), the Comptroller attends Buckingham Palace Garden parties along with the Deputy and the…

Vice-Chamberlain of the Household: Writes a daily report on events in the Commons for the Monarch and is held hostage during the State Opening of Parliament (yes, you read all that right. Lots of fun stuff on this in the book!). One up from…

Lord Commissioner: A role held by several whips, who countersign enormous government cheques (again, lots more on this in the book!), which is about all that’s different from their lives as an…

Assistant Whip: The entry-level position in The Office. Along with every other whip, at their core, Assistant whips are a…

Member of Parliament: A person elected to represent a constituency at Westminster. In recent times, some MPs first worked in politics as…

Special Advisers: The Chief has two or three special advisers who manage everything from their boss’s time to spreadsheets of MPs’ voting intentions. Will also encourage whips to have a chat with their…

Flock: Each whip is responsible for a group of around 15-30 MPs, often but not exclusively assigned by region. There are some other roles in the office, including the…

Accommodation Whip: In charge of assigning offices, about as popular as the…

Pairing Whip: Approves, denies, and facilitates absences. Some offices also have a…

Social Whip: The most fun/youngest/least serious whip who organises drinking sessions activities to keep up morale.

THE WHIP

The Whip: Each Thursday afternoon, the whips’ office emails the upcoming business and expectations for attendance and voting to MPs. Votes are underlined once, twice, or three times, meaning…

One-line whip: MPs are requested but not required to attend a vote (but must vote with the party line if they do *we’ve got our eyes on you*)…

Two-line whip: MPs should attend unless they have a good excuse explained to us beforehand. If you attend and don’t vote with the party line, we won’t be mad, we’ll just be disappointed (cough* some of us will be mad and have very long memories *cough)…

Three-line whip: Death may be permissible for failing to attend, but even then, it will be on a case-by-case basis. Rarely on three-line whips can you do…

Pairing: The practice of offsetting absentees with MPs from another party. A system vulnerable to chicanery and, on rare occasions, a source of controversy at a…

Division: Another term for voting, where MPs register their vote for or against a motion by entering one of two different division lobbies, Aye or No, or occasionally…

Abstaining: When MPs refuse to participate in a division or vote in both lobbies to cancel out their vote. Whips would prefer you abstain rather than defy their instruction by participating in a…

Rebellion: When MPs vote against the instruction issued by their party leader via the whips. The larger the rebellion, the greater the perceived indictment of the leader’s grip on the party. Theoretically, there’s no such thing as rebelling on a…

Free Vote: MPs can vote as they please without fear of retribution (promise…). Often reserved for matters of conscience, such as abortion, assisted dying, etc.

GENERAL POLITICS

Erskine May: The bible of Parliamentary procedure, Erskine May describes how procedures and conventions have evolved over centuries. Not to be confused with…

Hansard: The official daily report of proceedings in Parliament, including the…

House of Commons: The democratically elected House of Parliament, unlike the…

House of Lords: Also known as the Upper Chamber, comprised of peers appointed by the King on the advice of the Prime Minister. Parties in the Lords also have their own whips’ office. The party with the most peers is currently…

The Conservative Party: A party with malleable beliefs and a proclivity for rampant disagreements over Europe. Loves ruling almost as much as deposing its leaders. Pretty secretive about its whipping activities, though the same cannot be said of…

The Labour Party: A party with a penchant for factional infighting amid fleeting outbreaks of unity and discipline.

LET’S TALK WESTMINSTER

Members’ Lobby: A historic hallway to the Commons chamber. For our purposes, just off Members’ Lobby is where the government and opposition whips’ offices reside (government whips also have a gaff on Downing Street). Within striking distance of…

Central Lobby: A key parliamentary meeting place, the octagonal space is one of the most recognisable on the estate. One of the best known off the estate is…

Parliament Square: Home to protestors, tourists, and statues alike, Parliament Square is a focal point for national politics, as well as a literal square and driver’s worst nightmare in Westminster. Walk across Parliament Square, and you’ll soon find…

New Palace Yard: An entranceway to Parliament. The scene of events in this book, the Yard conceals an underground car park. New Palace Yard is by the north end of…

Westminster Hall: A place of historical and political significance, the medieval great hall is the oldest building on the parliamentary estate, while one of the newest is…

Portcullis House: ‘PCH’ is an office building and gossip hot spot in Westminster that opened in 2001. Politicians, parliamentary staff, aides, and journalists congregate daily in its atrium for coffee, snacks, and a natter. Way more interesting than…

Norman Shaw North: Grade I listed office building for MPs/staff, just like… Norman Shaw South. MPs will likely head for food at…

Members’ Dining Room: Eatery on the parliamentary estate for politicians. As is the…

Members’ Tearoom: Offering salads, sandwiches, snacks, and a limited hot lunch and dinner buffet. If MPs need refreshments, they have plenty of choices, starting with…

Strangers’ Bar: A favourite of Federation Ale-drinking Labour MPs once known as the Kremlin. Still around today, unlike…

Annie’s Bar: A notorious renowned former hangout for hacks and politicians, Annie’s was named after a long-dead barmaid who may have spent too much time in the...

Smoking Room: Now a more restrained tea, coffee, and bar lounge than its name suggests.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Mace: A silver gilt ornamental club occasionally wielded by attention-seeking MPs. The symbol of royal authority without whose presence neither the Commons nor Lords can meet or pass laws. It sits on the table in front of the Speaker’s chair, which is occupied by…

The Speaker of the Commons: Moderates debate, keeps in check frontbenchers and...

Backbenchers: MPs not on the government payroll who are free to say what they like—if they’re not fussed about a frontbench job, that is. Unlike…

Ministers: MPs on the government payroll who must submit to collective responsibility or vacate their position… none more so than…

Cabinet Ministers: The Prime Minister’s top team who try to get legislation in the…

King/Queen’s Speech: An integral part of the State Opening of Parliament, the sitting Monarch reads out the government’s legislative agenda for the upcoming session. Full of British pomp and ceremony, which contrasts with the work carried out in...

Select Committees: Comprised of MPs, select committees scrutinise the work of government departments. Not to be confused with the…

Committee of Selection: Nine MPs meet to nominate members to serve on general or select committees, including…

Public Bill Committees: Previously known as standing committees, these are set up to examine details of a particular bill, the passage of which is set out below.

PASSAGE OF A BILL

First Reading: A bill — let’s say, a bill to ennoble all journalists — is read out to the Commons. That’s it at this stage before...

Second Reading: A debate on the bill’s main principles—e.g. ennobling journalists. A government hasn’t suffered a defeat here since 1986. Assuming it passes, we move to…

Committee stage: Line-by-line consideration of the bill by a select group of MPs. Often dull, dreary and lasts for days, but no less important, especially to whips, who must ensure their MPs selected to attend do so and vote the right way (on constitutional issues such as the Maastricht Treaty, you can have a committee of the whole House, which takes place in the Commons). The government wants the legislation to come out as untouched as possible, or it heads to…

Report Stage: Taking place in the Commons (and the Lords), MPs discuss amendments (suggested changes to the legislation); in this case, for ennobling all journalists (e.g. an amendment to give us all pay raises, too?). Then comes the bill’s…

Third Reading: Another general discussion of the bill. May be followed by consideration of amendments by the House of Lords before, finally, it receives…

Royal Assent: The bill becomes an act after the Monarch crosses the i’s and dots the t’s. Lord Whale it is.