Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What is "the whip" in politics?

131 replies

Dilbertian · 26/10/2022 23:28

What does it mean? Also "three line whip" and "losing the whip", what do these mean?

OP posts:
the80sweregreat · 27/10/2022 10:20

I asked a question on here and had ' why don't you Google it ' answer 🙄
Mumsnetters explain things so much better and when it comes to politics they know their stuff!
It's been an eye opener for me and many people are turned off politics because they don't understand it enough ( me included )

cakeorwine · 27/10/2022 10:28

So Rishi voted for fracking and then banned fracking?

There is a good Yes Minister on 'Cracking the whip'

joffr · 27/10/2022 10:29

Ont now

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Politics
joffr · 27/10/2022 10:29

*I don't know why that sent

ooohaaaahjustalittlebit · 27/10/2022 10:36

elephantseal · 26/10/2022 23:36

If only Google existed ... 🙄

If only twats didn't exist

imsanehonest · 27/10/2022 10:36

senua · 27/10/2022 10:11

Any yes, being told how to vote by your superiors, and ostracised if you don't vote that way, is the very opposite of democracy. Shocking.
Not really. It is the equivalent of getting a job to be the manager of your local Sainsburys and then trying to fill your shelves with Tesco products. You would expect HQ to get a bit upset, wouldn't you?

But you wouldn't be ordered to vote a certain way on something to do with the running of the opposition, surely?

SalviaOfficinalis · 27/10/2022 10:43

I don’t think it’s that commonly known. I was very confused in my 20s in a new job (not in politics) when I was told a particular meeting was “a three line whip”.

The language of British politics is deliberately obscure and archaic to alienate those who haven’t grown up in the club.

senua · 27/10/2022 10:57

imsanehonest · 27/10/2022 10:36

But you wouldn't be ordered to vote a certain way on something to do with the running of the opposition, surely?

Show quote history

Sorry, don't understand.Confused

fortheloveofcheesecake · 27/10/2022 11:05

I'm one of those idiots (according to this thread) that got to adulthood not knowing exactly what the whip was. So thanks for this thread OP. I've googled before but the responses on here are much more succinct and easy to understand!

sashagabadon · 27/10/2022 11:14

You can only whip MP’s on your own side imsane. So Tory whips whip Tory MP’s and labour have their own whips too.
I am not sure how the Greens manage unless Caroline Lucas whips herself 🧐😁

senua · 27/10/2022 11:22

The language of British politics is deliberately obscure and archaic to alienate those who haven’t grown up in the club.
Says SalviaOfficinalis ... who has chosen a horticultural pseudonym that uses obscure and archaic language.Grin

I like some things to be archaic and slightly odd, it makes life interesting. Who wants bland drabness?
Wouldn't you expect our centuries-old Parliament to have a bit of history, character and seemingly-strange customs. As they say, those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

sashagabadon · 27/10/2022 11:25

Literally everything has”obscure” language but you can understand it if you try. Mumsnet is full of acronyms for a start.
snd yes to salvia officinialis 😁
horriculture is a very good example of obscure language

Blocked · 27/10/2022 11:26

Dilbertian · 27/10/2022 10:08

I think I got confused before because the whip means different related things. The Whip is a person but the three line whip is not a person. And losing the whip isn’t losing a person.

I had this vague idea that The Whip was a person who enforced some sort of party discipline, which in turn meant that a 'three line whip' must be three of these people in a row, herding MPs into the Chamber. By extension, it also meant that ' having the whip removed' was the whip person refusing to have anything to do with you. All a bit playground and unrelated to democratic behaviour. And did not seem to make any sense, either!

And TBH I did not want to Google any combination of MPs and whips Grin

In practice you were possibly not too far from the truth going by the carry on at the fracking vote last week Grin

CaveMum · 27/10/2022 11:28

If you want to learn about how US politics work then the best option, IMHO, is to watch The West Wing over and over again!

There are some good YouTube videos out there that help explain about British politics: UK Parliament has its own channel which mostly puts up PMQs and debates, but they do educational videos too.

An introduction to Parliament:

What is the House of Commons:

What is the House of Lords:

SalviaOfficinalis · 27/10/2022 11:41

senua · 27/10/2022 11:22

The language of British politics is deliberately obscure and archaic to alienate those who haven’t grown up in the club.
Says SalviaOfficinalis ... who has chosen a horticultural pseudonym that uses obscure and archaic language.Grin

I like some things to be archaic and slightly odd, it makes life interesting. Who wants bland drabness?
Wouldn't you expect our centuries-old Parliament to have a bit of history, character and seemingly-strange customs. As they say, those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

I do agree with you, I love a bit of archaic language personally, it does make things interesting.

But I also think that the mechanics of parliament should be clearer so that they can be widely understood by everyone. As they are making decisions that affect everyone.

MorrisZapp · 27/10/2022 11:55

My mum says 'this is a three line whip' when a family event requires mandatory attendance 😁

Pixiedust1234 · 27/10/2022 12:06

Dilbertian · 27/10/2022 10:08

I think I got confused before because the whip means different related things. The Whip is a person but the three line whip is not a person. And losing the whip isn’t losing a person.

I had this vague idea that The Whip was a person who enforced some sort of party discipline, which in turn meant that a 'three line whip' must be three of these people in a row, herding MPs into the Chamber. By extension, it also meant that ' having the whip removed' was the whip person refusing to have anything to do with you. All a bit playground and unrelated to democratic behaviour. And did not seem to make any sense, either!

And TBH I did not want to Google any combination of MPs and whips Grin

Oh dear god....I also imagined three people called whips rounding up MPs. Blush

Original poster
Dilbertian · 27/10/2022 12:10

I'm relieved that I'm not the only oneGrinGrin

OP posts:
cakeorwine · 27/10/2022 12:14

Oh dear god....I also imagined three people called whips rounding up MPs

I think that's almost what happened last week.

Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip

Jimmini · 27/10/2022 12:16

elephantseal · 26/10/2022 23:36

If only Google existed ... 🙄

I also wouldn’t want to Google “MP Whips” who knows what results would turn up

What is "the whip" in politics?
CaveMum · 27/10/2022 12:19

Jimmini · 27/10/2022 12:16

I also wouldn’t want to Google “MP Whips” who knows what results would turn up

Show quote history

😂good old Julian!

the80sweregreat · 27/10/2022 13:58

Whips is an unfortunate word to use really !

MissCrowley · 27/10/2022 14:26

Thanks for asking OP! I meant to Google this the other day and now I can read the comments on this thread instead :)
I think having the option to ask questions is fine. Yes of course there's Google but sometimes I prefer to ask people things rather than Google everything!

WhatTheHellIsAQuasar · 27/10/2022 15:51

elephantseal · 27/10/2022 08:49

my favourite bit was watching@elephantseal get their arse handed to them. Bravo vipers

How lovely. Well done, you. How kind 🙄

you did ask for it being so sneery

FallingLeaves111 · 27/10/2022 15:56

mberli · 26/10/2022 23:39

It's possibly helpful to have someone explain it in easy to understand terms if they've reached adulthood without knowing what a whip is in politics.

Show quote history

Not everyone here grew up or is
in the UK. I didn't grow up here.