Whips are MPs or Members of the House of Lords appointed by each party in Parliament to help organise their party's contribution to parliamentary business. One of their responsibilities is making sure as many of their party members as possible vote the way their party wants them to.
Whips also frequently act as tellers (counting votes in divisions). They manage the pairing system whereby Members of opposing parties both agree not to vote when other business (such as a select committee visit) prevents them from being present at Westminster. Whips are also largely responsible (together with the Leader of the House in the Commons) for arranging the business of Parliament. In this role, they are frequently referred to as 'the usual channels'.
Every week, whips send out a circular to their MPs and Lords detailing upcoming parliamentary business. Special attention is paid to divisions (where members vote on debates); these are carried out under strict time constraints.
Important divisions are underlined three times - a 'three-line whip' - and normally apply to major events like the second readings of significant Bills. Defying a three-line whip is very serious and has occasionally resulted in the whip being withdrawn. 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.
The job of the whips becomes more important if the party majority (especially in government) is small. This makes it easy for the government to lose in major votes. Therefore, it's crucial that the whips on both sides (government and opposition) try to get as many Members to vote as possible.
As a Whip in government, MPs are unable to speak or apply for debates or table oral parliamentary questions. Some restrictions also apply in Opposition.
Senior Government whips are also ceremonially appointed as officers of the Royal Household. Boris Johnson appointed Rebecca as Comptroller of the Household during his time as Prime Minister, and this gave Rebecca a ceremonial position during the King’s Coronation in 2023 and at HM Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral procession. Rebecca became the first woman to hold the post in the 624-year history of the office.
You can learn more about the history of the role by visiting this link to a UK Parliament Open Lecture given by a former Deputy Chief Whip, Anne Milton.