Whip (politics)

A Whip (English for cheerleaders ) in politics is someone who is to ensure a parliament that members of his own party are present in polls and vote in accordance with the party leadership.

The name comes from the British Parliament and is derived from the whipper - in ( cheerleader ) at a fox hunt from. The tasks of the Whip are partially comparable with those of the Parliamentary Director of the fractions in German parliaments. As Whip and the tuning guidelines are referred to, which are made ​​available to the Member of Parliament of a cheerleader.

The Whips are particularly important when a majority in the parliament are relatively close together. In such a case, it is particularly important that each group member appears to the polls and vote according to the party line.

Great Britain

The Whip- system was introduced by the Irish Parliamentary Party under Charles Stewart Parnell in the policy of Great Britain. The duties of Whips include here with ensuring the "correct" voting behavior of their party members about their information on upcoming parliamentary decisions as well as providing an information flow to the party leadership on the opinions of backbench. Since the 2010 general election, the Whips are of particular importance, since neither party can claim an absolute majority on its own ( hung parliament ).

House of Commons

In the House of the importance of a vote by underlining the vote threads fraction circular will be displayed. A single underline (single -line whip or one- line whip ) indicates that MPs are allowed to vote as they wish. A double underline (two -line whip, also double -line whip ) indicates that it is expected that the deputy so vote as the party it claims. Pairings are allowed, ie agreements between members of opposing parties, such as scheduling difficulties, together stay away from the polls (so that the voting result is not distorted ). A triple underscore ( three -line whip ) occurs at particularly important votes. In this case, the deputies have to appear and vote with the party line, not a form of mating is allowed. The disregard of party requirements in a triple underline, even with a simple absence of voting may result in a withdrawal of the whip (fraction exclusion ) or even expulsion from the party.

The Chief Whip of the ruling party ( since 2012 George Young) is the Deputy Chief Whip support, further Whips and Assistant Whips - a total of about 15 people. The Chief Whip is usually a member of the Cabinet, usually as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury. The other leading Whips get government offices; Deputy Chief Whip Treasurer of Her Majesty's Household, the next two Whips as Comptroller of HM Household and Vice -Chamberlain of HM Household. The remaining Whips are Lords Commissioners of the Treasury. The Assistant Whips and Whips of the opposition parties receive no offices.

However, the Chief Whip of the opposition receives every week prior notice of the agenda items that it intends to bring the government to the parliament, and there is no final decision on before you have held consultation with each other about it. The dates for each question are thus jointly determined.

House of Lords

The same applies to the Whips in the House of Lords. The Chief Whip of the Government is generally the Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen -at-Arms and the Deputy Chief Whip is usually appointed Captain of the Queen 's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard. The remaining Whips, which are less numerous because of the declining importance of party discipline in the House of Lords are appointed to Lords in Waiting or Baron Esses in Waiting.

USA

In the United States, there are next to the spokesman of a fraction ( the Majority or minority leader) and a Majority and minority whip, who tried more behind the scenes, to trim the MPs on party line. These are deputy whips him to the side.

Because of the direct election of all the members (no whip ) and because they themselves care for their financing, but the influence of the Whips in the United States is much lower than in the UK. At the same time the need to bring the delegates to the party line, so very large. Precisely for this reason, a skilful Whip greater political power to exercise than the actual faction leaders. So Tom DeLay was in Texas during his time as House Republican Whip of the nickname "The Hammer " ("The Hammer" ).