How Does the Government Organise its Majority -The Whips Overview
Carrots and Sticks used by the Whips
Managing your majority through Parliamentary Private Secretaries
Managing your majority by working with Party Groups
Free Votes in the House of Commons
Types of MPs – The Constituency Activist
Types of MPs – The Aspiring Minister
Types of MPs- The House of Commons Expert
Types of MPs- The Policy Entrepreneur
Controlling the Executive – Introduction
Controlling the Executive by Legislation
Controlling the Executive with Finance
Controlling the Executive through Appointments
Controlling the Executive through Questions
Controlling the Executive through Ministerial Statements
Controlling the Executive with Opposition Debates
Controlling the Executive through Select Committees
Overview of MP Expenses and Interests
When Jack Straw arrived at Westminster as a new Member of Parliament (MP) he found that the Labour Party Whips had not yet allocated him an office, a desk or a telephone but he was given a key to a locker. He thought that at least he could put his papers in the locker and set off to look for it.
He found there were hundreds and hundreds of lockers all along the corridors but none of them were in any sort of numerical order and it was two weeks before he actually located the locker that his key fitted.
This story illustrates the problem that individual MPs have in trying to establish an identity for themselves in a Parliament dominated by the Executive and the party leadership.
Use the links listed to fully explore our Parliament section.
