New MPs are "terrified" | UK politics | The New Statesman

[@peteratkin3788]

That's why they're called 'whips' and not 'tickle feathers' the clue's in the name.

[@FrankySmiter]

Well said Peter!

[@RobinHomer-p6n]

The whipping system is one the downfalls of Britain’s political parliamentary system 😢

[@Ode-to-Odysseus]

Party politics have ruined British governance.

[@Oliver-l1c]

My new MP said that the Assisted Dying Bill was one of the biggest decisions he will ever have to make - actually it is one of the only decisions he will ever have to make, because usually the Whip tells him what he thinks.

[@lw1zfog]

“For anyone with any sense, who was in trouble, would come to the whips and tell them the truth, and say now, I’m in a jam, can you help ? It might be debt, it might be… a scandal involving small boys, or any kind of scandal in which, erm er, a member seemed likely to be mixed up in, they’d come and ask if we could help and if we could, we did. And we would do everything we can because we would store up brownie points… and if I mean, that sounds a pretty, pretty nasty reason, but it’s one of the reasons because if we could get a chap out of trouble then, he will do as we ask forever more.” - Tim Fortescue, Heath govt chief party whip, speaking in a 1995 bbc documentary titled ‘Westminster’s Secret Service’.

[@barker900]

Why doesn't the taxpayer build a block of flats for MPs, can be used by tourists when parliament not in sitting?

[@hughwilson2219]

Good idea. The Premier of Queensland did that. Ended rorting of expenses overnight. If you were an MP entitled to live there and didn't want to, fine, pay your own way. Modest hotel style rooms, bathroom, basic sink-kitchen, TV microwave. Dining room downstairs.

[@embalancer6146]

It's one of those it makes sense on paper, but can you see characters like Boris Johnson or Rhy-Mogg willing to slum it with labour MPs, which means the Millionaire MPs will find their own place and then the media will be whinging that MPs built a bunch of flats for themselves that is only partially full. secondly parliment really don't like doing captial expenditure like it was said that westminster is falling apart but it would cost billions to fix and they don't think the taxpayer would be happy with that especially when those billions could be spent on other things.

[@rflameng]

It is quite startling that incoming MP’s would be surprised when they learn that the party’s interests HAVE to take precedence over their own preferences. I would have expected the party to have made that very clear when interviewing candidates for office.

[@stuartbudd5026]

It would expect an MP to put their constituents and party first and not be at the mercy of a whip. The Greens don't have a whip system for this very reason. MPs pledge allegiance to the country when they start and not a political party.

[@AA-hg5fk]

Yeah I think that's complete rubbish, all prospective MPs attached to a party would have to have shown loyalty to the party before getting selected as a candidate.

[@andybrice2711]

Yeah, in fairness, if you vote for a political party candidate, you expect to get that party's platform. Though I think MPs should defy the whips if they're representing a sentiment which is popular amongst their constituents, or if the party has strayed from its manifesto.

[@RobinHomer-p6n]

Naivety my friend naivety, and because of this lack in emotional intelligence one MUST ask whether the sitting M.P is the correct incumbent for the role ??????

[@merrymachiavelli2041]

@@stuartbudd5026 To be fair, the Green Party has only ever had 6 MPs, a third of whom were/are leaders of the party. If they need to whipped to maintain cohesion, something has gone badly wrong...

[@patrickobrien5066]

Unfortunately all the new ones are controlled by the top. I have sent 3 questions to my local MP he refuses to answer any of them. All I have found the new MP loves getting on a photo opportunity but up till now he has never done anything for our community

[@PortilloMoment]

He'll fit right in. I predict a long parliamentary career of doing little or nothing for anyone but himself.

[@cryptoalpha1213]

100% - exactly the same experience with my new mp (labour Paul Davies)

[@lheureexquise140]

Andrew is such a muppet. Fancy believing that Rachel Reeves' budget represents a "change of course" for the UK.

[@christinefiedor3518]

This is why career politicians are not effective. They lack professional and life experience! It’s not rocket science. Former Aussie PM Tony Abbot recently said “British politics are toxic while Aussie politics are brutal. Having lived in both countries I think that’s a very apt analysis!

[@grahamo22]

If the MP's had real world experience as adults they wouldnt be afraid of the whips. An adult isnt afraid of another adult unless one of them is carrying a weapon. Time to grow a pair.

[@eirini98]

Torsten Bell, former big man from the Resolution Foundation and who purported to support those on a low income, has been very quiet. He wrote a book called "Great Britain: How We Get Our Future Back". I want a refund. This guy hypocritically supported taking away fuel payments from the elderly.

[@ppodism]

2:53 disorienTATing, not disorienting… you’re British, not American

[@TheoPeace3228]

I think the whip system is out of date, should be abolished, and we would have a much more effective House. Abolishing whips would do a great deal more to change parliament for the better than kicking out the Lords.

[@keyboarddancers7751]

18:40 Indeed! Next election will be a shock to many!

[@darren2514fv]

The whipping system should be banned from the UK parliament

[@clairehill7722]

I’m not surprised at this. My MP is fabulous but she won’t talk about the EU or anything else that Starmer has banned from any discussions

[@AA-hg5fk]

So not that fabulous then...

[@harrylightfoot2004]

at the end of the day she represents a party , the party campaigned for her and the voters chose her party. you cannot just go your own way as an MP it’s essentially a betrayal

[@deanjames2476]

​@harrylightfoot2004 it's not a betrayal if your party leaders dont tell you the whole truth about their polices

[@timwoodger7896]

This is why we need direct democracy. Political parties only care about their corporate donors.

[@yufers]

To many idiots being brainwashed by twitter and facebook for that to work. Remember Brexit? I think we'd end up in Farage land.

[@parlabaneisback]

I'm surprised that the idea that a government inflicts untold misery on its populace in line with the timing of the electoral cycle is apparently ok. It seems little short of criminal to me - putting party before country to an unconscionable degree.

[@AA-hg5fk]

5:50 - I find this difficult to believe, if someone running for parliament is endorsed by a political party (which almost all are) they will already know that they will have to toe the party line (including instruction on how to vote), they would never have even got selected if they hadn't shown party loyalty.

[@deanjames2476]

Why should they have to toe the party line if the policy is not in the manifesto that you stood on ie the removal of the winter fuel allowance ,which was kept secret from them ,they should have been given a free vote

[@profc9916]

Final point - in one of the final comments, someone said that if these problems were easy to cope with "the Tories would have come up with ideas to solve them" and that this is the fundamental difference between then and Labour because "Labour has more time." 1) Isn't the problem meant to be that the Tories were constrained by their political philosophy? Labour is mean to already have ideas because they are mean to have a different philosophy. That's before we get to the point that the Tories don't really care about the poor, so they had no reason to solve a lot of these issues - I know the NS like to pretend they do though. 2) Is this not deeply depressing? Doesn't this suggest our political future is basically Coke vs Pepsi? Not even coke vs diet coke?

[@Philsmahsmchjsb]

It isn’t difficult to find a flat for the MPs to live in to get to and fro Westminster. Ffs guys these are politicians - they live better than 99.9% of this country….

[@alanb9443]

I can tell you right now a salary of 80k which is what MPs get would struggle to get you an apartment within about 7 miles of Westminster. That is the starting salary of bankers in the city, let alone anyone vaguely senior who is main 5x 10x 30x what an MP makes.

[@deanjames2476]

Whipping is no different than bullying which is rampant in politics which makes the use of the phrase the honorable member an absolute joke and an insult to democracy as votes which use the 3line whip are not genuine voting but dictated by the leader

[@andybrice2711]

I don't think it's particularly fair to equate whipping with bullying. It's more like receiving orders. If you're hired by an organisation, to further the mission of that organisation, you can reasonably expect to be given instructions to follow. And if you're planning to subvert that mission with your own agenda, you'd better be ready for a battle. When people vote for a representative of political party, they reasonably expect to get that party's agenda enacted. Though I do think MPs should defy whips when representing the views of their constituents. Or if they think the party has strayed from the manifesto.

[@stuartbudd5026]

@@andybrice2711 MPs are not hired by an organisation. Those people are called spads. MPs are voted for my their constituents and then swear an oath of allegiance to the Crown. The UK needs to improve their educational standards! The UK Green party do not use a whipping process precisely because it is a form of authoritarian control via bullying.

[@deanjames2476]

@andybrice2711 if the party are so confident that their policy is in the best interests of the people the people's representatives should have a free vote,not be dictated to by one person we pay their wages not the leader

[@andybrice2711]

@@deanjames2476 I don’t think that makes much sense. Then when you voted for a Labour MP you’d never quite know whether you were going to get Labour’s platform, or something that individual dreams up. Though I do think it should be more acceptable for MPs to vote freely on issues their constituents hold strong opinions on. Or issues outside the manifesto.

[@deanjames2476]

@andybrice2711 Agreeed mps should not have been whipped on the winter fuel allowance vote as it was not in the manifesto

[@johntrew1597]

So our democratic process that elects these people to be MPs stops being democratic at all once they cross the threshold of Westminster

[@harrylightfoot2004]

no not at all, as you vote for a party and for a manifesto that needs to be delivered.

[@deanjames2476]

​@@harrylightfoot2004removing the wfa was not in the Labour manifesto

[@profc9916]

When Mr Marr says that Starmer is changing the direction of British politics, i have no idea what he is talking about. This is just more austerity, how is this meant to be any different?

[@TheFirstConcorde]

13:27 I would counter that handing the Chagos to Mauritius without consulting the Chagossians is not progressive at all. Handing the islands to Mauritius - whose relationship with the Chagos is a quirk of colonial administration - on the basis of lawfare supported by the UK’s adversaries is more of a humiliation than u-turning on a rotten deal.

[@mikewaite5507]

Andrew's "advice from the security teams" should have been...."this is what MPs have reduced us to, security team advice day one. Basically you lot have fooked up."

[@alanrogers9597]

Good news, they only have 4 years 6 months to go,,, so won't be scared for too long,,,,,,,,, countdown has started

[@markjefferies55]

But what about the damage they will do

[@rflameng]

Also, Andrew is quite right. Labour has a mandate by dint of having won such a large number of constituencies (if not the popular vote). This gives it a window of opportunity to get necessary yet unpopular and even painful things done, PROVIDED that by the last year of the term the people start to see and feel actual improvements.

[@martinhorrocks2415]

P

[@iffler2542]

What if the things they are doing are unpopular, painful and bloody stupid?

[@lewis123417]

Good luck seeing improvements. Promised growth and delivered the biggest tax take since 1993

[@harryherman5371]

Yes, this.

[@aficio698]

They have yet to attack the state pensioners! Nothing they have done included any intelligent thinking. All have unintended consequences!!

[@Richard_Broom_Photography]

The bottom line is that our system of politics is not fit for purpose. Worse, Labour are out of their depth...

[@HarleyButler-ox3qn]

What flavour whip did Marr use with his many ladies of the night?

[@canopus101]

Finding an affordable rented flat? They just claim it on expenses, or so I'm led to believe.

[@jonathancorbyn8203]

The bond vigalanties will decide the fate of this government and everyone thereafter.

[@morrisizing]

They are no longer there for their constituencies, just furthering their political careers.

[@brianferguson7840]

Your level of ignorance and disconnection from political reality is extremely worrying. Though it goes a long way to explaining farage and reform.

[@deadandburied7626]

Farage being a prime example

[@jamespeters2859]

Andrew Marr is wise! Were I a P.M he’d be a close advisor.

[@ashleywilson2072]

Marr is an old Maoist. He would have us all chipped, digitally stamped, facially screened, rationed and monitored to the grave. All for our convenience, of course.

[@jamespeters2859]

First I thought your comment was in reply to one I made about China’s leader on a different thread. 😂 Marr does have his finger on the pulse, he’s an astute fella. Dunno about his views on us being chipped n tagged etc. But that technology at an atomic nanoscale level is needed attached to all things. It’d stop theft and you’d never loose anything. 🌀👽🪬

[@Antonia-t3p]

Avoiding talking about immigration doesnt stop it being the main issue with the public .

[@daraorourke5798]

Interesting. It was chosen by 6% of Irish voters as the biggest issue at our recent elections

[@andyknowles772]

It isn't.

[@Antonia-t3p]

@andyknowles772 i think the lady does protest too much .

[@andyknowles772]

@Antonia-t3p Yes, I think you do too.

[@tombblades]

Whips need to be less powerful and impactful. The Commons should be house of compromise, where MPs vote freely on most bills to encourage bipartisanship.

[@h-Qalziel]

The problem with Labour continuing the unpopular decisions for another couple of years in preparation for an election in 2029 is they're completely disregarding the Scottish and Welsh elections in 2026. Labour will probably still be in power in Wales but they were previously looking on track to govern Scotland as well but they've fallen way back on the SNP again and this seems unlikely to change in the next year and a half now.

[@MrTzimisces]

They're terrified because Starmer is a control freak

[@deadandburied7626]

And Reeves.

[@warptoad5168]

What the new MP,s are going through is information overload. Our new Labour MP is a environmentalist by profession, but I told him before we went to the polls about my problems with flooding in my area, which I wanted him to sort out. But that was 6 months ago and he still hasn't got directly involved yet. So maybe I should give him more time. Because there's more than the drainage dyke to sort out, there's dodgy Civil Servants and County Councils that want sorting out has well. Time will only tell.

[@lewisfry8831]

Immigration not an issue in my eyes. People just want an enemy to blame and immigrants are the easy option. In reality birth rates are decreasing and immigration is necessary for economic maintenance and growth. London is a sign that multiculturalism is a huge success when people are open minded. Politicians need to stop pandering to the anti-immigration mob.

[@ChangesOneTim]

Fair enough, but everyone should be very concerned at recent level of annual net migration to UK (670,000, equiv to population of Liverpool, in one year) which by any objective measure is simply unsustainable.

[@jenniferbarry5887]

Most of these new Labour MPs know they will be looking for a new job in the not too distant future and will be swimming in the same pool as their constituents, job hunting and after the Labour budget there wont be many.

[@prideofdurham4776]

Changing Starmer is similar to swapping Bojo for May or Truss for Sunak , exchanging horse 💩 for dog 💩.

[@Nickherts]

There’s always ‘Chief whip! Just the Man! I’ve just been left £20,000 by a distant relative…’

[@simonlewis6276]

Mars farcical idea that the country has paid the bill and will soon miraculously change and we will soon see everything turn around as High tax Labour take us all into the sunny uplands of unbridled economic growth and prosperity is utter twaddle .Every policy and decision this bunch of student Union ideologues ,posing as our government ,have made so far are having the exact opposite effect . What ever he is smoking can I have some please .It’s not a matter of perhaps not achieving economic growth ,it’s a racing certainty .Difficult decisions? What was so difficult about robbing pensioners or throwing ,no strings attached cash at the already overpaid train drivers .Or raising only private sector employers national insurance contributions ? Pathetic .

[@simonpapworth8974]

Poir MPs.....strugglingto find 'An affordable' place to live? How much do they get paid? Spate me, please.

[@Philsmahsmchjsb]

Exactly this. They’re feeling sympathetic for their chums… the media in our country is a sham

[@Sputnik1-m6m]

These new MPs should be making clear contingency plans for different employment post '29, when Labour will be annihilated in the next election...and I have voted Labour all my life...never again...

[@HeirToTheScarletSky]

Why not?

[@oscarmccoy9102]

Joined 5 days ago….. definitely a bot

[@Sputnik1-m6m]

@@oscarmccoy9102 Not a bot old bean...sorry to be actually real...scraping the bot 'em of the barrel ...?

[@aleph8888]

The last Labour government ever. They don’t respect the manifesto they were individually elected on, and they don’t respect the liberties of the British people.

[@oscarmccoy9102]

@@Sputnik1-m6m not a bot however you have the same ability to think for yourself as one .

[@profc9916]

"They don't have any choice though do they,,," I mean really, must we? I don't mind if we're presenting austerity as the best possible solution, but it's hardly the only one? We used to do this thing called Keynsian economics, and it really went pretty well. You just tax the living daylights out of the richest section of your population and then you dump all of that into public services/infrastructure/education.

[@georgethompson453]

2025 will be very interesting with an inevitable crisis looming in France with their sovereign debt coming into stark focus and coupled to the Germans going to the polls the EU may be left even more divided. Those newly elected Labour MP’s may start gazing across the Atlantic, watching the US economy powering in a positive direction and wandering if they would be safer moving much closer to the US. Stark choices ahead!

[@dsmith657]

And not one of them has any competency assessment: It should be compulsory for all MPs to read the Deficit Myth by Stephanie Kelton and then pass an exam. Then we might get decisions based on reality rather than the current fantasy understanding that all MPs seem to have.

[@maggygwire]

I think if you go as a career climber you’ve done it for the wrong reasons. The people voted you in so you do your best to represent them. MP’s should be strong minded and not easily dazzled in the headlights. I’d always vote an MP who doesn’t ’need it’.

[@michaelhamilton1357]

Please can you advise me, is this for adults or children ? It’s off the mark of if aimed at students, students have the internet now

[@kevinfox5068]

Andrew is a true professional and highly intelligent, but I find that Lady utterly irritating unfortunately.

[@Sussex_Seagull]

The Assisted Dying Bill demonstrates how far Christianity has fallen. Most important issue....immigrants, and if you don't see that you are in the wrong job.

[@bobdigi500]

I'm thinking Farages life hasn't one bit😂😂

[@jonbob2]

More Freddie Hayward please.

What wretched apologists. Marr is a disgusting, supplicant apologist for incompetence,

[@brianatkinson4407]

what is the worst that can happen to them if they turn independent? not a lot

[@Mack-bc3sp]

Politicians 💩💩💩💩

[@roguetrooper5401]

Labour have a manifesto who knew

[@commonman131]

Well that didn't happen under the Tories it was well rehearsed lies.

[@cclewes7373]

The Tories love their whips

[@morrisizing]

They have killed off the future of family businesses, which means more overseas ownership, which means more money out of the economy.

[@cryptoalpha1213]

I emailed my mp (new labour mp Paul Davies) weeks ago about an important issue - hasn’t bothered his ar$e to get back to me. Thankfully I didn’t vote for him which vindicates my decision - nonetheless I am pretty pissed off that he could spend lots of time knocking on my door to try to make me vote for him but can’t be bothered to respond to my email

[@thecrankster]

It’s a moment when Labour and the rest of the country realises Labour have no answers.

[@adamsmith275]

...everything that all of you are saying is reflected in the movie... THE PROJECT (2002) So... what else is new?...

[@DavidTaylorChesterWebDesign]

Sorry Andrew the new MPs are being asked to vote for the Government that were absolutely not in the Labour Manifesto

[@ThomasBoyd-r6k]

Philip O Rourke Labour Provost of Glasgow he Labour councillor 1970 to 1977 he relative he southside Glasgow yes it booming in 1973'glasgow Britain it mixed economy Thomas his salary £108 per week 1973. Stephen Boyd Londoner plasterer 67 Age Labour voter got house 🏠 in London. Has Labour party win Glasgow Anniesland 2026 May election Scottish parliament yes Thomas. Art Bezrukavenko won it politically.

[@ThomasBoyd-r6k]

Who whack Eton college VAT 20% on boarding fees and removable Charitable business rates job done Keir Starmer Labour Prime minister do it politically Thomas. Does affect all private education in United Kingdom yes. Eton college target 🎯 Thomas all Etonains are conservatives some are Labour Supporters Thomas very few.

[@TheEnergeticPanda]

Totally disagree with Andrew about Chagos. U-Turning is the obvious move and wouldn't be a humiliation. The UK shouldn't give up any more territory.

[@janwynne-woodhouse5144]

Another Tory plan that labour is getting the blame for

[@vijayshah-oi8tn]

wait until local elections

[@tonyfincham6126]

True it’s those that elected them & will kick them out that they should worry about

[@RichardMartin-q2v]

andrew marr said nothing sat on the fence

[@mohamednajmi9182]

Brexit is the word to all British issues. Any discussion around policy that does not start by brexit is a loss of our time.

[@paulcarter4945]

Rubbish - Immigration will be the big issue! 5 + Billion spent on hotels just this year + 1 Million net in 23 ...going to get worse ...Labour has already lost. No growth, recession...TAX TAX TAX

[@davidalderson4980]

Thanks for those well-sourced facts.

[@paulcarter4945]

@@davidalderson4980 your welcome - take it to the bank if you have any money left after this communist government

[@existentialvoid]

Going reform for sure. . . It’s so obvious

[@davidsimpson-brass4798]

There are just far too many MPs. Probably around 40 to 50 would be right. The cabinet sould be reduced to a maximum of 9 people which is over the average of Corporate CEOs direct reports. The whole political structure needs to change.

[@andrewclimo5709]

Except it's not a company. The MPs represent communities. Of course there need to be hundreds of them.

[@jeffsmith7369]

This is a soft annexation by Russia.

[@stuartbudd5026]

Starmer is terrified of Farage Labour MPs are terrified of the whips Yvette Cooper is terrified of losing her seat. Meanwhile, SMEs can't trade, farmers are threatened with an inheritance tax they can't afford, the government have dropped their pledge to be the fastest growing country in the G7, living standards are falling and there is no viable plan for growth. When am I going to be able to trade with the EU and when are we going to get a functioning government that can govern?

[@SwatantraNandanwar]

You are the problem. You probably voted for Brexit. If you didn't, then wait till we rejoin the EU.

[@danielmoir13]

​@SwatantraNandanwar the EU can't solve all of our problems, western neoliberal capitalism is in decline

[@bobdigi500]

Until mps are brave enough to state btexit has been a disaster we simply can't move forward. We just have to stay in low growth limbo land until then I'm afraid. 100% of us suffer because of the 52%

[@ab-ym3bf]

You have been able to trade with the EU from day 1. Just like with any other country in the world.

[@htflsteve]

@@SwatantraNandanwar And why would anyone want to be in the EU?

[@1957bumpy]

LIEBOUR already scared to death of REFORM,GOOD

[@1957bumpy]

Now I know Andrew marr is a card carrying member of the LIEBOUR party but HOW LONG has this been ? Because we can all then see just how biased he was in opposition to ALL Tory leaders !

[@DavidRae-s6t]

He's always been a Lefty. He just doesn't bother to mask it now that his party is in power.

[@Philsmahsmchjsb]

It isn’t difficult to find a flat for the MPs to live in to get to and fro Westminster. Ffs guys these are politicians - they live better than 99.9% of this country….