Will the government whip step in to ensure government MPs vote according to government’s line? — Hafiz Hassan (opens original article in a new tab)

The article discusses the role of the party whip in ensuring government MPs vote according to the government's line, with recent questions arising after some MPs missed voting on a key constitutional amendment bill.

• A Member of Parliament (MP) in a political party is subject to the government whip if the party is in the government.
• The party whip ensures MPs are present and vote according to the party's line, derived from the 18th century English fox hunting term.
• The role of the party whip was highlighted when some government MPs missed voting on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026, leading to questions about whether the government whip would enforce party line voting.