three-line whip

English

Etymology

From the triple underlining of very important votes on “the whip” — a document detailing upcoming business distributed weekly to British MPs by party managers.

Noun

three-line whip (plural three-line whips)

1. (UK politics) A directive to MPs from party leaders to vote in a particular way in parliament, despite what the MP might believe or what his or her constituents might like.
   • 2008 April 12, Simon Jenkins, Richard Harries, “Atheist versus Bishop”, in The Guardian:

     Since the metaphysical status of egg-casing is not one on which the church has yet pronounced, opposition appears based on "yuck" and nothing else. But yuck has become diktat, with Catholic MPs up to cabinet level being given a three-line whip by their bishops.

   • 2022 October 19, Ashley Cowburn, quoting Craig Whittaker, “Liz Truss declares fracking vote tonight a ‘confidence motion’ in her government”, in Mirror‎^[1]:

     Deputy Chief Whip Craig Whittaker told them it will be a “100% hard” three-line whip, saying: “This is not a motion on fracking. This is a confidence motion in the Government.”

2. (by extension, humorous) An imperative order.

   I have to go shopping with the wife, I'm afraid. She's given me a three-line whip.

See also

• single-line whip, one-line whip
• two-line whip, double-line whip