Ban whipping to toe the party line and allow MPs free votes on all matters.

Rejected 14 signatures

What the petition asks

Parliament must act to reinforce fundamental principles of representative democracy which are explicit in Members' Duties. Those are duties to always act in the best interests of nation, with special consideration of the interests of all constituents. Ban a practice which favours party first.

In banning this particular aspect of whipping, Parliament will remove an established practice which undermines public confidence in representative democracy and has been used by Government to motivate MPs to act against their better judgement. It is not a practice recognised in Erskine May, under Duties of Whips. A ban will reduce opportunity for Whips to offer inducements to MPs to vote as required by party and be consistent with the Members Code, where duty to party is not mentioned.

Why it was rejected

It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.

We can only accept petitions about things the Government or Parliament are directly responsible for.

Decisions about whipping are the responsibility of the political parties, and decisions about how to vote in the House of Commons are the responsibility of individual MPs, not the UK Government or Parliament as a whole.

Timeline

3 Apr 2023	Petition opened for signatures
5 Apr 2023	Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 14

Status Rejected

Rejected 5 Apr 2023

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