77-692: The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom , introduced by the Labour government, which grants civil partnerships in the United Kingdom the rights and responsibilities very similar to those in civil marriage . Initially the Act permitted only same-sex couples to form civil partnerships. This was altered to include opposite-sex couples in 2019. Civil partners are entitled to
154-767: A Legislative Consent Motion allowing Westminster to legislate for Scotland in this Act. The Bill was backed by the Labour Party , the Liberal Democrats , Plaid Cymru , the SNP and the SDLP . It was opposed by the DUP and the UUP . Conservative Party MPs were split on the issue, and the party leadership did not issue a whip mandating MPs to take a particular stance on the Bill, instead allowing its MPs
231-548: A Member of Parliament (MP) or Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) on whom to vote. Should a whip's order be violated by a member of the same party, then the whip can recommend immediate dismissal of that member from the house due to indiscipline and the Speaker of the respective house can decide on the matter (without time limit). Should the whip choose not follow up on the violation his/her official whip order by own party member due to any reason, then any member of house can do so to
308-709: A free vote . This decision was described by some in the British media as an attempt to demonstrate a shift to a more inclusive, centrist approach under the leadership of Michael Howard , and as a departure from the alleged active opposition to LGBT rights under the leadership of Iain Duncan Smith . As party leader, Duncan Smith had imposed a three-line whip against the Adoption and Children Bill , mandating all Conservative MPs to vote against extending adoption rights to same-sex couples. Conservative MPs split 67 in favour to 37 against at
385-447: A trilogy of books , centred around a fictional party whip named Francis Urquhart , which was dramatised and broadcast by the BBC between 1990 and 1995. The first book in the trilogy, titled House of Cards , was adapted into a television series of the same name , and the title was also used for subsequent series based on other countries' political systems. In House of Cards , Francis Urquhart
462-501: A white paper , which is a clear statement of intent. It is increasingly common for a small number of Government bills to be published in draft before they are presented in Parliament. These bills are then considered either by the relevant select committee of the House of Commons or by an ad hoc joint committee of both Houses. This provides an opportunity for the committee to express a view on
539-505: A better phrase". Although Burke's particular emphasis on the expression implied its comparative novelty, the hunting term had been used in this political context for at least a generation: on 18 November 1742 Heneage Finch remarked in a letter to Lord Malton that "the Whigs for once in their lives have whipped in better than the Tories". In the Parliament of Australia , as well as in the parliaments of
616-547: A ceremony if they choose but this is not a requirement of the Act. The first date on which notice could be given was 5 December 2005 and the first registration was on 21 December 2005. The 15-day notice period allows the registrar to check that the couple is eligible to go ahead with the registration. In June 2018, the Supreme Court ruled in the Steinfeld–Keidan case that restricting civil partnerships to same-sex couples
693-562: A democratic mandate . Because, unlike members of a parliament, members of Congress cannot serve simultaneously in Executive Branch positions, a whip in the United States cannot bargain for votes by promising promotion or threatening demotion in a sitting administration. There is, however, a highly structured committee system in both houses of Congress, and a whip may be able to offer promotion or threaten demotion within that system. In
770-485: A few, if any, are passed each year. Parliamentary authorities maintain a list of all private bills before parliament . Hybrid bills combine elements of both public and private bill. While they propose to make changes to the general law, they also contain provisions applying to specific individuals or bodies. Recent examples are the Crossrail Bill, a hybrid bill to build a railway across London from west to east , and
847-626: A free vote on abortion bills, as in the Protection of Human Life In Pregnancy Act. From 1998, whips and assistant whips may be entitled to an allowance on top of their base legislator's salary. In 2011, these allowances varied proportional to the size of the group, with Fianna Fáil's Dáil whip's allowance the highest at €19,000. Party whips in Malaysia serve a similar role as in other Westminster system -based parliamentary democracies. However, party discipline tends to be tighter in Malaysia and therefore
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#1733055881571924-503: A general change in the law. The only difference from other public bills is that they are brought forward by a private member (a backbencher) rather than by the government. Twenty private members' bills per session are allowed to be introduced, with the sponsoring private members selected by a ballot of the whole house, and additional bills may be introduced under the Ten Minute Rule . Financial bills raise revenue and authorise how money
1001-557: A minimum consultation period of twelve weeks. Consultation documents are widely circulated (see for example the Home Office consultation on extreme pornography and the Scottish Government 's consultation on food policy ). The character of the consultation is shaped by the government's determination to press forward with a particular set of proposals. A government may publish a green paper outlining various legislative options or
1078-567: A minimum period of time. This amendment was passed in the Lords by 148 to 130, a majority of 18. Like the Leigh amendment, opponents considered the O'Cathain amendment to be a wrecking amendment, and like Leigh, O'Cathain herself voted against the Civil Partnerships Bill. Labour Peer Baron Alli, said the amendment was "ill-conceived and does nothing other than undermine the purpose of the bill", while
1155-461: A partnership also had to be of the same sex. This requirement was removed by Parliament in March 2019, and since 2 December 2019 couples irrespective of sex can register their intent to form a civil partnership. To complete the registration process, the couple must each give notice of their intention to the registry office . After 15 days they can complete the registration process. The couple can also have
1232-531: A period of consultation will take place before a bill is drafted. Within government, the Treasury and other departments with an interest will be consulted along with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Outside government, interested parties such as trade unions , industry bodies and pressure groups will be asked for their views on any proposals. The Cabinet Office Code of Practice specifies
1309-409: A process of consultation, the sponsoring department will send drafting instructions to parliamentary counsel, expert lawyers working for the government responsible for writing legislation. These instructions will describe what the bill should do but not the detail of how this is achieved. The Parliamentary counsel must draft the legislation clearly to minimise the possibility of legal challenge and to fit
1386-450: A seat and a voice in the Cabinet . By virtue of holding the office of Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury, the government chief whip has an official residence at 12 Downing Street , although the chief whip's office is currently located at 9 Downing Street. Government whips report to the prime minister on any possible backbench revolts and the general opinion of MPs within the party, and upon
1463-469: A specifically named locality or legal person in a manner different from all others. Private bills are "usually promoted by organisations, like local authorities or private companies, to give themselves powers beyond, or in conflict with, the general law. Private bills only change the law as it applies to specific individuals or organisations, rather than the general public. Groups or individuals potentially affected by these changes can petition Parliament against
1540-418: A sub-category of private acts, which confer specific rights or duties on a named individual or individuals, for example allowing two persons to marry even though they are within a "prohibited degree of consanguinity or affinity" such as stepfather and stepdaughter. Private bills, common in the 19th century, are now rare, as new planning legislation introduced in the 1960s removed the need for many of them. Only
1617-518: A top-mobilization order asking members to attend the assembly. Party members failing to obey the order are suspended or expelled from the party. In the United States there are legislatures at the local (city councils, town councils, county boards, etc.), state, and federal levels. The federal legislature ( Congress ), the legislatures in all states except for Nebraska , and many county and city legislative bodies are divided along party lines and have whips, as well as majority and minority leaders. The whip
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#17330558815711694-523: A whole rather than for a single specific party or parliamentary group. In both houses of the Cortes Generales , the Spanish legislature, political parties appoint a member to the role of portavoz adjunto (deputy spokesperson ), which is the third authority of the parliamentary group after the leader and the spokesperson. The deputy spokesperson enforces party discipline in every vote, being thus
1771-444: Is a formal process for dissolving civil partnerships, akin to divorce . Schedule 20 recognises certain overseas unions as equivalent to civil partnerships under the laws of the United Kingdom. Same-sex couples who have entered into those unions are automatically recognised in the United Kingdom as civil partners. In England and Wales, overseas marriages (but not other types of relationship) are automatically recognised as marriages by
1848-592: Is also the assistant majority or assistant minority leader. Both houses of Congress, the House of Representatives and Senate , have majority and minority whips. They in turn have subordinate "regional" whips. While members of Congress often vote along party lines, the influence of the whip is weaker than in the UK system; American politicians have considerably more freedom to diverge from the party line and vote according to their conscience or their constituents' preferences. One reason
1925-436: Is designed to keep the business of government and public affairs up to date. These bills may not be substantial or controversial in party political terms. Two sub-classes of the housekeeping bill are consolidation bills , which set out existing law in a clearer and more up-to-date form without changing its substance; and the tax law rewrite bills , which do the same for tax law. An Act of Parliament will often confer power on
2002-575: Is no party line for their whips to enforce. Whips also coordinate pairing . The timing of most votes are difficult to predict and TDs are expected to stay within earshot of the division bell at all times. All TDs are expected to vote with their party and to receive permission if they intend to be absent for a vote. Free votes are not a common feature of the Irish parliamentary tradition but they do happen on occasion, and there are calls for them to happen more often. For instance, Fianna Fáil usually allowed
2079-413: Is not in the chamber at the time of the vote, and also cast proxy votes during personal votes for absent members of their parties and for absent members of associated single-member parties. In British politics, the chief whip of the governing party in the House of Commons is customarily appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury so that the incumbent, who represents the whips in general, has
2156-791: Is spent. The best-known such bills are the normally annual Finance Bills introduced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Budget . This usually encompasses all the changes to be made to tax law for the year. Its formal description is "a Bill to grant certain duties, to alter other duties, and to amend the law relating to the National Debt and the Public Revenue, and to make further provision in connection with finance". Consolidated Fund and Appropriation Bills authorise government spending. This type of bill
2233-485: Is that a considerable amount of money is raised by individual candidates. Furthermore, nobody, including members of Congress, can be expelled from a political party, which is formed simply by open registration. Because preselection of candidates for office is generally done through a primary election open to a wide number of voters, candidates who support their constituents' positions rather than those of their party leaders cannot easily be rejected by their party, due to
2310-643: Is the chief whip for the UK Conservative Party and the trilogy charts his ambitious rise through his party's ranks until he becomes Prime Minister . In the American remake of House of Cards , Frank Underwood is the House Majority Whip for the US Democratic Party . The series charts Underwood's ambitious rise through his party's ranks until he becomes president . The name Frank Underwood
2387-507: The 1976 Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Bill , which was a particularly controversial bill that was ruled to be a hybrid bill, forcing the government to withdraw some of its provisions to allow its passage as a public bill. Once passed, hybrid bills are printed as part of the public general acts. Parliamentary authorities maintain a list of all hybrid bills before parliament . It is important not to confuse private bills with private members' bills, which are public bills intended to effect
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2464-463: The Canadian Senate or a provincial legislature charged with ensuring party discipline among members of the caucus . In the House of Commons, the whip's office prepares and distributes vote sheets identifying the party position on each bill or motion. The whip is also responsible for assigning offices and scheduling speakers from his or her party for various bills, motions and other proceedings in
2541-721: The Christian Institute , which paid for a full page advert in favour of the amendment in The Times newspaper. Labour and the Liberal Democrats issued a whip against the Leigh Amendment, and only two MPs from each party rebelled to vote in favour of it. On 24 June 2004, during the discussion at the report stage in the House of Lords , Conservative peer Baroness O'Cathain moved an amendment to extend eligibility for civil partnership to blood relatives who had lived together for
2618-556: The King in Council , a minister , or another public body to create delegated legislation, usually by means of a statutory instrument . Bills may start their passage in either the House of Commons or House of Lords , although bills which are mainly or entirely financial will start in the Commons. Each bill passes through the following stages: Although not strictly part of the legislative process,
2695-594: The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 ; the same is true in Scotland by the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 , and in Northern Ireland by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019. Schedule 20 is subject to adjustment, and additional overseas relationships may be added as more jurisdictions across the world bring in civil partnership or same-sex marriage legislation. On 5 December 2005,
2772-886: The Parliament on 15 March and received royal assent on 26 March 2019. The legislation was enacted on 26 May 2019 in the form of the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act 2019 . The regulations came into effect on 2 December 2019, the date on which opposite-sex couples could register their intent to form a civil partnership. This expansion of civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples applies only in England and Wales , and not in Scotland or Northern Ireland . In Northern Ireland, civil partnerships were extended to opposite-sex couples by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019. Acts of Parliament in
2849-636: The United Kingdom is primary legislation passed by the UK Parliament in Westminster , London . An Act of Parliament can be enforced in all four of the UK constituent countries ( England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland ). As a result of devolution the majority of acts that are passed by Parliament increasingly only apply either to England and Wales only, or England only. Generally acts only relating to constitutional and reserved matters now apply to
2926-448: The president pro tempore of the Senate . As the office of president pro tempore is largely honorific and usually given to the longest-serving senator of the majority, the majority whip is in reality the second-ranking senator in the majority conference. Similarly, in the House, the majority whip is outranked by both the majority leader and the speaker . Unlike the Senate's presiding officer,
3003-437: The House of Representatives, the influence of a single member individually is relatively small and therefore depends a great deal on the representative's seniority (i.e., in most cases, on the length of time they have held office). In the Senate, the majority whip is the third-highest ranking individual in the majority party (the party with the most seats). The majority whip is outranked by the majority leader and, unofficially,
3080-416: The House. In Bangladesh, the concept of the whip was inherited from colonial British rule . Chief Whip is a member of the parliament of Bangladesh from the ruling party who is responsible for the maintenance of party discipline inside the parliament. The work of the whip is to ensure the proper participation (as the party wants) of the party MPs in the activities of the parliament , such as voting, If
3157-613: The Lords. They will check the following: After this process, the bill is then ready for introduction. Three-line whip A whip is an official of a political party whose task is to ensure party discipline (that members of the party vote according to the party platform rather than their individual beliefs or that of donors or constituents) in a legislature . Whips are the party's "enforcers". They work to ensure that their fellow political party legislators attend voting sessions and vote according to their party's official policy. Members who vote against party policy may "lose
Civil Partnership Act 2004 - Misplaced Pages Continue
3234-514: The MP's constituency, and private lives." Former chief whips disclosed that whips have a notebook documenting MPs' indiscretions, and that they help MPs in any sort of trouble ("it might be debt, it might be ... a scandal involving small boys ...") in any way they can to "store up brownie points ... 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." Having
3311-445: The Speaker is the leader of his or her party's caucus in the House . In both the House and the Senate, the minority whip is the second highest-ranking individual in the minority party (the party with the lesser number of legislators in a legislative body), outranked only by the minority leader . The whip position was created in the House of Representatives in 1897 by Republican Speaker Thomas Reed , who appointed James A. Tawney as
3388-706: The Speaker. Whips exist for all parliamentary parties in Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann . The government chief whip is normally a Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach , and attends cabinet meetings . The whips of each house meet weekly to set the agenda for the next week's business. The Technical Group in the Dáil and the analogous Independent groups in the Seanad nominate whips to attend these meetings even though there
3465-409: The UK, both parties must be over the age of 16, not already in a civil partnership or marriage, and not be within the prohibited degrees of relationship. If of the age of 16 or 17, the consent of the individual's parent or guardian is required, except in Scotland, where marriages and civil partnerships can take place from the age of 16 with no need for parental consent. From 2004 to 2019 both parties to
3542-583: The United Kingdom King Charles III [REDACTED] William, Prince of Wales [REDACTED] Charles III ( King-in-Council ) [REDACTED] Starmer ministry ( L ) Keir Starmer ( L ) Angela Rayner ( L ) ( King-in-Parliament ) [REDACTED] Charles III [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The Lord Reed The Lord Hodge Andrew Bailey Monetary Policy Committee An Act of Parliament in
3619-470: The United Kingdom, Australian whips do not hold official office, but they are recognised for parliamentary purposes. In practice, Australian whips play a lesser role than their counterparts in the United Kingdom, as party discipline in Australia tends to be tighter. Their roles in the chamber include taking divisions, and maintaining a " pairs book " which controls the ability of members and senators to leave
3696-586: The bill and propose amendments before it is introduced. Draft bills allow more lengthy scrutiny of potential legislation and have been seen as a response to time pressures which may result in the use of programme orders to impose a strict timetable on the passage of bills and what is known as 'drafting on the hoof', where the government introduces amendments to its own bills. With increased time for scrutiny backed up with considered evidence, draft bills may present governments with difficulty in getting their way. The sponsoring government department will then write to
3773-512: The bill in with existing UK, European Union and delegated legislation. A finished bill must be approved or scrutinised by the sponsoring department and minister, parliamentary counsel and LP. The final stage is the submission of the bill to the authorities of the House in which it is to start its legislative journey. In the Commons, this is the Clerk of Legislation and the Public Bill Office in
3850-543: The debating chamber when required and organising members of their party to speak during debates. Since the introduction of proportional representation in 1996, divisions that require all members in the chamber to vote by taking sides (termed a personal vote ) are rarely used, except for conscience votes . Instead, one of the party's whips votes on behalf of all the members of their party, by declaring how many members are in favour and/or how many members are opposed. They also cast proxy votes for single-member parties whose member
3927-471: The equivalent of a party whip in English-speaking countries. Although South Africa uses a proportional representation system, the concept of a political party whip, which was inherited from colonial British rule , has been maintained. In 2017, African National Congress secretary general Gwede Mantashe said "Voting according to conscience doesn't work in a political party system. We all get into
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#17330558815714004-572: The exercise of patronage , which is used to motivate and reward loyalty. The role of whips is largely to ensure that MPs vote as required by the party leadership, i.e. to secure the government's business, and to protect the prime minister. Whips use a combination of threats and promises to secure compliance. A former chief whip said that there was a dividing line between legitimate and illegitimate persuasion: "Yes to threats on preferment (for government positions) and honours . No to abusing public money, such as threatening to withhold money from projects in
4081-497: The first whip. The first Democratic whip, Oscar Wilder Underwood , was appointed in about 1900. In the Senate, the position was created in 1913 by John W. Kern , chair of the Democratic caucus, when he appointed J. Hamilton Lewis as the first whip, while Republicans later chose James Wadsworth as the party's first in 1915. Michael Dobbs , formerly Chief of Staff for British Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher , wrote
4158-409: The gay rights group Stonewall said the amendment was "unworkable and undermined hundreds of years of family law". The House of Commons later voted 381—74 to remove this amendment, and sent the revised Bill back to the Lords for reconsideration. On 17 November, the Lords accepted the Commons version by a vote of 251 to 136; the bill received royal assent the next day. To form a civil partnership in
4235-498: The green benches, they have to sit as an independent MP. " "... severe punishment. The most severe is "having the whip withdrawn" - which means you are kicked out of the party within Parliament." "Defying a three-line whip is very serious, and has occasionally resulted in the whip being withdrawn from an MP or Lord. This means that the Member is effectively expelled from their party (but keeps their seat) and must sit as an independent until
4312-440: The largest category of legislation, in principle affecting the public general law applying to everyone across the entire United Kingdom, or at least to one or more of its constituent countries of England , Northern Ireland , Scotland , or Wales . Most public general acts proceed through Parliament as a public bill. Occasionally a bill is treated as hybrid . Private acts are either local or personal in their effect, applying to
4389-486: The leader and deputy leader of parliament are absent, the whip can speak for them. In India, Every major political party appoints a whip who is responsible for the party's discipline and behaviours on the floor of the house . Usually, they direct the party members to stick to the party's stand on certain issues and directs them to vote as per the direction of senior party members. However, there are some cases such as Indian Presidential elections where whips cannot direct
4466-774: The list of things and go to Parliament as parliamentarians of the ANC [...] There will be no voting against the ANC." Party whips exist in most of the major parties of the Legislative Yuan . For example, in the Democratic Progressive Party the party whip is the Caucus leader. In the Kuomintang the party whip is the executive director of the Policy Committee or the caucus leader. When voting for critical bills, whips may issue
4543-536: The original schedule of the 2004 act was amended to include several other countries and states. On 31 January 2013, a further 50 types of overseas relationship were added to the schedule. Relationships not specified in the schedule may also recognised as civil partnerships if they meet the conditions of Section 214 of the Act, therefore many of the unions listed below as not listed in Schedule 20 may nonetheless be recognised. The following unions were created after Schedule 20
4620-613: The parliament building during sittings, as well as the entitlement to be absent during divisions. Liberal Party whips are appointed by the leader of the party, while Australian Labor Party whips are elected by the Caucus . For Labor and the Liberals, the chief whip is assisted by two deputy whips. In Canada the Party Whip is the member of a political party in the Canadian House of Commons ,
4697-474: The property and pension rights afforded by civil partnerships to siblings who had lived together for more than 12 years. This was opposed by many backers of the bill, such as frontbench Conservative MP Alan Duncan , who considered it a wrecking amendment . Leigh himself was an opponent of the Civil Partnerships bill, and voted against it at the second reading. The amendment was backed by Norman Tebbit and
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#17330558815714774-757: The proposed bill and present their objections to committees of MPs and Lords." They include acts to confer powers on certain local authorities, a recent example being the Canterbury City Council Bill, which makes provisions relating to street trading and consumer protection in the city. Private bills can also affect certain companies: the Northern Bank Bill allowed the statutory right of Northern Bank to issue bank notes to be transferred to Danske Bank which had acquired it. Other private bills may affect particular companies established by Act of Parliament such as TSB Bank and Transas. Personal acts are
4851-482: The relevant policy committee of the Cabinet. The proposals are only discussed at a meeting if disagreements arise. Even an uncontroversial proposal may face administrative hurdles. A potential change in the law may have to wait for a more extensive bill in that policy area to be brought forward before it is worthwhile devoting parliamentary time to it. The proposal will then be bundled together with more substantive measures in
4928-623: The role of the whip is generally less important, though its importance is heightened when the government majority is less in the lower house. In New Zealand, the concept of the whip was inherited from British rule. All political parties that have four or more members in Parliament have at least one party whip, although Green Party whips are called musterers . Parties with 25 to 44 members are allowed two whips (one senior and one junior), and parties with 45 or more members are entitled to three whips (one senior and two junior). Whips act in an administrative role, making sure members of their party are in
5005-417: The same property rights as married couples, the same exemption as married couples regarding social security and pension benefits, and also the ability to exercise parental responsibility for a partner's children, as well as responsibility for reasonable maintenance of one's partner and their children, tenancy rights, full life insurance recognition, next-of-kin rights in hospitals, and others. There
5082-480: The same Bill. The Ministerial Committee on the Legislative Programme (LP), including the leaders and government chief whips in both houses, is responsible for the timetable of legislation. This committee decides which house a bill will start in, recommends to the Cabinet which proposals will be in the King's Speech , which will be published in draft and how much parliamentary time will be required. Following
5159-471: The second reading, and 43 in favour to 39 against at the third reading. High-profile Conservative MPs who voted against the Civil Partnerships Bill included Iain Duncan Smith, Ann Widdecombe , Bob Spink and Peter Lilley . Those who voted in favour included David Cameron , George Osborne and party leader Michael Howard. Around 30 Conservative MPs did not participate in any of the votes. An amendment tabled by Conservative MP Edward Leigh proposed to extend
5236-399: The six states and two self-governing territories, major political parties have whips to ensure party discipline and carry out a variety of other functions on behalf of the party leadership. The most important function of the whip's office is to ensure that all members and senators are present to take part in votes in the chamber (maintaining quorum and preventing censure motions ). Unlike in
5313-474: The term whipper-in as, "a huntsman's assistant who keeps the hounds from straying by driving them back with the whip into the main body of the pack". According to that dictionary, the first recorded use of the term whipper-in in the parliamentary sense occurs in 1772. However, P.D.G. Thomas in House of Commons in the Eighteenth Century cites two examples of the use of the term that pre-date 1772. It
5390-567: The whip is restored." Most parliamentary groups in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic appoint a Segretario (Secretary) or Segretario d'Aula (Floor Secretary), who enforces party discipline in the same way a whip does in English-speaking nations. The Minister for Parliamentary Relations also often acts like a whip, but works for the incumbent governing coalition as
5467-434: The whip withdrawn means the MP is effectively expelled from their party. UK parties do not have the power to expel an MP from parliament, but can force the MP to sit as an independent and remove them from ministerial office. "Losing the whip is seen by many as one of the strongest punishments a political party can dole out to its MPs. The move essentially expels the member from their party, meaning that while they can remain on
5544-484: The whip", being expelled from the party. The term is taken from the " whipper-in " during a hunt, who tries to prevent hounds from wandering away from a hunting pack. Additionally, the term "whip" may mean the voting instructions issued to legislators, or the status of a certain legislator in their party's parliamentary grouping. The expression whip in its parliamentary context, derived from its origins in hunting terminology. The Oxford English Dictionary defines
5621-410: The whole of the United Kingdom . A draft piece of legislation is called a bill . When this is passed by Parliament and given royal assent , it becomes an act and part of statute law . Acts of Parliament are classified as either "public general acts" or "local and personal acts" (also known as "private acts"). Bills are also classified as "public", "private", or "hybrid". Public general acts form
5698-468: Was chosen to have the same initials as the original trilogy's protagonist Francis Urquhart, and to reference Oscar Underwood , the first party whip for the US Democratic Party. The song " Demolition Man " by The Police references party whips in the lyric "I'm a three-line whip, I'm the sort of thing they ban." The Seinfeld episode " The Scofflaw " features a scene where Kramer explains that
5775-691: Was discriminatory and mandated that the Government change the law, although did not set a timeline for doing so. In response, the Prime Minister announced in October 2018 that civil partnerships would be opened to heterosexual couples. Legislation that requires the Secretary of State to issue regulations amending the Civil Partnership Act, so that opposite-sex couples may enter into civil partnerships, passed
5852-649: Was last updated: The Act was announced in the Queen's Speech at the start of the 2003/2004 legislative session, and its full text was revealed on 31 March 2004. It received royal assent on 18 November 2004 and came into force on 5 December 2005, allowing the first couples to form civil partnerships 15 days later. Confusion regarding the interpretation of the Act led to registrations being accepted from 19 December in Northern Ireland, 20 December in Scotland and 21 December in England and Wales. The Scottish Parliament voted in favour of
5929-437: Was within the context of such summonses to members out of town that the first known Parliamentary instance of the use of the term "whip" occurred. In the debate of 8 May 1769 on a petition from some Middlesex freeholders against the seating of Henry Luttrell instead of John Wilkes, Edmund Burke mentioned that the ministry had sent for their friends to the north and to Paris, "whipping them in, than which, he said, there could not be
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