The Rt Hon Sir Alan Campbell MP
Biography
Sir Alan Campbell was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip) on 5 July 2024. He was elected as the MP for Tynemouth in May 1997.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
The Chief Whip is responsible for administering the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote in Parliament as the party leadership desires.
Whips are MPs or Lords appointed by each party in Parliament to help organise their party’s contribution to parliamentary business. One of their responsibilities is making sure the maximum number of their party members vote, and vote the way their party wants.
Other whip duties
Whips frequently act as tellers (counting votes in divisions). They also manage the pairing system whereby Members of opposing parties both agree not to vote when other business (such as a select committee visit) prevents them from being present at Westminster.
Whips are also largely responsible (together with the Leader of the House in the Commons) for arranging the business of Parliament. In this role they are frequently referred to as ‘the usual channels’.