Ministerial role

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)

Current role holder: The Rt Hon Sir Alan Campbell MP

Responsibilities

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’.

Current role holder

The Rt Hon Sir Alan Campbell MP

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.

More about this person

Previous holders of this role

1. The Rt Hon Simon Hart

   2022 to 2024

2. Wendy Morton MP

   2022 to 2022

3. The Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris

   2022 to 2022

4. The Rt Hon Sir Mark Spencer

   2019 to 2022

5. The Rt Hon Julian Smith MP

   2017 to 2019

6. The Rt Hon Sir Gavin Williamson CBE MP

   2016 to 2017

7. The Rt Hon Mark Harper

   2015 to 2016

8. The Rt Hon Michael Gove

   2014 to 2015

9. The Rt Hon Sir George Young Bt

   2012 to 2014

10. The Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP

    2012 to 2012

11. The Rt Hon Sir Patrick McLoughlin

    2010 to 2012