The Usual Channels Inside the Mysterious World of Political Whips
Once, political whips swore by a code of omertà…
‘The theory was that you never discussed what went on in the whips’ office until your dying day, as though you worked at Bletchley Park.’
… But not any more.
Though decades of silence have fostered intrigue, mythology and suspicion about their activities, the whips’ office has long played a crucial role in Westminster, greasing the parliamentary machine and keeping rebellious MPs in check. But while whips appear all-knowing and ever-present, are they still all-powerful?
The Usual Channels pulls back the curtain on one of Westminster’s most notorious elements and explores whether whips still have the upper hand.
Charting eccentric traditions and colourful characters, this authoritative guide is not only an insight into the workings of a crucial institution; it is also a masterclass in the past fifty years of British political history.
Reviews
“This is a superb book and it’s astonishing nobody’s written something like it before. Through scores of delicious anecdotes, Sebastian Whale exposes how power really works in the secretive and murky world of the parliamentary whips’ offices. Highly entertaining, it deserves to become a political classic.”
Michael Crick, broadcaster and writer
“A magnificent achievement. Whale has delivered the authoritative book on the most mysterious pillar of Westminster’s power structure – the whips’ office. Packed with insight and colourful anecdotes from inside the Houses of Parliament, this is a political junkie’s dream.”
Jack Blanchard, POLITICO
“Parliamentary whips deliver government – laws, taxes, policies. Sebastian Whale reveals who they are, how they do it and the mordant, cynical humour that surrounds the whole process.”
Mark D’arcy, Parliament Matters podcast
“Through a wealth of compelling anecdotes and deftly told stories, The Usual Channels pierces some of the persistent myths about the dark arts and brings our understanding of the whips’ office bang up to date. Above all, it is an addictive and funny read which anyone with even a passing interest in politics will love.”
Esther Webber, POLITICO
“Sebastian Whale manages to break through the omertà of the government’s whips office and uncover the secrets of the men and women who have shaped politics from the shadows. The Usual Channels is a must-read on modern British history.”
Ralph Blackburn, Westminster correspondent at the Yorkshire Post
“For those who want to truly understand the world of Westminster, The Usual Channels is as essential a read as Erskine May. Few books contain such a treasure trove of anecdotes; there is political gold on every single page.”
James Matthewson, writer, broadcaster and former Labour adviser
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- Hardback, 544 pages
- ISBN: 9781785908545
-
25 September 2025
Available to pre-order - £25.00
- eBook
- ISBN: 9781785909160
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25 September 2025
Available to pre-order - £19.99