Michael Portillo lifts lid on violent past of Whips’ Office and how ‘wokery’ changed politics

The GB News host admitted that during his time as a Conservative whip, MPs were sometimes “persuaded” to vote the right way using brutal tactics.

“When I was in the Whips’ Office, blackmail was used to persuade people to vote the right way,” he said.

“There were even occasions of physical violence as punishment for not doing so.”

Mr Whale agreed the system had changed dramatically under modern scrutiny.

“You wouldn’t be able to get away with it now,” he said. “It’s as much about putting an arm around MPs as bullying them.”

Michael admitted that even in his time, the Whips’ Office was a strange mix of “HR department and discipline department”.

Mr Whale said the modern role was “much more pastoral”, though whips still held “a lot of power” over MPs’ careers.

“Bullying and arm-twisting just wouldn’t stand today,” he said.

The pair reflected on how social media and transparency had “softened” politics, turning whips from feared enforcers into quasi counsellors.

“Now it’s much more about support,” he added.

“But whips still have power, they can still make or break a political career.”

Whale, author of The Whips’ Office, said modern politics has become “about individuals rather than parties,” warning that loyalty and pragmatism have been replaced by self-interest.

He added: “You can’t bring back the bullying or cajoling, but Parliament still needs strong leadership to get business done.”

Michael finished off: "You remind me, and you know this story very well, Margaret Thatcher meeting a newly elected member.

"And he said, I got 25,125 votes. And she said, no, I got the 25,000, you got the 125."