"Usual channels" is a term used in
British politics
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy which, by legislation and Convention (norm), convention, operates as a Unitary state, unitary parliamentary democracy. A Hereditary monarchy, hereditary Monarchy of the United Kingdom, monarch, ...
to describe the relationship between the
whip
A whip is a blunt weapon or implement used in a striking motion to create sound or pain. Whips can be used for flagellation against humans or animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain, or be used as an audible cue thro ...
s and leadership of the
Government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...
and the
Opposition. Essentially, this is to obtain co-operation between the two parties, in order to ensure as much business as possible can be dealt with in each parliamentary session.
Negotiations in the "usual channels" take place daily, with the key roles being played by civil servants such as the
Principal Private Secretary to the Chief Whip. They determine how the time in each house of Parliament is spent and, prior to the
2010 general election, they decided the composition and the chair of
select committees.
In 2002, the
Hansard Society
The Hansard Society was formed in the United Kingdom in 1944 to promote parliamentary democracy. Founded and chaired by Commander Stephen King-Hall, the first subscribers were Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee. The society's co-presidents a ...
published a report entitled ''Opening Up The Usual Channels'', which concluded that the Commons would benefit from greater transparency if the system were to be replaced by a formal "business committee" as used in other legislatures. In 2006,
The Constitution Unit at
UCL made similar recommendations.
In 2009, following the
parliamentary expenses scandal, a temporary 'Reform of the House of Commons' select committee, the
Wright Committee, was established to consider issues of
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
reform. The recommendations in their report included the establishment of a backbench business committee and the election of select committee chairs, which would fundamentally change the way the usual channels work.
Following the general election in May 2010, a
Backbench Business Committee
The Backbench Business Committee of the British House of Commons was created on 15 June 2010 through the adoption of a new standing order. It was created soon after 2010 general election, but had been proposed during the previous Parliament by the ...
was established in June, which is responsible for determining the business of the House of Commons for one day each week. Also, for the first time, chairs of select committees were elected by secret ballot by the whole house, while select committee members were elected internally within each party group.
References
Sources
''BBC News'': Behind the scenes at Westminster11 December 2002
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Political whips
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