Thread by @garius

I kind of agree with this, but think it modifying rather than removing.

Truth is, we live in a parliamentary democracy with political parties. Therefore, MPs are often required to vote with the party line.

The output needs modifying to show when your issue is with the PARTY.

https://twitter.com/JohnAshmore/status/1450398683481231363

Yes, yes, I know any MP COULD vote against the whip, theoretically, but there is always a lot of nuance in play with that. Let's not pretend there isn't. It's not how life works.

A big issue these days is removing nuance and oversimplification of politics.

Yes, I know that there's a tiny bit of grey writing on the full voting record page that gives some vague indication of whether they toed the party line, but that's really not clear enough.

Because in most instances, it's the BIGGEST driver of how they voted.

So really the whole section needs reworking to show (in priority):

1) When MPs DISOBEYED the whip (fully or abstained) and how strong that whip was.
2) How MPs voted on 'free votes' on key issues
3) When they voted with their party on key issues.

And don't come at me in the replies to this with:

"well they should ALWAYS vote with their conscience"

or:

"well then we should change our system of parties/government"

This is about practical solutions to real-world problems. I want PR etc. too, but it's not here now.

This, however, IS 100% part of the problem and I completely agree.

It really is hard to know how hard MPs are being whipped a lot of the time. (Ooh matron)

https://twitter.com/crispy_bart/status/1450740033720291335

To answer something else that has come up in the replies:

Doesn't MATTER if you understand how whipping works and don't feel you need this info. You're someone who follows me, and has read a politics thread. Of COURSE you do.

Don't assume your knowledge is universal. It isn't.

This is one of the biggest mistakes people make on any subject (whether it's history, politics, science or whatever).

We make the mistake of thinking our own understanding is the default, or demanding that it should be.

Life doesn't work like that. We have to hack around it.