Whipping Yarns: An SNP whip's tale - A conversation with former MP Patrick Grady

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Whipping Yarns: An SNP whip's tale - A conversation with former MP Patrick Grady - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 64

3 Jan 2025

In this episode we explore the experiences of the SNP during its transformative rise at Westminster from 2015, as seen through the eyes of Patrick Grady MP who served as the party’s Chief Whip between 2017 and 2021. Patrick shares insights on the challenges, tactics, and controversies faced by the SNP as they sought to amplify Scotland’s voice in Parliament while navigating the complexities of being a third-party force with a mission for independence.

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From six to 56: A political earthquake: Patrick recounts the seismic shift in 2015, when the SNP surged from six MPs to 56, reshaping Scotland’s presence at Westminster. He describes the cultural adjustments required as the party transitioned to its expanded role and new responsibilities as the third party and sought to master Westminster’s traditions and procedures while asserting their identity in a political system designed for two-party dominance. Along the way, creative tactics like the "breakfast wars" and spontaneous acts of defiance helped carve out their space.

Blending experience with fresh energy: The SNP’s parliamentary team was a mix of seasoned hands and new talent, bringing diverse professional backgrounds to the table. Patrick reflects on the complexities of maintaining party discipline in such a dynamic environment while managing the inevitable evolution of internal dynamics over time.

Theatrics with a purpose: From walking out of Prime Minister’s Questions in protest to whistling Ode to Joy during Brexit votes, Patrick sheds light on the purpose behind the SNP’s theatrical moments. These acts were not mere stunts but initiatives that helped draw attention to critical issues for Scotland, such as the contentious Internal Market Act and the English Votes for English Laws (EVEL) procedures.

The human side of whipping: Beyond the public stage, Patrick shares insights into the pastoral care aspect of a Chief Whip’s responsibilities. Supporting MPs with diverse personal and professional needs - especially those with young families - required empathy and flexibility, even as legislative demands loomed large.

Reflections on a remarkable journey: Having stepped down from Westminster, Patrick reflects on the impermanence of being an MP, his pride in representing Glasgow North, and the unpredictable challenges that shaped his tenure, from Brexit to the pandemic. His practical advice to his successors? Don’t forget a water filter jug to tackle London’s hard water — a small but vital tip for life in the capital.

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Our guest

Patrick Grady

Patrick Grady was a Scottish National Party Member of Parliament from 2015 until 2024, representing the constituency of Glasgow North. He served in a number of roles on the SNP frontbench, including as its International Development spokesperson (2015-17) and as the SNP Chief Whip (2017-21). During his time in the House of Commons, Patrick was a member of several select committees, including the Procedure Committee (2015-17, 2022-24), the Committee of Selection (2017-19), the Administration Committee (2017-18), and Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (2017-19).

Transcript

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[00:00:00] Intro: You are listening to Parliament Matters, a Hansard Society production, supported by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. Learn more at hansardsociety.org.uk/PM.

[00:00:17] Ruth Fox: Welcome to Parliament Matters Whipping Yarns, our series peering into the hidden world of Westminster's whips. I'm Ruth Fox.

[00:00:24] Mark D'Arcy: And I'm Mark D'Arcy. In 2015, the Scottish National Party went from being a bitplayer minority party in the Commons to a formidable third force with around 50 MPs throughout the subsequent Brexit parliaments.

[00:00:37] Ruth Fox: But the twist is they didn't really want to be there. Their aim was Scottish independence which would have meant no SNP MPs at all.

[00:00:44] Mark D'Arcy: So, for much of that time, their Chief Whip was Patrick Grady, and we asked him what it was like to arrive in that 2015 Parliament with a big contingent of MPs and a kind of sense of manifest destiny that independence was within their grasp.

[00:00:58] Patrick Grady: It was an election of quite considerable surprises, I think. People hadn't expected that the Conservatives would return with a majority, and we hadn't expected such an overwhelming win. We felt post 2014 that the SNP was poised to do possibly as well as it had ever done at Westminster, but the scale of the result was, was quite a surprise.

[00:01:21] So there was a lot to take in for the whole group. First of all, just to get to know each other, and then to get to know the ways and means, uh, to coin a phrase, of Westminster. And we were quite determined. We'd been elected on a manifesto to work very constructively, but to speak up for Scotland, make Scotland's voice heard.

[00:01:39] So we were prepared to shake things up and not simply do as we were told. And some of that manifested itself very early on, in terms of applause in the chamber, for example, and the breakfast wars, as they were called, when we tried to establish our seating entitlement.

[00:01:57] Mark D'Arcy: Oh yes, with Dennis Skinner, you had a bit of a sort of border skirmish between yourself and the Labour Party over Dennis Skinner's particular customary seat on the front bench.

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