Matt Hancock will appear on I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! when the mismatch of well-known faces enter the Australian jungle on Sunday, November 9.
The former Health Secretary might be looking to “go to where the people are”, according to his own statement, but the decision to appear on the hit ITV television show has cost him his party credentials.
After informing party bosses of his decision to fly Down Under for filming, Chief Whip Simon Hart decided to suspend the whip from Mr Hancock — who was a key player in Boris Johnson's Government's handling of the Covid pandemic.
That means, at least for the time being, that the once-Cabinet Minister is no longer a Tory MP.
But that is unlikely to stop the public voting for Mr Hancock — who quit as Health Secretary after breaking his own Covid guidance by kissing aide Gina Coladangelo — to undertake every bushtucker trial going.
The 44-year-old could be forced to undergo gruelling tasks such as being smothered in insects or eating kangaroo penis.
What is the whip in politics?
According to the UK Parliament's website: "Whips are MPs or Members of the House of Lords appointed by each party in Parliament to help organise their party’s contribution to parliamentary business.
"One of their responsibilities is making sure the maximum number of their party members vote, and vote the way their party wants."
British politics centres around parties, with election candidates signing up to a shared set of ideals and policies.
Once elected to the House of Commons, parties look to keep a united front by issuing instructions to their MPs on how the leader would like them to vote on issues and legislation.
Hence the term whip, with the MPs “whipped” into line on matters.
According to UK Parliament’s website, the term comes from an 18th century hunting term — “whipper-in”.
The phrase refers to a huntsman’s assistant who encourages straying dogs back to the main pack with a whip.
Politically, instructions on how to vote are accompanied by markers indicating how important it is that the MP votes with their party.
A one-line whip is the least important, with a three-line whip being the most vital.
Disobeying or not turning up for a vote on a three-line whip can have severe repercussions for a politician, including being thrown out of the party altogether.
What does it mean to have the whip suspended in politics?
Having the whip suspended is the equivalent of being ousted — at least temporarily — as an MP for your party.
The decision to strip Mr Hancock of the Tory whip means that, while he is still employed as MP for West Suffolk, the Conservative government no longer recognises him as one of its own.
Upon his return for Australia, he will no longer be sent instructions on how to vote and will officially be classed as an “Independent”.
He can still retain his party membership, but he is not recognised as a sitting Tory MP by his party until a reversal of the chief whip's decision.
Rishi Sunak ’s party could choose to reinstate him — something the Tories have past form for.
Theresa May ’s Government controversially opted to restore the whip to then-Dover MP Charlie Elphicke so he could take part in a confidence vote in the former prime minister.
Elphicke, having been initially suspended after “serious allegations” where made against him, was later jailed in 2020 on three counts of sexual assault.
Other notable MPs to no longer have their party whip is former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
He was suspended as a Labour MP for his reaction to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) investigation into antisemitism in the Labour Party during his leadership.
There is a campaign to have him reinstated before the next general election, which is currently scheduled for 2024.
