iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

@writesbright.bsky.social Hi Sam, hope you're well. Would you mind following me back so I can send you a DM? Best wishes, Seb

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

100%. After that vote, a source in the whips' office said: ‘As well as an intelligence-gathering service, the whips’ office acts as a reality check for the centre. It isn’t the Bullying and Arm-Twisting Department, as depicted in the caricature.’

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Some people are born to lead, others are destined to shout from the sidelines. I’d always had Farage pegged in the latter group, and I suspect he’ll prove this right later on. All with a fitting, ‘poor me’ diatribe about the press to couch *his* choice

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

@georgeeaton.bsky.social Hi George, I wanted to pitch you a piece for Arguably - could you follow me so I can send a DM or share a contact? Thanks! Seb

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

“Deserves to become a political classic” - Michael Crick “Exceptional” - Yorkshire Post “A huge hit for any Westminster political junkie” - Daily Mail “A magnificent achievement” - Jack Blanchard, Politico Order The Usual Channels here! www.amazon.co.uk/Usual-Channe...

amazon.co.uk

The Usual Channels: Inside the Mysterious World of Political Whips: Amazon.co.uk: Sebastian Whale: 9781785908545: Books

Buy The Usual Channels: Inside the Mysterious World of Political Whips by Sebastian Whale (ISBN: 9781785908545) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Enjoyed this review of The Usual Channels (and Simon Hart’s diaries) in the TLS On a point of clarity - as others have noted this - there 100% *was* a black book…I just included whips’ obfuscation about it, and how it was all about note taking to gather intelligence www.the-tls.com/politics-by-...

the-tls.com

Kindly bullies

Westminster has always attracted an outsized number of larger-than-life politicians who love the limelight. But there is one group of MPs who generally avoid attention, while playing an essential role...

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

many congratulations, Rob! I really enjoyed reading The Illusionist last year. Look forward to your latest venture

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

I for one am very excited for Phase Three

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

Absolute ripper of a column from @patrickmaguire.bsky.social this morning

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

The Defectors Is one side’s headache about to become another party’s migraine? Latest Usual Channels substack is out now. open.substack.com/pub/theusual...

open.substack.com

The Defectors

Jumping ship.

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

I went to one wedding whether the father of the bride went through in granular detail the highlights of each of his daughter's 27 years This is worse #Trump

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

It's like the worst father of the bride speech #Trump

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Sometimes I wish the internet didn't exist and then Brooklyn Beckham posts his stories and everything makes sense again

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

19.01: Check for reviews. Glowing five-star. Wonderful! Am brilliant writer. 19.14: Message from friend. I left you a review on GoodReads xx hope it helps! (starting this weekend) open.substack.com/pub/whalemig...

open.substack.com

A Day In The Life of A Writer

In case you wanted to know.

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

This week’s whipping anecdote is the one about the American invasion Out now: open.substack.com/pub/theusual...

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

Thanks to my writers' group in Seville, which recently released a collection of some of our works, I achieved a goal for 2025 of getting a piece of fiction published. In this case, it's a short story called Breakfast at El Pica: whalemigration.substack.com/p/a-short-st...

whalemigration.substack.com

A Short Story

Breakfast At El Pica.

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

The Christmas Whip A little ditty on David Lightbown, the marauding giant of a Tory whip dressed as Father Christmas. theusualchannels.substack.com/p/the-christ...

theusualchannels.substack.com

The Christmas Whip

Some festive whipping cheer.

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

Wish I had the same level of irony as the person who came up with the spelling of the word phonetic

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

‘I looked at my phone and rallied myself. Enough. Fuck this thing and its control on my life, on my attention, on my well-being. I picked up a book and sank into the sofa.’ I Read 100 Books in 2025. This is What I Learnt open.substack.com/pub/whalemig...

open.substack.com

I Read 100 Books in 2025. This is What I Learnt.

Falling back in love with a neglected pastime.

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

Keir Starmer and I need to get real Today you have to put yourself out there and make your case. Again and again and again. But the big question remains: what is it that you want to say? open.substack.com/pub/theusual...

open.substack.com

Keir Starmer and I Need to Get Real

And deal with the world as it really is.

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

So funny to me the idea that Liz Truss’ undoing was just the mini-budget and not that she was obviously unsuited to the role of prime minister by basically every conceivable metric

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

Inspired by @danbloom1.bsky.social’s brilliant piece on the Tories’ improved output in opposition, I’ve written about the ‘Fuck-Up Squad’, the Tory committee that wreaked havoc against the Jim Callaghan government in the late 70s. Is the old band back together? open.substack.com/pub/theusual...

open.substack.com

The New Tory Fuck-Up Squad

Fun and frolics in opposition.

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Bested by an ex-Chief Whip An interview that went wrong. This week’s The Usual Channels Substack is out now! open.substack.com/pub/theusual...

open.substack.com

Bested by an ex-Chief Whip

When Gavin Williamson got the better of me.

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

‘The book is a huge hit for any Westminster political junkie, and what makes it work is the feast of political anecdotes that pepper the 500-plus pages.’ So thrilled with Roger Alton’s review of The Usual Channels in @dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/a...

dailymail.co.uk

How Whips work in the Westminster shadows

They're masters of the dark political arts who know the peccadilloes of every MP. Now, a new book reveals how the Whips of Westminster get what they want...

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

‘In my time, the Tories were always better organised, their whipping arrangements more sophisticated, and their whole practice of dealing with the whips’ office was better.’ A piece on Labour’s whipping inferiority complex - and why a new look whips’ office will be up against it

open.substack.com

Labour's Inferiority Complex

And why Johnny reminds me of Jacqui.

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

Blair didn’t remove the whip from Corbyn et al. Starmer did. But who was right? All this and more in The Usual Channels Substack

theusualchannels.substack.com

To Strip or Not to Strip?

That is the whipping question.

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 30/10/2025

Cracking the Code: How I took on the near impenetrable world of the whips’ office. The first article of The Usual Channels Substack is now live, ft words from my favourite (anonymous) ex-Chief Whip and pen pal theusualchannels.substack.com/p/cracking-t...

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Sally Dawson @sallydawson.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

"Whale interviewed a large number of whips and ex-whips, enabling him to write an accurate and sympathetic account" 📚 Lord George Young reviews @sebwhale.bsky.social 'The Usual Channels: Inside the Mysterious World of Political Whips' | @bitebackpublishing.bsky.social bit.ly/431Mrq7

bit.ly

'A serious piece of work': Lord Young reviews 'The Usual Channels'

Sebastian Whale has produced a well researched and accurate account of how the whips’ office works

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Biteback Publishing @bitebackpublishing.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

🌟“A magnificent achievement. Whale has delivered the authoritative book on the most mysterious pillar of Westminster’s power structure – the whips’ office. Packed with insight and colourful anecdotes from inside the Houses of Parliament, this is a political junkie’s dream.” Jack Blanchard

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Few better feelings! A special moment shared with Jeremy Hughes, a close friend and illustrator extraordinaire, who designed the cover. The Usual Channels is out on Thursday! tinyurl.com/yc2hdkar

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Alexandra Meakin @ameakin.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Really enjoyed this week's episode of The Rundown on the 'dark arts' of political whipping with @alaintolhurst.bsky.social @sebwhale.bsky.social & former Govt Chief Whip, Lord Harper. Straight onto the Reading List for #PIED2706 Week 2: Who's Who in Parliament open.spotify.com/episode/1zAe...

open.spotify.com

Unmasking the 'dark arts' of political whipping

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Biteback Publishing @bitebackpublishing.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

Politics isn’t just speeches and elections; it’s what happens behind closed doors. 📚These five books expose the hidden power players, backroom deals and real decision-makers shaping the UK 👉 www.bitebackpublishing.com/posts/unders... @tomjonbrown.bsky.social | @sebwhale.bsky.social

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

alas, I'm afraid you might be disappointed, Norman!

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Seb Whale @sebwhale.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

Your columns are worth the subscription price alone, James

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Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

This is one of those stories that I keep thinking will get bigger and bigger but which no-one outside of small security circles is talking about much... www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024...