21 MARCH 1970, Page 11

A Whip's lament

CHRISTOPHER HOLLIS

The Government majority at the end of the recent defence debate sank to twenty-one and Mr Mellish, the Chief Whip, com- plained that he wondered whether his job was worth doing.

When it was one and twenty, I heard the Chief Whip say, 'Let Brown and Foot and Shinwell Elect to stay away, Let Heifer and Mikardo Think it a cause for boast And even Noel-Baker Invoke the Holy Ghost.'

When it was one and twenty, I heard him blow his top.

'At times I almost wonder If I should shut the shop If whipped with cries a-plenty Who knows what they would do?

It might have sunk to twenty Or jumped to twenty-two.'