dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə pˈiəɹɪəd ʌv lˈeɪbɚ maɪnˈɔːɹᵻɾi ɡˈʌvɚnmənt mˈeɪ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti nˈaɪnɑːktˈoʊbɚ tˈuː θˈaʊzənd, hiː ˈɔːlsoʊ sˈɜːvd æz tʃˈiːf wˈɪp ʌvðə lˈeɪbɚ ɡɹˈuːp, bˌʌt stˈændɪŋ ˈɔːɹdɚz ʌvðə lˈeɪbɚ ɡɹˈuːp pɹəhˈɪbɪɾᵻd hˌɪm hˈoʊldɪŋ ðɪs pˈoʊst dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ɐ kˌoʊəlˈɪʃən pˈiəɹɪəd.
During the period of Labour minority government (May 1999-October 2000), he also served as chief whip of the Labour group, but Standing Orders of the Labour Group prohibited him holding this post during a coalition period.