Party organiser needing wife's help in public at first (4)
I believe the answer is:
whip
'party organiser' is the definition.
('whips' keep discipline in parliamentary parties)
'wife's help in public at first' is the wordplay.
'at first' suggests taking the first letters.
The initial letters of 'wifes help in public' is 'WHIP'.
'needing' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for whip that I've seen before include "Strike with lash or rod" , "Instrument of punishment" , "Address insultingly" , "Cat-o'-nine-tails" , "Flog - steal" .)