731:
904:(and the provincial legislatures), the front seats on the government side are reserved for cabinet ministers. Front row members of the governing party are not referred to as frontbenchers, but as cabinet ministers. Some "frontbenchers" actually sit in the centre of the second row, so as to be seen directly behind the party leader during Question Period (and thus, in the television frame).
817:
998:
right, whilst the opposition leaders sit to the
Speaker's left (as seen from the Speaker's chair). The term frontbencher is therefore also used in New Zealand but usually refers to the foremost leaders and spokespersons of the
908:
1246:
995:
889:
1159:
916:
869:
1187:
974:
In more recent times, journalists have casually referred to ministers as frontbenchers rather than expressing the due deference of their ministerial positions.
1133:
706:
1241:
845:
829:
959:
constitute the government front bench, while the members of parties in declared opposition to the government constitute the opposition front bench.
759:
857:
987:
951:, refers to any organised group of party members who holds any degree of speaking power (derived from the party) on specific issues. The
711:
1000:
1088:
868:
is the oldest government department). The government frontbench is on the right hand side as seen by the
Chairman (typically the
716:
912:
920:
1062:
367:
849:
752:
150:
901:
698:
1192:
1164:
679:
1037:
800:. Independent and minority parties sit to the side or on benches between the two sides, and are referred to as
416:
347:
968:
745:
371:
607:
1236:
956:
932:
881:
877:
649:
588:
543:
506:
362:
357:
342:
303:
126:
106:
1089:"Frontbench reshuffle could leave Nationals without a woman in Cabinet and no ministers in Upper House"
1087:
Dalzell, political reporter
Stephanie; Worthington, political correspondent Brett (5 February 2020).
644:
436:
243:
96:
76:
948:
684:
674:
669:
654:
634:
491:
313:
298:
168:
116:
952:
983:
639:
598:
533:
451:
263:
131:
61:
52:
936:
1107:
994:, are reserved for the government and opposition leaders. The government ministers sit to the
837:
821:
788:
for each group will often sit at the front of their group, and are then known as being on the
456:
431:
71:
36:
593:
538:
520:
501:
486:
253:
183:
101:
1119:
1017:
805:
777:
735:
664:
659:
579:
553:
548:
528:
466:
426:
421:
43:
776:
and other similar assemblies, seating is typically arranged in banks or rows, with each
841:
461:
411:
352:
218:
198:
730:
1230:
332:
248:
238:
1217:
873:
801:
785:
567:
446:
401:
337:
318:
178:
1012:
940:
865:
825:
797:
441:
391:
327:
323:
293:
228:
158:
816:
1160:"'Celebrity auctioneer' Gladys Liu prompts probe into government frontbencher"
944:
861:
796:) and are described as frontbenchers. Those sitting behind them are known as
773:
288:
223:
213:
625:
496:
268:
258:
173:
163:
971:
also has a front bench, which includes all ministers and shadow ministers.
17:
1221:
833:
308:
233:
208:
203:
193:
86:
188:
1188:"Pressure mounts on Michaelia Cash to quit frontbench over AWU fiasco"
781:
396:
923:
with a non-partisan makeup, ministers sit amongst regular members.
815:
1063:"What's the difference between UK frontbench and backbench MPs?"
909:
provincial legislature and the territorial legislature of Yukon
864:
frontbench is traditionally called the
Treasury bench (
1003:rather than those on the government front benches.
1247:Organizational structure of political parties
808:with other members of their political party.
753:
8:
1038:"Frontbench (frontbenchers) - Glossary page"
888:ministers, of whom the most senior form the
900:While backbenchers are referred to in the
760:
746:
572:
57:
31:
1029:
115:
85:
60:
42:
1115:
1105:
986:whereby the front benches, or in the
907:The same arrangement exists for each
7:
988:New Zealand House of Representatives
1186:Hunter, Fergus (25 October 2017).
25:
1158:Harris, Rob (18 September 2019).
876:), and is occupied by Government
804:. Frontbenchers may be part of a
1242:Parliament of the United Kingdom
1134:"Frontbenchers and backbenchers"
729:
870:Speaker of the House of Commons
846:Deputy Leader of the Opposition
1138:Parliamentary Education Office
1:
955:(TDs) who are members of the
850:Shadow Deputy Prime Minister
712:Political parties by region
502:Party convention/conference
27:Senior member of parliament
1263:
902:House of Commons of Canada
699:Lists of political parties
1193:The Sydney Morning Herald
1165:The Sydney Morning Herald
707:Ruling parties by country
680:National unity government
982:New Zealand follows the
830:Leader of the Opposition
717:Banned political parties
417:Leader of the Opposition
385:Leaders and organization
348:Parliamentary opposition
969:Parliament of Australia
853:
784:grouped together. The
984:Westminster tradition
957:Government of Ireland
917:Northwest Territories
882:opposition frontbench
819:
650:Confidence and supply
507:Leadership convention
358:Official party status
314:Entrepreneurial party
921:consensus government
824:frontbench in 2012:
655:Consensus government
645:Coalition government
437:Parliamentary leader
244:Classical radicalism
1001:Official Opposition
736:Politics portal
685:Rotation government
675:Minority government
670:Majority government
635:Parliamentary group
492:Leadership election
169:Christian democracy
1118:has generic name (
854:
640:Divided government
534:Crossing the floor
480:Internal elections
452:Party spokesperson
363:Single-issue party
53:Political Spectrum
911:. In the case of
838:Shadow Chancellor
770:
769:
616:
615:
432:Political faction
140:
139:
16:(Redirected from
1254:
1220:definition from
1205:
1204:
1202:
1200:
1183:
1177:
1176:
1174:
1172:
1155:
1149:
1148:
1146:
1144:
1130:
1124:
1123:
1117:
1113:
1111:
1103:
1101:
1099:
1084:
1078:
1077:
1075:
1073:
1059:
1053:
1052:
1050:
1048:
1034:
858:House of Commons
762:
755:
748:
734:
733:
573:
539:Party discipline
521:Party discipline
487:Primary election
343:Opposition party
254:Social democracy
184:Environmentalism
58:
32:
21:
1262:
1261:
1257:
1256:
1255:
1253:
1252:
1251:
1227:
1226:
1214:
1209:
1208:
1198:
1196:
1185:
1184:
1180:
1170:
1168:
1157:
1156:
1152:
1142:
1140:
1132:
1131:
1127:
1114:
1104:
1097:
1095:
1086:
1085:
1081:
1071:
1069:
1061:
1060:
1056:
1046:
1044:
1036:
1035:
1031:
1026:
1018:Frontbench Team
1009:
980:
965:
929:
919:where there is
898:
884:is occupied by
814:
806:Frontbench Team
778:political party
766:
728:
723:
722:
721:
701:
691:
690:
689:
665:Hung parliament
660:Grand coalition
629:
628:between parties
618:
617:
612:
603:
584:
570:
560:
559:
558:
554:Party switching
549:Party-line vote
529:Conscience vote
523:
513:
512:
511:
481:
473:
472:
471:
427:Minority leader
422:Majority leader
386:
378:
377:
376:
309:Catch-all party
283:
275:
274:
273:
153:
142:
141:
136:
111:
81:
55:
37:Politics series
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1260:
1258:
1250:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1229:
1228:
1225:
1224:
1213:
1212:External links
1210:
1207:
1206:
1178:
1150:
1125:
1079:
1054:
1028:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1021:
1020:
1015:
1008:
1005:
979:
976:
964:
961:
928:
925:
897:
894:
890:Shadow Cabinet
842:Harriet Harman
813:
812:United Kingdom
810:
768:
767:
765:
764:
757:
750:
742:
739:
738:
725:
724:
720:
719:
714:
709:
703:
702:
697:
696:
693:
692:
688:
687:
682:
677:
672:
667:
662:
657:
652:
647:
642:
637:
631:
630:
624:
623:
620:
619:
614:
613:
611:
610:
604:
602:
601:
596:
591:
589:Dominant-party
585:
583:
582:
576:
571:
566:
565:
562:
561:
557:
556:
551:
546:
541:
536:
531:
525:
524:
519:
518:
515:
514:
510:
509:
504:
499:
494:
489:
483:
482:
479:
478:
475:
474:
470:
469:
464:
462:Shadow cabinet
459:
454:
449:
444:
439:
434:
429:
424:
419:
414:
412:Lead candidate
409:
404:
399:
394:
388:
387:
384:
383:
380:
379:
375:
374:
365:
360:
355:
353:Party of power
350:
345:
340:
335:
330:
321:
316:
311:
306:
301:
296:
291:
285:
284:
281:
280:
277:
276:
272:
271:
266:
261:
256:
251:
246:
241:
236:
231:
226:
221:
219:Libertarianism
216:
211:
206:
201:
199:Green politics
196:
191:
186:
181:
176:
171:
166:
161:
155:
154:
148:
147:
144:
143:
138:
137:
135:
134:
129:
123:
120:
119:
113:
112:
110:
109:
104:
102:Radical Centre
99:
93:
90:
89:
83:
82:
80:
79:
74:
68:
65:
64:
56:
51:
50:
47:
46:
44:Party politics
40:
39:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1259:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1234:
1232:
1223:
1219:
1216:
1215:
1211:
1195:
1194:
1189:
1182:
1179:
1167:
1166:
1161:
1154:
1151:
1139:
1135:
1129:
1126:
1121:
1116:|first2=
1109:
1094:
1090:
1083:
1080:
1068:
1064:
1058:
1055:
1043:
1042:UK Parliament
1039:
1033:
1030:
1023:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1010:
1006:
1004:
1002:
997:
993:
989:
985:
977:
975:
972:
970:
962:
960:
958:
954:
953:Teachtaí Dála
950:
946:
942:
938:
934:
926:
924:
922:
918:
914:
910:
905:
903:
895:
893:
891:
887:
883:
879:
875:
871:
867:
863:
859:
851:
847:
843:
839:
835:
832:) flanked by
831:
827:
823:
818:
811:
809:
807:
803:
802:crossbenchers
799:
795:
791:
787:
783:
779:
775:
763:
758:
756:
751:
749:
744:
743:
741:
740:
737:
732:
727:
726:
718:
715:
713:
710:
708:
705:
704:
700:
695:
694:
686:
683:
681:
678:
676:
673:
671:
668:
666:
663:
661:
658:
656:
653:
651:
648:
646:
643:
641:
638:
636:
633:
632:
627:
622:
621:
609:
606:
605:
600:
597:
595:
592:
590:
587:
586:
581:
578:
577:
575:
574:
569:
568:Party systems
564:
563:
555:
552:
550:
547:
545:
542:
540:
537:
535:
532:
530:
527:
526:
522:
517:
516:
508:
505:
503:
500:
498:
495:
493:
490:
488:
485:
484:
477:
476:
468:
465:
463:
460:
458:
455:
453:
450:
448:
445:
443:
440:
438:
435:
433:
430:
428:
425:
423:
420:
418:
415:
413:
410:
408:
405:
403:
400:
398:
395:
393:
390:
389:
382:
381:
373:
372:International
369:
368:Transnational
366:
364:
361:
359:
356:
354:
351:
349:
346:
344:
341:
339:
336:
334:
331:
329:
325:
322:
320:
317:
315:
312:
310:
307:
305:
302:
300:
297:
295:
292:
290:
287:
286:
279:
278:
270:
267:
265:
262:
260:
257:
255:
252:
250:
249:Republicanism
247:
245:
242:
240:
239:Progressivism
237:
235:
232:
230:
227:
225:
222:
220:
217:
215:
212:
210:
207:
205:
202:
200:
197:
195:
192:
190:
187:
185:
182:
180:
177:
175:
172:
170:
167:
165:
162:
160:
157:
156:
152:
146:
145:
133:
130:
128:
125:
124:
122:
121:
118:
114:
108:
105:
103:
100:
98:
95:
94:
92:
91:
88:
84:
78:
75:
73:
70:
69:
67:
66:
63:
59:
54:
49:
48:
45:
41:
38:
34:
33:
30:
19:
1237:Legislatures
1197:. Retrieved
1191:
1181:
1169:. Retrieved
1163:
1153:
1141:. Retrieved
1137:
1128:
1096:. Retrieved
1092:
1082:
1070:. Retrieved
1067:Britpolitics
1066:
1057:
1045:. Retrieved
1041:
1032:
991:
981:
973:
966:
937:Dáil Éireann
930:
906:
899:
885:
874:Lord Speaker
855:
798:backbenchers
793:
789:
786:spokespeople
771:
608:Non-partisan
447:Party leader
407:Frontbencher
406:
402:Caucus chair
338:Ruling party
319:Ethnic party
299:Cartel party
179:Conservatism
127:Centre-Right
107:Centre-Right
35:Part of the
29:
1199:23 November
1171:23 November
1098:28 February
1072:28 February
1047:28 February
1013:Backbencher
978:New Zealand
941:lower house
933:front bench
866:HM Treasury
826:Ed Miliband
794:front bench
774:parliaments
599:Multi-party
442:Party chair
392:Backbencher
328:Minor party
324:Major party
304:Competitive
294:Elite party
229:Nationalism
159:Agrarianism
97:Centre-Left
77:Centre-Left
18:Front bench
1231:Categories
1218:Frontbench
1024:References
945:Oireachtas
862:Government
790:frontbench
626:Coalitions
544:Party line
333:Mass party
289:Bloc party
264:Syncretism
224:Monarchism
214:Liberalism
151:Ideologies
117:Right-Wing
996:Speaker's
963:Australia
878:ministers
594:Two-party
580:One-party
497:Open list
457:Secretary
269:Third Way
259:Socialism
174:Communism
164:Anarchism
132:Far-Right
62:Left-Wing
1222:BBC News
1108:cite web
1093:ABC News
1007:See also
834:Ed Balls
772:In many
234:Populism
209:Islamism
204:Hindutva
194:Feminism
72:Far-Left
1143:9 April
949:Ireland
943:of the
927:Ireland
913:Nunavut
880:. The
872:or the
856:In the
189:Fascism
990:front
939:, the
896:Canada
886:shadow
860:, the
840:) and
822:Labour
782:caucus
397:Caucus
149:Major
87:Centre
992:seats
282:Types
1201:2021
1173:2021
1145:2021
1120:help
1100:2020
1074:2020
1049:2020
967:The
915:and
848:and
820:The
792:(or
467:Whip
947:of
935:in
780:or
1233::
1190:.
1162:.
1136:.
1112::
1110:}}
1106:{{
1091:.
1065:.
1040:.
931:A
892:.
370:/
326:/
1203:.
1175:.
1147:.
1122:)
1102:.
1076:.
1051:.
852:)
844:(
836:(
828:(
761:e
754:t
747:v
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.