726:
812:
899:(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).
993:
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
903:
1154:
1182:
969:
In more recent times, journalists have casually referred to ministers as frontbenchers rather than expressing the due deference of their ministerial positions.
1241:
1128:
990:
884:
911:
954:
constitute the government front bench, while the members of parties in declared opposition to the government constitute the opposition front bench.
864:
946:, refers to any organised group of party members who holds any degree of speaking power (derived from the party) on specific issues. The
701:
1236:
840:
824:
1083:
754:
863:
is the oldest government department). The government frontbench is on the right hand side as seen by the
Chairman (typically the
852:
982:
1057:
706:
995:
711:
357:
907:
1032:
915:
795:. Independent and minority parties sit to the side or on benches between the two sides, and are referred to as
362:
844:
747:
150:
1084:"Frontbench reshuffle could leave Nationals without a woman in Cabinet and no ministers in Upper House"
896:
693:
17:
1187:
1159:
1082:
Dalzell, political reporter
Stephanie; Worthington, political correspondent Brett (5 February 2020).
674:
411:
342:
963:
740:
366:
602:
1114:
989:, are reserved for the government and opposition leaders. The government ministers sit to the
783:
for each group will often sit at the front of their group, and are then known as being on the
1231:
951:
927:
876:
872:
644:
583:
538:
501:
352:
337:
298:
126:
106:
639:
431:
238:
96:
76:
8:
943:
679:
669:
664:
649:
629:
486:
308:
293:
168:
116:
771:
and other similar assemblies, seating is typically arranged in banks or rows, with each
978:
947:
634:
593:
528:
446:
258:
131:
61:
52:
1102:
931:
832:
816:
451:
426:
71:
36:
1212:
588:
533:
515:
496:
481:
248:
183:
101:
1012:
800:
772:
730:
659:
654:
574:
548:
543:
523:
461:
421:
416:
43:
836:
456:
406:
347:
213:
198:
1155:"'Celebrity auctioneer' Gladys Liu prompts probe into government frontbencher"
791:) and are described as frontbenchers. Those sitting behind them are known as
1225:
327:
243:
233:
966:
also has a front bench, which includes all ministers and shadow ministers.
868:
796:
780:
562:
441:
396:
332:
313:
178:
1007:
935:
860:
820:
792:
436:
386:
322:
318:
288:
223:
158:
725:
939:
856:
768:
283:
218:
208:
1183:"Pressure mounts on Michaelia Cash to quit frontbench over AWU fiasco"
620:
491:
263:
253:
173:
163:
918:
with a non-partisan makeup, ministers sit amongst regular members.
1216:
828:
811:
303:
228:
203:
193:
86:
188:
1058:"What's the difference between UK frontbench and backbench MPs?"
904:
provincial legislature and the territorial legislature of Yukon
776:
391:
859:
frontbench is traditionally called the
Treasury bench (
998:rather than those on the government front benches.
1081:
1223:
1242:Organizational structure of political parties
803:with other members of their political party.
748:
1033:"Frontbench (frontbenchers) - Glossary page"
883:ministers, of whom the most senior form the
895:While backbenchers are referred to in the
755:
741:
810:
14:
1224:
1180:
1152:
981:whereby the front benches, or in the
902:The same arrangement exists for each
983:New Zealand House of Representatives
24:
1181:Hunter, Fergus (25 October 2017).
25:
1253:
1206:
1153:Harris, Rob (18 September 2019).
871:), and is occupied by Government
806:
799:. Frontbenchers may be part of a
1237:Parliament of the United Kingdom
1129:"Frontbenchers and backbenchers"
724:
865:Speaker of the House of Commons
841:Deputy Leader of the Opposition
1174:
1146:
1133:Parliamentary Education Office
1121:
1075:
1050:
1025:
972:
13:
1:
1018:
950:(TDs) who are members of the
957:
845:Shadow Deputy Prime Minister
7:
1001:
707:Political parties by region
497:Party convention/conference
27:Senior member of parliament
10:
1258:
921:
897:House of Commons of Canada
694:Lists of political parties
1188:The Sydney Morning Herald
1160:The Sydney Morning Herald
890:
702:Ruling parties by country
675:National unity government
977:New Zealand follows the
825:Leader of the Opposition
712:Banned political parties
412:Leader of the Opposition
380:Leaders and organization
343:Parliamentary opposition
964:Parliament of Australia
848:
779:grouped together. The
979:Westminster tradition
952:Government of Ireland
912:Northwest Territories
877:opposition frontbench
814:
645:Confidence and supply
502:Leadership convention
353:Official party status
309:Entrepreneurial party
916:consensus government
819:frontbench in 2012:
650:Consensus government
640:Coalition government
432:Parliamentary leader
239:Classical radicalism
996:Official Opposition
731:Politics portal
680:Rotation government
670:Minority government
665:Majority government
630:Parliamentary group
487:Leadership election
169:Christian democracy
1113:has generic name (
849:
635:Divided government
529:Crossing the floor
475:Internal elections
447:Party spokesperson
358:Single-issue party
53:Political Spectrum
906:. In the case of
833:Shadow Chancellor
765:
764:
611:
610:
427:Political faction
140:
139:
16:(Redirected from
1249:
1215:definition from
1200:
1199:
1197:
1195:
1178:
1172:
1171:
1169:
1167:
1150:
1144:
1143:
1141:
1139:
1125:
1119:
1118:
1112:
1108:
1106:
1098:
1096:
1094:
1079:
1073:
1072:
1070:
1068:
1054:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1043:
1029:
853:House of Commons
757:
750:
743:
729:
728:
568:
567:
534:Party discipline
516:Party discipline
482:Primary election
338:Opposition party
249:Social democracy
184:Environmentalism
58:
57:
32:
31:
21:
1257:
1256:
1252:
1251:
1250:
1248:
1247:
1246:
1222:
1221:
1209:
1204:
1203:
1193:
1191:
1179:
1175:
1165:
1163:
1151:
1147:
1137:
1135:
1127:
1126:
1122:
1110:
1109:
1100:
1099:
1092:
1090:
1080:
1076:
1066:
1064:
1056:
1055:
1051:
1041:
1039:
1031:
1030:
1026:
1021:
1013:Frontbench Team
1004:
975:
960:
924:
914:where there is
893:
879:is occupied by
809:
801:Frontbench Team
773:political party
761:
723:
718:
717:
716:
696:
686:
685:
684:
660:Hung parliament
655:Grand coalition
624:
623:between parties
613:
612:
607:
598:
579:
565:
555:
554:
553:
549:Party switching
544:Party-line vote
524:Conscience vote
518:
508:
507:
506:
476:
468:
467:
466:
422:Minority leader
417:Majority leader
381:
373:
372:
371:
304:Catch-all party
278:
270:
269:
268:
153:
142:
141:
136:
111:
81:
55:
37:Politics series
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1255:
1245:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1220:
1219:
1208:
1207:External links
1205:
1202:
1201:
1173:
1145:
1120:
1074:
1049:
1023:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1016:
1015:
1010:
1003:
1000:
974:
971:
959:
956:
923:
920:
892:
889:
885:Shadow Cabinet
837:Harriet Harman
808:
807:United Kingdom
805:
763:
762:
760:
759:
752:
745:
737:
734:
733:
720:
719:
715:
714:
709:
704:
698:
697:
692:
691:
688:
687:
683:
682:
677:
672:
667:
662:
657:
652:
647:
642:
637:
632:
626:
625:
619:
618:
615:
614:
609:
608:
606:
605:
599:
597:
596:
591:
586:
584:Dominant-party
580:
578:
577:
571:
566:
561:
560:
557:
556:
552:
551:
546:
541:
536:
531:
526:
520:
519:
514:
513:
510:
509:
505:
504:
499:
494:
489:
484:
478:
477:
474:
473:
470:
469:
465:
464:
459:
457:Shadow cabinet
454:
449:
444:
439:
434:
429:
424:
419:
414:
409:
407:Lead candidate
404:
399:
394:
389:
383:
382:
379:
378:
375:
374:
370:
369:
360:
355:
350:
348:Party of power
345:
340:
335:
330:
325:
316:
311:
306:
301:
296:
291:
286:
280:
279:
276:
275:
272:
271:
267:
266:
261:
256:
251:
246:
241:
236:
231:
226:
221:
216:
214:Libertarianism
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:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1254:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1233:
1230:
1229:
1227:
1218:
1214:
1211:
1210:
1190:
1189:
1184:
1177:
1162:
1161:
1156:
1149:
1134:
1130:
1124:
1116:
1111:|first2=
1104:
1089:
1085:
1078:
1063:
1059:
1053:
1038:
1037:UK Parliament
1034:
1028:
1024:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1005:
999:
997:
992:
988:
984:
980:
970:
967:
965:
955:
953:
949:
948:Teachtaí Dála
945:
941:
937:
933:
929:
919:
917:
913:
909:
905:
900:
898:
888:
886:
882:
878:
874:
870:
866:
862:
858:
854:
846:
842:
838:
834:
830:
827:) flanked by
826:
822:
818:
813:
804:
802:
798:
797:crossbenchers
794:
790:
786:
782:
778:
774:
770:
758:
753:
751:
746:
744:
739:
738:
736:
735:
732:
727:
722:
721:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
699:
695:
690:
689:
681:
678:
676:
673:
671:
668:
666:
663:
661:
658:
656:
653:
651:
648:
646:
643:
641:
638:
636:
633:
631:
628:
627:
622:
617:
616:
604:
601:
600:
595:
592:
590:
587:
585:
582:
581:
576:
573:
572:
570:
569:
564:
563:Party systems
559:
558:
550:
547:
545:
542:
540:
537:
535:
532:
530:
527:
525:
522:
521:
517:
512:
511:
503:
500:
498:
495:
493:
490:
488:
485:
483:
480:
479:
472:
471:
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:
388:
385:
384:
377:
376:
368:
367:International
364:
363:Transnational
361:
359:
356:
354:
351:
349:
346:
344:
341:
339:
336:
334:
331:
329:
326:
324:
320:
317:
315:
312:
310:
307:
305:
302:
300:
297:
295:
292:
290:
287:
285:
282:
281:
274:
273:
265:
262:
260:
257:
255:
252:
250:
247:
245:
244:Republicanism
242:
240:
237:
235:
234:Progressivism
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:
115:
114:
108:
105:
103:
100:
98:
95:
94:
92:
91:
88:
85:
84:
78:
75:
73:
70:
69:
67:
66:
63:
60:
59:
54:
49:
48:
45:
42:
41:
38:
34:
33:
30:
19:
1232:Legislatures
1192:. Retrieved
1186:
1176:
1164:. Retrieved
1158:
1148:
1136:. Retrieved
1132:
1123:
1091:. Retrieved
1087:
1077:
1065:. Retrieved
1062:Britpolitics
1061:
1052:
1040:. Retrieved
1036:
1027:
986:
976:
968:
961:
932:Dáil Éireann
925:
901:
894:
880:
869:Lord Speaker
850:
793:backbenchers
788:
784:
781:spokespeople
766:
603:Non-partisan
442:Party leader
402:Frontbencher
401:
397:Caucus chair
333:Ruling party
314:Ethnic party
294:Cartel party
179:Conservatism
127:Centre-Right
107:Centre-Right
35:Part of the
29:
1194:23 November
1166:23 November
1093:28 February
1067:28 February
1042:28 February
1008:Backbencher
973:New Zealand
936:lower house
928:front bench
861:HM Treasury
821:Ed Miliband
789:front bench
769:parliaments
594:Multi-party
437:Party chair
387:Backbencher
323:Minor party
319:Major party
299:Competitive
289:Elite party
224:Nationalism
159:Agrarianism
97:Centre-Left
77:Centre-Left
1226:Categories
1213:Frontbench
1019:References
940:Oireachtas
857:Government
785:frontbench
621:Coalitions
539:Party line
328:Mass party
284:Bloc party
259:Syncretism
219:Monarchism
209:Liberalism
151:Ideologies
117:Right-Wing
18:Frontbench
991:Speaker's
958:Australia
873:ministers
589:Two-party
575:One-party
492:Open list
452:Secretary
264:Third Way
254:Socialism
174:Communism
164:Anarchism
132:Far-Right
62:Left-Wing
1217:BBC News
1103:cite web
1088:ABC News
1002:See also
829:Ed Balls
767:In many
229:Populism
204:Islamism
194:Feminism
72:Far-Left
1138:9 April
944:Ireland
938:of the
922:Ireland
908:Nunavut
875:. The
867:or the
851:In the
189:Fascism
985:front
934:, the
891:Canada
881:shadow
855:, the
835:) and
817:Labour
777:caucus
392:Caucus
149:Major
87:Centre
987:seats
277:Types
1196:2021
1168:2021
1140:2021
1115:help
1095:2020
1069:2020
1044:2020
962:The
910:and
843:and
815:The
787:(or
462:Whip
942:of
930:in
775:or
1228::
1185:.
1157:.
1131:.
1107::
1105:}}
1101:{{
1086:.
1060:.
1035:.
926:A
887:.
365:/
321:/
1198:.
1170:.
1142:.
1117:)
1097:.
1071:.
1046:.
847:)
839:(
831:(
823:(
756:e
749:t
742:v
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.