Definition of placeman in English:
placeman
nounPlural placemen ˈpleɪsman
British derogatory A person appointed to a position, especially in government service, for personal profit and as a reward for political support.
he vetoed the appointment of a Labour councillor in favour of his Tory placeman
Example sentencesExamples
- However, a new way of appointing or electing its members is required which will effectively avoid both placemen and a mix of political views which mirror the House of Commons.
- In this respect, the oligarchs and their political placemen who insist that their right to stolen property is sacred make the same crude claim as the regime that we overthrew: that they have an indefeasible right to the exercise of power.
- Critics of the selection procedure within the party say that the union influence is installing a number of placemen who will merely act as Labour voting fodder in the House of Commons.
- High flat rate payments merely encourage the nomination of placemen who may have little or no connection with the areas they represent and whose attendance may be sparse.
- It also indicates that many Labour ministers aren't sincere believers in the Third Way, but are placemen and women interested chiefly in their careers.