backbenchnoun [ C usually plural ]
uk/ˌbækˈbentʃ/us/ˌbækˈbentʃ/(the seats used by) members of the British Parliament who do not have official positions in the government or in an opposing political party:
The prime minister expects strong support from the Labour backbenches.
a backbench revolt
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front bench
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
UK politics: government administration & organisation
- awkward
- bench
- collectivization
- D-notice
- decentralize
- dispatch box
- maladministration
- midterm
- Number Ten
- ombudsman
- order paper
- outpost
- policy
- privatize
- prorogue
- public
- reshuffle
- soviet
- Westminster
- whip
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