In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a member of parliament or a legislator who occupies no governmental office and is not a frontbench spokesperson in the Opposition, being instead simply a member of the "rank and file".

What is a backbencher slang?

A backbencher may be a new parliamentary member yet to receive high office, a senior figure dropped from government, someone who for whatever reason is not chosen to sit either in the ministry or the opposition shadow ministry, or someone who prefers to be a background influence, not in the spotlight.

What does backbencher mean in government?

Backbenchers are members of parliament who are not ministers or shadow ministers; they sit in the rows of seats behind the frontbench. Most members of parliament start their parliamentary career as a backbencher. A promotion to the frontbench means not only a change in role but a change in seating.