His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition facts for kids

The Official Opposition in the United Kingdom is a really important part of how the country is run. It's usually the second-biggest political party in the House of Commons. While the biggest party forms the government, the Official Opposition's job is to challenge them. Since May 2010, the Labour Party has been the Official Opposition. Their leader since 2020 is Keir Starmer.

What is the Official Opposition?

The idea of the Official Opposition started a long time ago. The phrase His Majesty's Opposition was first used in 1826. Back then, Parliament wasn't made up of strong political parties like today. Instead, it had different groups and interests.

A politician named John Hobhouse first used the term as a joke. He was talking about how difficult it was for the opposition to challenge the government. But the name stuck, and it became a formal part of British politics.

Opposition Days in Parliament

Most days in the House of Commons are for the government to discuss its plans. However, twenty days in each parliamentary year are special. These are called "opposition days." On these days, the opposition parties get to choose what topics are debated.

The Leader of the Opposition gets to decide what is discussed on seventeen of these days. The leader of the third-largest party gets to choose the topics for the other three days. For a long time, this was the Liberal Democrats. But since 2015, it has been the Scottish National Party.

Even though the opposition doesn't set the main schedule, they have a lot of influence. They use a system called the "usual channels" to work with the government. This helps them make sure their voices are heard.

The Leader of the Opposition

The Leader of His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition is a very important role. Many people see them as the next Prime Minister-in-waiting. This leader gets a special salary and benefits, just like a government minister. They also become a member of the Privy Council.

Since 1915, the Leader of the Opposition has always been a member of the House of Commons. Before that, sometimes a member of the House of Lords held the role. The Speaker of the House of Commons officially decides who the Leader of the Opposition is.

As of October 2022, Keir Starmer is the current Leader of the Opposition. He is also the leader of the Labour Party. He took on this role in April 2020, replacing Jeremy Corbyn.

Asking Questions to Ministers

Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs)

One of the most well-known parts of the Leader of the Opposition's job is Prime Minister's Questions. This is a 30-minute session held every Wednesday at noon when Parliament is meeting. During this time, the Leader of the Opposition gets to ask the Prime Minister six questions. They often split these questions into two groups.

Other members of Parliament (MPs) from the opposition also get to ask the Prime Minister questions. These can be "backbench" MPs (those not in a leadership role) or "frontbench" MPs (those in the Shadow Cabinet). They are chosen by a lottery or by getting the Speaker's attention. Usually, other members of the Shadow Cabinet don't ask questions at PMQs, unless they are filling in for the Leader.

Questions to Other Government Ministers

Every government department has to answer questions in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Just like with PMQs, the official opposition spokespeople get to ask a certain number of questions. Other MPs can also ask questions.

In the House of Lords, opposition spokespeople also question the government. This is why every government department has at least one Member of Parliament and one peer (a member of the House of Lords) working for it.

Where Parties Sit in Parliament

In the British Parliament, and in many other similar systems, the government and its supporters sit on the Speaker's right side. The opposition parties sit on the Speaker's left side.

Currently, members of the Conservative Party sit on the Speaker's right. Members of the Labour Party, as the main opposition, sit on the main left bench. The second main opposition bench is where the third-largest party sits, which is the Scottish National Party. Other smaller parties, like the Liberal Democrats, DUP, Plaid Cymru, SDLP, Alliance, Greens, and one Independent MP, sit at the back of this bench.

See also

In Spanish: Muy Leal Oposición de Su Majestad (Reino Unido) para niños

• Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)
• List of British shadow cabinets
• Official Opposition frontbench
• Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom)
• Parliamentary opposition
• SNP Frontbench Team