Word: backbencher
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1960-1969
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...used by the Prime Minister as a ruse to flush out all the top contenders for his own job. There is even widespread suspicion that Nehru forced the resignations of his ablest ministers in order to clear the way for his daughter, imperious Indira Gandhi, 45, widow of a backbench Congress politician (no kin to the Mahatma), who has long been the Prime Minister's closest confidante (he calls her Indu, or Moon), official hostess and political troubleshooter...
...George Hees led a second palace revolt. Going to Diefenbaker's Ottawa home, Hees asked him face to face to resign for the good of Canada and the party. Stung to tears, Diefenbaker refused, and set out to rally his strength. Loyal supporters whipped up the prairie-province backbench M.P.s, and there were cheers as Diefenbaker entered the House of Commons to answer no-confidence motions brought by the opposition Liberals of Lester B. Pearson and the funny-money Social Crediters. In a fighting speech, Diefenbaker lashed the Liberals and tried to get the Social Crediters to change their...
Faced with five by-elections this month and the highest unemployment rate (2.1%) in three years, impatient Tories have been muttering that line from that old backbench ditty: "Stop dawdling, Maudling." In his first major House of Commons speech since he succeeded Selwyn Lloyd as Chancellor of the Exchequer four months ago, Reginald Maudling last week presented a long-awaited "policy of expansion" that surprised even the most skeptical Tories with its boldness. When he had finished, he left no doubt that the economy was to dawdle no more...
National Disaster. Backbench Tories hooted with cries of "Shame!" Conservative M.P. Anthony Fell.* a former New Zealand sheep farmer, leaped to his feet, rudely accused Macmillan of making "a shocking statement, full of political doubletalk." When Macmillan rose magisterially to protest, Fell yelled, "No! I can be told to sit down by Mr. Speaker, but I cannot be told to sit down by the Prime Minister," went on to call Macmillan a "national disaster" and urge him to resign...