Definitions

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun a member of the House of Commons of Great Britain who does not vote regularly with either the Government or the Opposition.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A member of the British parliament, or a similar assembly, who does not vote regularly with either the government or the main opposition party.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a member of the House of Commons who does not vote regularly with either the government or the Opposition

Etymologies

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Examples

  • This is a Labour amendment, backed by crossbencher Lord Best and the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds.

    Welfare reform bill: household benefit cap Lords debate - Monday 23 January 2012

  • The means test would have applied to cancer patients and stroke survivors, and was denounced by Lord Patel, a crossbencher and former president of the Royal College of Obstetricians, as an immoral attack on the sick, the vulnerable and the poor.

    Lords inflict triple welfare bill defeat on government 2012

  • The rulings coincided with a vote in the House of Lords today to suspend two Labour peers and a crossbencher who wrongly claimed overnight allowances – the most serious sanctions ever taken in the Lords.

    Former David Cameron aide criticised by parliamentary standards watchdog Polly Curtis 2010

  • This is from the speech Lord Palmer, a crossbencher, delivered in the debate.

    Politics blog + PMQs live - Wednesday 21 July 2010

  • QUEST: Baroness D'Souza sits as a crossbencher, or independent, with no party affiliation.

    CNN Transcript Dec 21, 2009 2009

  • As the main crossbencher, she's responsible for helping others decide which way to vote.

    CNN Transcript Dec 21, 2009 2009

  • Lord Patel, the crossbencher and former president of the Royal College of Obstetricians, has won the support of the Labour party for his amendment to the bill aimed at watering down the government's proposal to change welfare payments.

    The Guardian World News Nicholas Watt 2012

  • The key crossbencher delivered a speech in the House of Representatives' main committee room, condemning the "racism that eats at the Liberal Party".

    The Australian | News | 2011

  • Mr Wilkie was speaking in Perth today where he was meeting fellow Lower House crossbencher and WA Nationals MP Tony Crook about the poker machine reforms, which are being negotiated with Federal Government.

    NEWS.com.au | Top Stories 2012

  • West Australian Nationals MP and crossbencher Tony Crook has signalled he would move amendments to the bills in an attempt to make them fairer.

    NEWS.com.au | Top Stories 2011

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