Opposition Role Quotes

Opposition will act as an outward conscience and prevent the abuse of power.

Opposition, n. In politics the party that prevents the Government from running amok by hamstringing it.

No senior politician can expect to have work-life balance. I'm afraid there are some jobs for which work-life balance inevitably goes out the window. If you want work-life balance you just have to accept that you can't be a senior member of a government, or for that matter a senior member of an opposition.

It is the business of the journalist … to stand in permanent Opposition.

We'll support the government on issues if it's essential to the country but our primary responsibility is not to prop up the government, our responsibility is to provide an opposition and an alternative government for Parliament and for Canadians.

The opposition may have the right to doubt every thing, but for myself, I call on opposition to practice its role within limits of objectively, responsibility and country interests.

The function of a newspaper in a democracy is to stand as a sort of chronic opposition to the reigning quacks. The minute it begins to out-whoop them it forfeits its character and becomes ridiculous.

I was shadow health secretary for six years, and the beauty of being in opposition - if there is any beauty - is that you tend to get a pretty unvarnished view because no one bothers to paint the coal white before you turn up.

I prefer the Greens to remain an opposition party that's able to hold the government to account.

Well, our job is to bash the President, that's what we do almost …

For better or worse, when I was director of public prosecutions I had to deal with every challenge that came up, and come up with an answer. Being in opposition, you're not taking the decisions; you're saying what you would do if you were in power, and that's deeply frustrating.

The Opposition aren't really the Opposition. They're just called the Opposition. But in fact they are the Opposition in exile. The Civil Service are the Opposition in residence.

Oppositions are not there to get legislation through. Oppositions are there to hold the government to account.

What is wrong with strengthening the opposition? You lose nothing, ... But let them abide by the rules.

No government can long be secure without a formidable Opposition.

In Washington, particularly, the loyal opposition has a job to be the opposition. But you can't stop there.

Governing was always difficult for conservatives, but as they return to the opposition, they are rediscovering their skill at blame evasion.

Governments propose, and oppositions dispose.

Only the Liberal Democrats have probed the government's failings consistently, thoroughly and effectively.

When you're part of the opposition you want to stay. It's part of your identity. You're useless if you leave. You feel like you have failed.

My general approach to opposition is where the government is getting something right, we should say so. And where we disagree with them, we should say so, too.

I've never been an MP in government unfortunately and only know what it's like to be in opposition.

The Leader of the Opposition's constitutional obligation - the obligation to Parliament - it's the reason we did the merger! - is to make sure Canadians have an alternative for government.

No government can be long secure without a formidable opposition. It reduces their supporters to that tractable number which can be managed by the joint influences of fruition and hope. It offers vengeance to the discontented, and distinction to the ambitious; and employs the energies of aspiring spirits, who otherwise may prove traitors in a division or assassins in a debate.

It's our job as Liberal Democrats to be an effective opposition - and an increasingly tough one as well.