Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Armed Forces – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 12 March 1947.
Mr Henry Usborne
, Birmingham Acock's Green
12:00,
12 March 1947
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Opposition to General Smuts in the Union Parliament in September, 1939, was largely based on the assumption that under the Statute of Westminster the United Kingdom was responsible for protecting sea routes of the Empire, and would thereby protect South Africa?
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
