you're quite right - the opposition's job is to provide a check for the majority party. The Leader of the Opposition (currently the Conservative Party) gets to ask the Prime Minister questions at Prime Minister's Question Time. I think it's something like six questions he's allowed to ask, usually put in such a way as to imply that the current PM/Government are all FOOLS and ZOMG! We wouldn't do it like that, etc etc.
The Opposition also has what's called a Shadow Cabinet, as opposed to the government's Cabinet - a bunch of high-level MPs who represent each of the government departments for which they are responsible - you have a Transport Secretary, Justice Secretary, and so on, each of whom look after and report on their department.
The Opposition's Shadow Cabinet basically looks at what their opposing number are doing, then do a lot of 'seriously? You're doing *what*? You can't do that! ZOMG! If *we* did it, we'd do it like THIS! And everyone would get a pony! and cookies!'
On top of all that, each MP gets a vote on stuff going on in The House (the House of Commons) - as the government has most seats, chances are they're going to win most of the stuff they propose, but the other side also gets to vote, and occasionally can get some of the ruling party to vote *against* their own side.
no subject
The Opposition also has what's called a Shadow Cabinet, as opposed to the government's Cabinet - a bunch of high-level MPs who represent each of the government departments for which they are responsible - you have a Transport Secretary, Justice Secretary, and so on, each of whom look after and report on their department.
The Opposition's Shadow Cabinet basically looks at what their opposing number are doing, then do a lot of 'seriously? You're doing *what*? You can't do that! ZOMG! If *we* did it, we'd do it like THIS! And everyone would get a pony! and cookies!'
On top of all that, each MP gets a vote on stuff going on in The House (the House of Commons) - as the government has most seats, chances are they're going to win most of the stuff they propose, but the other side also gets to vote, and occasionally can get some of the ruling party to vote *against* their own side.
Then there's the government 'whip' to take into account - wiki has a good article on it
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_whip
hope that helps!
:-)