A deputy leader in the Westminster system is the second-in-command of a political party, behind the party leader. Deputy leaders often become deputy prime minister when their parties are elected to government. In opposition, deputy leaders often lead Question Time sessions when the party leader is away. The deputy leader may take on the role of the leader if the current leader is, for some reason, unable to perform their role as leader. Reasons may include: assassination, foreign conference attendance, or illness. They also usually have other responsibilities of party management.
Read more about Deputy Leader: Some Current Deputy Leaders
Famous quotes containing the words deputy and/or leader:
“Not all the water in the rough rude sea
Can wash the balm off from an anointed king;
The breath of worldly men cannot depose
The deputy elected by the Lord.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Most of the ladies and gentlemen who mourn the passing of the nation’s leaders wouldn’t know a leader if they saw one. If they had the bad luck to come across a leader, they would find out that he might demand something from them, and this impertinence would put an abrupt and indignant end to their wish for his return.”
—Lewis H. Lapham (b. 1935)