C2idiomformalpolitics
cross the floor
USUK
to leave your political party and join a rival one in parliament
British political term, used in the UK, Canada and Australia, where ruling and opposition parties sit on opposite sides of the chamber.
In context
Three MPs crossed the floor and joined the opposition after the budget row.
It is rare for a minister to cross the floor in a close vote.
More idioms about politics
- a double standarda rule applied more strictly to one group than to another
- a grey areaa situation where the rules are unclear, so nobody is sure what is allowed
- a hidden agendaa secret reason or plan behind what someone says or does
- a hot potatoa difficult issue that people disagree about and nobody wants to deal with
- a lame ducka politician or government with little real power, often near the end of a term in office