Buggins's turn

Buggins' turn

Appointment or advancement based on a series of rotation (as due, for example, to seniority) rather than individual merit, qualification, or achievement. So called for the commonness and ubiquity of Buggins as a surname in Britain. Primarily heard in UK. Even though I work twice as hard as him, he's going to get the promotion because of Buggins' turn.
See also: turn
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

Buggins's turn

appointment in rotation rather than by merit.
Buggins is used here to represent a typical or generic surname.
See also: turn
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • Buggins
  • Buggins' turn
  • up-and-comer
  • the old boy network
  • the old-boy network
  • network
  • old-boy network, the
  • pièce de résistance
  • the pièce de résistance
  • be light years away
References in periodicals archive
Britain runs on Buggins's turn with the two main parties swapping power every few years.
No need for Labour if Theresa opens purse; Tories could KO Corbyn with splurge
That principle of Buggins's turn should be abandoned.
The principle of Buggins's turn
They placed their big bet on perpetuation of the old system, the Buggins's turn theory of government, that once the people got tired of Gordon, they would hand the baton over to the born-torule brigade.
I'll take a deal with Lib Dems
England rugby teams were picked on the Buggins System; when Buggins's turn came to be chairman of selectors, shovelsful of caps were handed out in his parish.
Scotland fighting history and present-day at Twickenham; All the odds appear to be stacking up against England's visitors, says Rugby Correspondent Michael Blair