the man on the Clapham omnibus

the man/woman on the Clapham omnibus

A person imagined as representative of an ordinary or typical British person and their opinions, values, and habits. Primarily heard in UK. Downing Street is always trying to gauge the position of the man on the Clapham omnibus.
See also: Clapham, man, omnibus, on, woman
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

the man on the Clapham omnibus

BRITISH
When people talk about the man on the Clapham omnibus, they mean ordinary, average people. The wealthy and powerful never liked the man on the Clapham omnibus knowing about their lives. Note: Clapham is an area of London, and `omnibus' is an old-fashioned word for bus.
See also: Clapham, man, omnibus, on
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

the man on the Clapham omnibus

the average man, especially with regard to his opinions. British
This expression is attributed to the English judge Lord Bowen ( 1835–94 ), who used it as a metaphor for any ordinary reasonable person—such as a juror is expected to be. Clapham is a district in south London.
See also: Clapham, man, omnibus, on
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • Clapham
  • omnibus
  • a whole team and the dog under the wagon
  • hanger-on
  • big fish in a small pond
  • big frog in a small pond
  • a big fish in a small pond
  • a big frog in a small pond
  • pond
  • frog in a small pond
References in periodicals archive
That would stop those who may represent the views of the man on the Clapham omnibus but does not represent the view of the man on the bus to Resolven or Tonypandy.
Locals-only as MPs; & COMMENT DEBATE YOUR LETTERS TO THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER OF WALES
Mind you, ask the man on the Clapham omnibus who Workforce is and chances are he'll suggest some urban dance troupe off X Factor or a government initiative to get us all back into employment.
He's third favourite for the season's most prestigious race, so what's going on?
IT'S generally acknowledged that the barometer of opinion is The Man on the Clapham Omnibus.
A knock on the chin from Mr Darling's rather sad little sandwich; What was that all about? Alastair Gilmour takes some Budget soundings in the pub
The trouble with listening to the man on the Clapham omnibus is that he is so often totally wrong about everything.
DO WE KNOW BEST?
Ambushing a gang of Congressmen and asking them if they have sinned may have them laughing their socks off in Chicago but it will barely raise a chuckle from the man on the Clapham Omnibus. Moore had to ask the studio audience to explain what an HMO was for the benefit of British viewers.
LAST NIGHT'S VIEW
When it comes to setting videos and getting bread out of toasters, I am as confounded as the man on the Clapham omnibus might be.
Interactive: A digital jungle, by George
THE man on the Clapham omnibus, even the one on his way to the Clapham betting shop, would surely have offered you long odds yesterday lunchtime against finding Gordon Brown, Bono and Toby Balding in the same room, even longer odds about that lofty triumvirate being joined by George Osborne and Simon Dow and the whole lot of them humming along to the show tunes of Rodgers and Hammerstein.
'Gordon Brown described Sir Clement as a national treasure who became a national institution'
Wherever he could, he unravelled the complexities so that everything was understandable to the lawyers' favourite individual: the man on the Clapham omnibus. He retired as Master of the Rolls at the age of 82 and would have liked to continue longer.
Virtuoso of the Bench celebrates 100 years