The phrase "political backrooms" refers to secret or private meetings where important political decisions are made, away from public view or scrutiny. Full definition
This uncertainty is leading to the sorts of behaviours more akin to political backroom deals than schools: heads promising their schools will go in with each other as long as everyone agrees to keep out a competitor school, over-generous financial offers to primaries with lovely intakes, a shunning of schools with buildings too expensive to maintain. (schoolsweek.co.uk)
SN: Political decisions are quite often taken in political backrooms, benefitting certain interest groups. (sei.org)
If our top state leaders are working things out over a dinner at this iconic symbol of the old world, and more specifically no doubt the site of many a political backroom deal, how are we ever going to get past the climate of «the Machine»? (cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com)