UK has a new viral ‘Andy Burnham’ sweeping politics — but what’s behind Britain’s rapid PM turnover?
Cicero, the Roman statesman, once said, “The government is thus bandied about like a ball.” Cicero wrote, “Tyrants receive it from kings; from tyrants it
Cicero, the Roman statesman, once said, “The government is thus bandied about like a ball.” Cicero wrote, “Tyrants receive it from kings; from tyrants it passes either to aristocrats or to the people; and from the people to oligarchs or tyrants.” Since mid-2016, the UK has seen a period of intense political turbulence, with five different prime ministers taking office in rapid succession. During the same period, there have also been significant levels of turnover in senior government roles, with seven foreign secretaries, six chancellors of the exchequer, and four cabinet secretaries serving in quick succession. As reported by the BBC, at a news conference this week, the prime minister said: "No, I don't think Britain is ungovernable." His opposite number, the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, agreed, telling the House of Commons: “Britain is not ungovernable.” Political turmoil in UK politics Theresa May became leader after the Brexit referendum, but her premiership was defined by deadlock over the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, ultimately forcing her resignation in 2019. She was followed by Boris Johnson, who secured a large electoral mandate, delivered Brexit, and led during the COVID-19 pandemic, but later stepped down amid multiple scandals, including “Partygate.” Liz Truss then took office in 2022 but lasted just 49 days after her economic agenda triggered severe market instability, making her the shortest-serving prime minister in UK history. She was replaced by Rishi Sunak, who restored relative stability and managed economic challenges such as inflation and industrial unrest, but went on to lose the 2024 general election. Keir Starmer then ended 14 years of Conservative rule with a landslide Labour victory, becoming prime minister in 2024, but his leadership has since unfolded against a backdrop of continued political volatility. Why is politics becoming fragile in the UK? According to a report by the BBC, Lord Hill, John Major's political secretary in the 1990s, said, "The centralisation of power in No 10 and the Cabinet Office - and the obsession with news management - has made the job of a minister far less relevant and powerful.
It's a miracle that people are still prepared to go into politics and become ministers." Lord Hill says many in Westminster had forgotten politics was about working out what you want, making an argument for it and persuading as many people as possible to support it at a general election. "Instead, they think their job is to find out what different groups want, thread a needle through all the positions and assemble enough votes to get them over the line," he said, adding, "We've moved from government and parliament being a transmission mechanism into one that receives messages like a giant lobbying machine." According to a report by the BBC, some officials and advisers argue that Downing Street, as an institution, is poorly resourced and inadequately staffed to manage the demands of a modern government. At the same time, successive administrations have continued to concentrate more authority within No. 10. Critics say this has led to an accumulation of unresolved decisions at the centre, while leaving ministers with reduced autonomy and influence, the report stated. The viral “Burnham” Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham secured a resounding victory for the governing Labour Party, winning a seat in Parliament and strengthening his position as a potential challenger to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Burnham claimed the Makerfield constituency in northwest England with 54.8% of the vote, comfortably defeating Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon, who received 34.5%. Restore Britain finished a distant third with 6.8%. The 56-year-old has long been viewed as a possible contender for Labour’s top job, but first needed a place in the House of Commons to mount a serious challenge. His commanding win is likely to bolster his argument that he is Labour’s strongest asset against Nigel Farage and Reform UK, especially given that Farage’s party made major gains in Makerfield during local elections just six weeks earlier. How fast can Burnham become the UK PM? Burnham is expected to be sworn in as a Member of Parliament on Monday, a key requirement under Labour Party rules, which stipulate that leadership contenders must hold a Commons seat, according to a report by AFP.
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