Is it harder than ever to be prime minister?
Key takeaways
- James Landale Diplomatic correspondent BBCThe story of British politics today can be told by numbers.
- Why is the UK churning through its leaders almost as quickly as Italy once did?
- For Sir Keir, the answer is clear.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
James Landale Diplomatic correspondent BBCThe story of British politics today can be told by numbers. Five prime ministers in seven years, none of whom served a full parliament. Over the same period, seven foreign secretaries, six chancellors of the exchequer and four cabinet secretaries.
It is a story of instability and inconsistency with potentially a new chapter written by Labour if it removes Sir Keir Starmer, an incumbent premier with a bigger parliamentary majority than his transformative predecessor Clement Attlee won in 1945.
What is driving this narrative? Why is the UK churning through its leaders almost as quickly as Italy once did? Why do voters and MPs bequeath and remove their support with seemingly such casual ease? In short, is Britain becoming ungovernable?