A decade after “taking back control”, Britain is instead defined by how often it replaces its PMs
Italy must be watching Britain with a smile and a raised eyebrow.
Italy is famous for changing governments very often. Since World War II, Italy has had 68 governments. But now Britain is starting to look just as restless. After Keir Starmer’s resignation, Britain is set to get its seventh prime minister in about ten years. That means its leaders are changing almost as often as people change curtains.
The funny part is that this is happening almost exactly ten years after the Brexit vote. Brexit was the vote in 2016 when Britain decided to leave the European Union. People who supported Brexit said it would help Britain “take back control” and become stronger. But since then, Britain has mostly taken control of one thing: changing prime ministers again and again.
At least Starmer lasted longer than Liz Truss, who was prime minister for only 49 days. Starmer lasted 717 days.
For many people in Britain, the 2020s have felt even harder than the 2010s. Back then, some people still hoped Brexit would fix the country’s problems. Now, much of that hope has disappeared. Polls show many Britons think leaving the European Union was a mistake, and very few say Brexit has made their daily life better.
The constant change of prime ministers shows that many people feel the country is stuck. They worry about long waits in hospitals, rising costs, slow economic growth, and everyday problems that never seem to get solved.
Now Andy Burnham is seen as the next possible prime minister. He is promising “change”. But Starmer also promised change when he won a big election victory for Labour. Before him, Britain had already gone through five Conservative prime ministers: David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak.
To many outsiders, Burnham and Starmer may not seem very different. Both are middle-aged Labour politicians with serious, careful styles. One studied at Cambridge, the other at Oxford. Burnham may also face the same problems Starmer faced: a weak economy, high debt, pressure from Donald Trump and Nigel Farage, and a public that has grown tired of promises.
So Britain may get a new leader, but the big question is whether anything will really change. Or will the next prime minister simply arrive with the same promises in a shinier packet?
As the old song says: “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
