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.
Aligned with the party’s soft-left faction, he has frequently voiced criticism of Starmer’s more centrist leadership style. He is widely expected to secure the backing of at least 81 of Labour’s 400-plus MPs, the threshold required to trigger a leadership contest, AFP reported.
In the days ahead, Westminster is likely to see intensive behind-the-scenes negotiations and political manoeuvring as MPs and party figures position themselves for a potential leadership battle.
How fast can Burnham become the PM?
The Labour Party rulebook states that any MP seeking to challenge a sitting leader must first secure nominations from at least 20% of the parliamentary party—currently 81 MPs—along with support from either 5% of local party branches or at least three affiliated organisations, including a minimum of two trade unions, as reported by The Guardian.
Candidates who meet these requirements are then put forward for a vote by party members, provided there is more than one challenger.
It also specifies that a sitting party leader does not have to meet the usual nomination thresholds if they are challenged; instead, they are automatically placed on the ballot for members’ vote, provided they choose to stand, the report stated.
Burnham would still be required to complete the formal nomination process by securing backing from MPs and affiliated party groups, but if a clear path opens up, the process could move quickly. The Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) would determine the timetable, and in a scenario without a full membership contest, a leadership change could be completed within days, The Guardian reported.
However, if Starmer, Streeting, or another figure enters the race and obtains the necessary nominations, the contest would proceed to a full vote among party members. In that case, the timeline would be longer, although its exact length would depend on the circumstances set by the party.
The timetable is determined by the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), which has some flexibility in setting the length of the process. In 2020, when Labour was in opposition following its defeat in the December 2019 general election, the party allocated around three months for the leadership contest that ultimately brought Keir Starmer to power, according to The Guardian.
More recently, in September 2025, while Labour was in government and following Angela Rayner’s resignation as deputy leader, the contest to replace her—conducted under the same rules—was significantly sped up and concluded in roughly six and a half weeks.
Selecting a new prime minister would be even more time-sensitive, meaning the process could be shortened further. However, party officials are still likely to allow sufficient time for candidates to present their case and be properly considered, The Guardian reported.
Far-right disappointment
Thursday’s vote in Makerfield was widely viewed as a test of whether Burnham could outperform Reform UK, led by the anti-immigration figure Nigel Farage, in a broader national contest, AFP reported.
Current opinion polls indicate that Reform UK could be in contention to win the next general election, which is expected in 2029.
Farage said in a video posted on X that he was “disappointed” with Reform’s performance, but suggested many voters were primarily motivated by opposition to Starmer rather than support for any single party, AFP reported.
Meanwhile, the smaller far-right Restore Britain party split the vote to some extent, taking nearly seven per cent and reducing Reform’s overall share.
Starmer has remained in office following a difficult set of local election results last month, in which Labour suffered significant losses across England, Scotland, and Wales.
His leadership has also come under strain from a series of policy reversals, as well as controversy surrounding the appointment of Peter Mandelson—who has previously been linked to Jeffrey Epstein—as the UK’s ambassador to Washington.
Speaking to the BBC, polling expert John Curtice, however, cautioned against any suggestion that Burnham’s victory would lead to a “dramatic” improvement in Labour’s popularity nationwide.
(With inputs from agencies)
