Is it harder than ever to be prime minister?

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Is it harder than ever to be prime minister? 33 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleJames LandaleDiplomatic correspondentBBCThe 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?

The Details

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?

For Sir Keir, the answer is clear. 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.

"Getty ImagesThe UK has seen five prime ministers in seven yearsBut Sir Keir and Badenoch both lead MPs who in recent times have shown a taste for political regicide; they have to govern through a complex administrative, regulatory and judicial framework that can make implementing policy hard; and they appeal to voters who seem increasingly impatient for results and unwilling to accept that politics involves trade offs. Is this a particularly turbulent moment in British history that has left leaders buffeted by events? Or does the turmoil at Westminster reflect deep and systemic problems in our politics?

What Experts Say

Events, dear boyThe first answer may simply be that times are hard for the political classes. This period of history might have tested any generation: the financial crash of 2008, the political chaos of Brexit, the economic body blow of Covid-19, the war in Ukraine and resulting energy shock, and of course the systemic disruption of US President Donald Trump. These are challenges that are not specific to the UK, they are faced by other world leaders who are also struggling to cope.

All across Europe, incumbent governments have wobbled into the face of economic headwinds and impatient electorates. EPA - EFE/REX/ShutterstockTackling problems in the UK will involve difficult trade-offsHave our political leaders in the UK risen to meet all these challenges? Hannah White, CEO of the Institute for Government (IFG) think tank, has her doubts.

"The UK is not 'ungovernable'," she says. "But its political parties have handed the country a series of prime ministers lacking in key leadership skills at a time when crises have hit thick and fast and a number of trends are making governing substantially harder. "Professor Anand Menon, director of the UK in a Changing Europe think tank, agrees.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.