London: The United Kingdom is preparing to welcome its seventh prime minister in 10 years after Keir Starmer officially resigned as leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister yesterday (June 22), marking another significant turning point in efforts to end the political "decade of chaos" that began with the Brexit referendum in 2016.
According to Thai News Agency, Keir Starmer announced his resignation as leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister, less than two years after leading the Labour Party to victory in the 2024 general election and taking office. Interestingly, this announcement comes almost on the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum on June 23, 2016, and his departure means Britain is preparing to appoint its seventh Prime Minister in just one decade.
Despite leading his party to a landslide victory and taking office at 10 Downing Street in July 2024 with promises to "end the chaos," Starmer faced a severe political storm, becoming one of the fastest-declining prime ministers in terms of popularity. This began with a crisis of confidence stemming from policy mistakes, including raising employer payroll taxes, cutting pension funds for senior citizens, and repeatedly reversing social welfare policies, angering both businesses and the public. This was followed by the Peter Mandelson scandal, where Starmer appointed ambassador to the United States, who was subsequently dismissed due to links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This incident raised serious questions about Starmer's decision-making.
The Labour Party then suffered a crushing defeat in the local elections last May, with the far-right populist Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, taking the lead and surpassing them in popularity. This led to the resignation of several high-ranking ministers, including Health Secretary Wes Streetting and Defence Secretary John Healey, due to a loss of confidence in their leadership.
The political instability in the United Kingdom over the past 10 years has claimed five Conservative Prime Ministers, and most recently, one Labour leader. The top leadership position in the UK has become a revolving door, with leaders changing hands rapidly due to economic stagnation, internal party divisions, and the structural impact of leaving the European Union.
The timeline of British political leadership changes started with David Cameron, who managed the Brexit referendum but resigned following the unexpected result. Theresa May followed, struggling with Brexit negotiations and losing her party's majority, leading to her resignation. Boris Johnson, who promised to "Get Brexit Done," stepped down after ethics scandals. Liz Truss served the shortest term due to her economic policies causing financial turmoil. Rishi Sunak aimed to stabilize the economy but could not revive it, resulting in a defeat for the Conservative Party in 2024. Now, with Starmer's resignation, the UK is once again poised to usher in a new leader.