The UK has a new viral ‘Andy Burnham’ to hit politics – but what’s behind the rapid turnaround of British Prime Ministers? | Today’s news
Cicero, the Roman statesman, once said, “Government is as round as 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 United Kingdom has experienced a period of intense political turbulence, with five different Prime Ministers taking office in quick succession. The same period also saw significant turnover in senior government posts, with seven foreign secretaries, six chancellors of the exchequer and four cabinet secretaries serving in quick succession.
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As reported by the BBC, at a press conference this week the prime minister said: “No, I don’t think Britain is out of control.” His counterpart, the Tory 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 the stalemate over the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, which eventually forced her resignation in 2019.
She was followed by Boris Johnson, who secured a large electoral mandate, secured Brexit and led during the COVID-19 pandemic, but later resigned due to numerous scandals, including “Partygate”.
Liz Truss then took office in 2022, but lasted just 49 days after her economic agenda caused severe market volatility, making her the shortest-serving Prime Minister in UK history.
She was replaced by Rishi Sunak, who restored relative stability and managed economic problems such as inflation and industrial unrest, but lost the 2024 general election.
Keir Starmer then ended 14 years of Conservative rule with a landslide victory for Labour, becoming Prime Minister in 2024, but his leadership has since unfolded against a backdrop of continued political volatility.
Why is UK politics becoming fragile?
According to a BBC report, Lord Hill, John Major’s political secretary in the 1990s, said: “The centralization of power in No 10 and the Cabinet Office – and the obsession with news management – has made the job of a minister much less relevant and powerful. It’s a wonder people are still prepared to go into politics and become ministers.”
Lord Hill says many in Westminster have forgotten that politics is about working out what you want, arguing for it and convincing as many people as possible to support it in a general election. “Instead, they think their job is to find out what the different groups want, thread the needle through all the positions and muster enough votes to get them over the line,” he said, adding: “We’ve moved from government and parliament as a transmission mechanism to one that receives messages like a giant lobbying machine.”
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According to a BBC report, some officials and advisers say Downing Street is ill-equipped and understaffed as an institution to handle the demands of modern government.
At the same time, successive administrations have continued to concentrate more powers within No 10. Critics say this has led to a backlog of decisions at the centre, leaving ministers with limited autonomy and influence, the report said.
Viral “Burnham”
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham secured a resounding victory for the ruling Labor Party, winning a seat in Parliament and strengthening his position as a potential challenger to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Burnham claimed the constituency of Makerfield in North West England with 54.8% of the vote, comfortably beating Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon who won 34.5%. Restore Britain came a distant third with 6.8%.
The 56-year-old had long been seen as a possible contender for Labour’s top job, but first needed a seat in the House of Commons to mount a serious challenge. His landslide victory is likely to strengthen his case that he is Labour’s strongest asset against Nigel Farage and Reform UK, especially given that Farage’s party made big gains in Makerfield during the local elections just six weeks ago.
How quickly can Burnham become British Prime Minister?
Burnham is expected to be sworn in as a member of parliament on Monday, a key requirement under Labor Party rules that stipulate leadership candidates must hold a Commons seat, an AFP report said.
In line with the soft left faction of the party, he often criticized Starmer’s more centrist leadership style. He is widely expected to secure the support of at least 81 of more than 400 Labor MPs, the threshold needed to trigger a leadership contest, AFP reported.
Westminster is likely to see intense behind-the-scenes negotiations and political maneuvering in the coming days as MPs and party figures face off in a potential leadership battle.
How fast can Burnham become prime minister?
Labor Party rules state that any MP seeking to challenge the incumbent leader must first secure the nominations of at least 20% of the parliamentary party – currently 81 MPs – along with the support of either 5% of local party branches or at least three affiliates, including at least two trade unions, according to The Guardian.
Candidates who meet these requirements are then nominated for a vote by party members if there is more than one challenger.
It also stipulates that a presiding party leader need not meet the usual nomination thresholds if they are challenged; instead, they are automatically placed on the ballot for members’ votes if they choose to run, the report said.
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Burnham would still need to complete the formal nomination process by securing support from MPs and affiliated party groups, but if a clear path opens, the process could move quickly. Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) will determine the timetable and in a scenario without a full membership contest, the leadership change could be completed within days, The Guardian reported.
However, if a Starmer, Streeting, or other character enters the race and receives the necessary nominations, the contest will proceed to a full party vote. In such a case, the period would be longer, although its exact length would depend on the circumstances determined by the party.
The timetable is determined by the Labor Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), which has some flexibility in determining the length of the process. In 2020, when Labor was in opposition after its defeat in the December 2019 general election, the party set aside around three months for a leadership contest that eventually brought Keir Starmer to power, according to The Guardian.
More recently, in September 2025, when Labor was in government and Angela Rayner resigned as deputy leader, the competition to replace her – run under the same rules – was greatly accelerated and finished in about six and a half weeks.
Choosing a new prime minister would be even more time-sensitive, meaning the process could be further shortened. But party officials are still likely to allow enough time for candidates to present their case and be properly considered, The Guardian reported.
A far right disappointment
Thursday’s vote in Makerfield was widely seen as a test of whether Burnham could overcome Reform UK, led by anti-immigration leader Nigel Farage, in the wider national contest, AFP reported.
Current opinion polls suggest that Reform UK could be in contention to win the next general election, expected in 2029.
Farage said in a video posted on X that he was “disappointed” with Reform’s performance, but suggested that many voters were primarily motivated by opposition to Starmer rather than support for any individual party, AFP reported.
Meanwhile, the smaller far-right Restore Britain split the vote somewhat, taking almost seven per cent and reducing Reform’s overall share.
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Starmer remained in office after a difficult set of local election results last month, in which Labor suffered significant losses in England, Scotland and Wales.
Its leadership has also come under pressure as a result of a series of political upheavals, as well as the controversy surrounding the appointment of Peter Mandelson – who was previously linked to Jeffrey Epstein – as the UK’s ambassador to Washington.
But polling expert John Curtice, speaking to the BBC, cautioned against any suggestion that a Burnham victory would lead to a “dramatic” improvement in Labour’s national popularity.
(With input from agencies)
