Keir Starmer's departure as prime minister marks the sixth such exit in the ten years since the Brexit referendum, a pattern that a senior political reporter argues reflects a broader cultural shift towards embracing political chaos. Writing for Metro, Craig Munro suggests that the vote to leave the European Union on June 23, 2016, has fundamentally altered the British political psyche, making instability the new norm.
Six Prime Ministers in Ten Years
The turnover of prime ministers since the Brexit vote is unprecedented in modern British history. David Cameron resigned after failing to deliver Brexit, Theresa May was unable to secure a deal, Boris Johnson fell to scandals, Liz Truss crashed the economy, Rishi Sunak lost an election, and now Keir Starmer has been forced out after less than two years. Munro argues that while Brexit was directly responsible for only two of these exits—Cameron and May—the culture of instability it fostered has made such upheavals more acceptable.
Starmer's Downfall: A Matter of Vibes
Unlike his predecessors, Starmer's resignation cannot be pinned on a single scandal or policy failure. The Mandelson controversy, freebies scandal, and sliding poll ratings for Reform UK all contributed, but Munro suggests the core issue was a lack of trust and cohesion. More ministers resigned under Starmer than any other PM since 1979 at this point in their term, reflecting deep dissatisfaction within his own party. According to Munro, 'It’s hard to shake the sense Starmer’s demise is based largely on vibes, and a gradual piling-up of many smaller things.'
A Decade of Political Turmoil
Munro posits that the British public and political class have become desensitized to chaos. 'Would the country be quite so willing to overthrow its leader after less than two years in power if we hadn’t become so accustomed to it over the past 10 years?' he asks. He notes that the post-Brexit era has normalized instability, making it easier for MPs to oust leaders and for the public to accept frequent changes. The article warns that this trend may continue, with potential implications for future leaders like Andy Burnham.
Broader Impact of Brexit
Beyond political chaos, Brexit has left other legacies, including a spike in immigration, blue passports, and an economic hit—though the exact impact is hard to measure due to overlapping crises like Covid and the Ukraine war. However, Munro argues that the most insidious effect is the taste for political pandemonium, which now seems ingrained in the UK's political culture.
