Over the past decade, the United Kingdom has cycled through six prime ministers, with a seventh expected by mid-July. Political sketch writer John Crace has ranked those who were ousted from Downing Street between 2016 and 2026, from worst to best.
6. David Cameron: The Architect of Chaos
David Cameron tops Crace's list as the worst prime minister. While Cameron possessed skills like public speaking and Commons performance, his entitlement and carelessness proved fatal. His austerity programme ignited grievances in communities left behind, making government seem unresponsive. The 2015 EU referendum, intended to solve internal Conservative divisions, backfired when Cameron won an outright majority and called the vote early, expecting a remain victory. Two weeks before the vote, he pledged to stay if remain lost, but resigned the morning after defeat. "He would be fine whatever. A peerage down the line. Others could deal with the fallout," Crace writes, noting the damaged economy and divided country left behind.
5. Liz Truss: Brief but Damaging
Liz Truss, who served only 49 days, caused remarkable harm, notably through the mini-budget. Crace notes that 10 of those days were lost to state mourning. Her tenure was marked by incompetence, such as failing to open a door at her leadership launch. Despite her Oxford education, she left university "stupider than when she arrived." Truss still believes her only problem was not enough Liz. Crace questions how she became prime minister, calling it a measure of Tory psychosis.
4. Boris Johnson: Narcissistic and Scandal-Ridden
Boris Johnson ranks fourth, though in any normal era he would be worst. Crace describes Johnson as lacking conviction and scruples, driven by narcissistic personality disorder. His leadership was marred by the illegal prorogation of parliament, the "get Brexit done" slogan, and scandals like dodgy PPE contracts and Partygate. Johnson was fined for attending his own birthday party. His resignation speech was self-serving, and he now writes a largely ignored Daily Mail column. Crace notes Johnson still blames Cameron for not having a Brexit plan, despite leading the Vote Leave campaign.
3. Theresa May: Accidental and Indecisive
Theresa May became prime minister almost by accident after Boris Johnson's bid was derailed. She pursued a hard Brexit despite initially promising to govern for both 48% and 52% of voters. Her 2017 general election call backfired, resulting in a minority government. Crace describes her as a "Maybot" who was in office but not in power, often looking like a rabbit in headlights. Her departure was merciful, but the Tories then elected Boris Johnson.
2. Rishi Sunak: Caretaker with No Vision
Rishi Sunak took over when the Tories had trashed their brand. His only major idea was the Rwanda plan, a £600m disaster that deported only four people voluntarily. Even his home secretary called it "batshit." Sunak seemed to be caretaking, letting the country drift. His final party conference speech was an admission of defeat, and his lasting image is getting drenched while calling the election without an umbrella.
1. Keir Starmer: Best of a Bad Bunch
Keir Starmer ranks first, despite high hopes turning to anxiety. He achieved some good: workers' rights, raising the national living wage, a social media ban for under-16s, and avoiding war with Iran. However, his communication skills were poor, and he made missteps like accepting free suits and glasses after campaigning against Tory sleaze. Eighteen U-turns suggested a government that didn't know what it was doing. The appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador was a huge misjudgment. Starmer became one of the most hated prime ministers without being as bad as his predecessors. Labour MPs, spooked by Reform UK, forced him out.
