How Many UK PMs Have Resigned in the Last 10 Years? From Cameron to Starmer

Earlier today, Kei Starmer formally resigned as UK Prime Minister on Monday, 22 June, meaning a successor is expected to take over when Parliament returns in September. This also means that, as previously reported, Britain will have its seventh leader in 10 years.

This also means that, as previously reported, Britain will have its seventh leader in 10 years.

Nominations on who would succeed Starmer are expected to start by 9 July. However, a name that appears to be the frontrunner for the position is his rival, Andy Burnham.

Burnham secured the support of more than 201 Labour MPs, representing more than half of the Parliamentary Labour Party. The 56-year-old British politician was sworn in on Monday and confirmed that he is aiming to replace Starmer as Prime Minister, per a report from BBC News.

'His decision marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process,' Burnham said in the report.

Was Starmer's Reign the Shortest?

With Starmer stepping down, his tenure as prime minister is likely to end at roughly two years if his successor is named in September. Hence, his tenure appears short, although it is not the shortest reign ever by anyone to serve as prime minister.

As of this writing, that distinction belongs to Liz Truss, who served as prime minister for only 44 days. She took office on 6 September 2022 and stepped down on 25 October 2022.

The shortest term for any prime minister in the past two years is Liz Truss. Appointed to the position on 6 September 2022, her reign was short-lived, stepping down due to a government crisis. She held the position for 44 days.

Prime Ministers Who Left Office Over the Past Decade

In the last 10 years, there have been several prime ministers who stepped down after serving varying lengths of time. These were:

• David Cameron (11 May 2010 to 13 July 2016; six years, 64 days)
• Theresa May (13 July 2016 to 24 July 2019; three years, 12 days)
• Boris Johnson (24 July 2019 to 6 September 2022; three years, 45 days)

In total, there have been several leaders in modern history who resigned from the position before completing their expected terms. That list includes:

• Neville Chamberlain (1937 to 1940)
• Winston Churchill (1951–1955)
• Anthony Eden (1955 to 1957)
• Harold Macmillan (1957 to 1963)
• Margaret Thatcher (1979 to 1990)
• John Major (1990 to 1997)
• Tony Blair (1997 to 2007)
• Gordon Brown (2007 to 2010)

Can Burnham Do Better?

With Burnham appearing determined to do better if he does end up succeeding Starmer, it remains to be seen whether he can last in the role. The last three individuals who served as prime minister have struggled to stay in the position, although the support shown by the 56-year-old from more than half of the Parliamentary Labour Party appears to show otherwise.

A key performance indicator that most would use is whether Burnham can deliver improvements in living standards. Starmer tried to do that but failed. Now, it will be up to Burnham to try and achieve that and it appears he is ready for the challenge.

'The country expects stability, seriousness and a continued focus on the issues that matter most and that is what it will get. As we move forward, our priority must be to work together to get the country back to where we all want it to be,' Burnham said.

'People want to see progress on economic growth, the cost of living, public services, housing and opportunities for the next generation. Political change should never distract from the responsibility to improve people's lives,' he added.