Summary
Overview
In this special live episode, Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell analyze Keir Starmer's resignation announcement after less than two years as Prime Minister, making him Britain's seventh PM in a decade since Brexit. They discuss the brutal nature of modern politics, Andy Burnham's likely succession following his by-election victory, and the immense challenges facing the next leader - from economic growth and welfare reform to relations with Trump, Russia, and Europe. The hosts debate whether Burnham should call an early election and what his first priorities should be to avoid Starmer's fate.
Starmer's Resignation and the Brutal Reality of Modern Politics
Keir Starmer announced his resignation outside Number 10, becoming the sixth Prime Minister to leave office since David Cameron in 2016. Despite leading Labour to their third-largest majority ever less than two years ago, he lost the confidence of his MPs. The hosts reflect on the emotional toll of watching another PM resign while noting Starmer deserves credit for recognizing the writing on the wall and not clinging to power like Joe Biden.
- Starmer became the seventh Prime Minister since the Brexit referendum, with the announcement still coming as a shock despite being predicted
- Labour won a landslide with 411 MPs and a 170+ majority, but it was based on only about 33% of the vote due to the five-party system
- Starmer won the third-largest Labour majority ever, after Blair's 1997 and 2001 victories, making his rapid downfall particularly brutal
- The announcement was partly drowned out by anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray playing 'Ode to Joy' from Whitehall
" I think there is something a little bit unfair that if you look at a lot of the stuff on social media yesterday, it was basically saying, can't wait to see the back of him. Worst prime minister we've ever had. I think that's a very, very hard claim to make when you look at some of the ones that you just mentioned, Liz Truss probably and Boris Johnson most of all. "
The Italy Comparison: Why Britain Can't Keep a PM
The hosts compare Britain's political instability to Italy's historic revolving door of prime ministers. Remarkably, Italy's Georgia Meloni has now been in power longer than all UK leaders since David Cameron. They explore whether Brexit marked the turning point when British politics became virtually unmanageable, with Trump and Farage representing external forces amplifying the chaos.
- Between Silvio Berlusconi and Georgia Meloni, Italy had prime ministers including Amintori Fanfani, Giovanni Goria, and Ciriaco De Mita
- Meloni has now been in power longer than all UK leaders since David Cameron, reversing the traditional Anglo-Italian comparison
- The Brexit referendum ten years ago (anniversary tomorrow) marks the point when British politics became virtually unmanageable
- Trump posted about Starmer's resignation as if firing him on The Apprentice, with Kremlin official Kirill Dmitriev quickly reposting it
" I remain obsessed with the fact that we've still not properly, fully understood Russia's role in Brexit. Yesterday we had this extraordinary situation where you now have the combined forces of MAGA in the United States and Donald Trump, the hard right around Europe including in our own country, and you've got the Kremlin. "
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