This is not the UK’s first leadership transition in government, and it is unlikely to be the last. These events have, however, been rare until recently. In the 80 years since the end of the second world war, there have only been 18 prime ministers. The nineteenth, likely to be Andy Burnham, will become the seventh premier since 2010. So that makes 12 prime ministers over 65 years – and then seven in the last 16 years.
This is a problem, one that is compounded by the reasons for the departure. Six of the 12 PMs until 2010 simply lost an election – Attlee, Home, Heath, Callaghan, Major and Brown. A further three resigned through ill health – Churchill, Macmillan and Wilson. And two resigned because of scandals – Suez and “partygate”.
