Can Any PM Succeed in UK?

[spen666]

Its starting to look less and less likely that Kier Starmer will serve a full 5 year term as PM.

Since Tony Blair stood down as PM, only David Cameron has lasted 5 years as PM
Brown Lasted 2 years 319 days
Cameron lasted 6 years 64 days
May lasted 3 years 12 days
Johnson lasted 3 years 45 days
Truss lasted 50 days
Sunak lasted 1 year 255 days

Their downfalls came for a whole variety of reason.

given the pressures put on PMs by people these days, magnified by the effect of social media for instant success, I wonder if it is actually possible now for any PM to succeed and last a full 5 year term.

Whether its their fellow MPS or members of the public, it seems as if it is almost impossible to succeed as PM and last a full term

 

[Pblakeney]

We’ve went from PM’s long term planning being 4-5 years to 4-5 weeks. Anything broken will not be fixed.
Queue Eyore.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Difficult to see a common reason as far as Sunak.

May was dead in the water after the 2017 GE.

Johnson was brought down by his own failings

Truss was not elected by the MPs she led and, quite evidently at the time she stood, lacked the skills or intellect for the role.

Sunak ran out of time.

Brown lost an election he might have won either at the time or if he'd had the balls to call one in 2007.

 

[Xipe Totec]

Could it be that everyone on that list shares some common characteristics?

Such as, perhaps - all being appalling human beings and utterly useless politicians?

If your answer is on the yes/maybe/possibly spectrum, then I don't think there's much cause for hope presenting itself at the moment.

 

[the snail]

Its starting to look less and less likely that Kier Starmer will serve a full 5 year term as PM.

Is it? Big majority in parliament, and I don't hear any talk of a leadership challenge. Most of the talk of Starmer going seems to come from Reform types,and I don't see how they're going to do anything.

 

[Xipe Totec]

Is it? Big majority in parliament, and I don't hear any talk of a leadership challenge. Most of the talk of Starmer going seems to come from Reform types,and I don't see how they're going to do anything.

Check back in a year & see if he's still excavating new depths in popularity & opinion polls. Which he will be.

 

[Psamathe]

I have always held that a good manager brings out the best from those working in the team they manage. How they achieve that depends on the nature of the job and the individuals in the team. Government is a team and the leader/PM the manager of that team.

These days PMs regard their position one of "ownership", setting ideology and directing exactly what will happen, how, when, etc. Rather than to chose a good team and set the conditions for them to do a good job the modern leadership (PM) seems to regard it as "my party", "my Government", "my Ideology", etc.

Such management is bound to fail as the team focuses on doing what they think the leader wants them. And when it predictably fails they play musical chairs to pretend repeating the failures before the "reset" somehow magically won't apply after the reset (despite exactly the same problems remaining in place.

 

[BoldonLad]

I have always held that a good manager brings out the best from those working in the team they manage. How they achieve that depends on the nature of the job and the individuals in the team. Government is a team and the leader/PM the manager of that team.

These days PMs regard their position one of "ownership", setting ideology and directing exactly what will happen, how, when, etc. Rather than to chose a good team and set the conditions for them to do a good job the modern leadership (PM) seems to regard it as "my party", "my Government", "my Ideology", etc.

Such management is bound to fail as the team focuses on doing what they think the leader wants them. And when it predictably fails they play musical chairs to pretend repeating the failures before the "reset" somehow magically won't apply after the reset (despite exactly the same problems remaining in place.

Agreed. IMHO, this started with Blair. It may be partly a result of News 24/7 and Internet, but, to me, from Blair onwards, (UK) Government consisted of just one person (ie Blair), and, this continued on to Brown, etc etc.

 

[the snail]

Agreed. IMHO, this started with Blair. It may be partly a result of News 24/7 and Internet, but, to me, from Blair onwards, (UK) Government consisted of just one person (ie Blair), and, this continued on to Brown, etc etc.

No, that's the system we have, where a lot of power is given to the PM, and they select all the other members of the government. You could say the same about most PMs, e.g. Thatcher

 

[CXRAndy]

Is it? Big majority in parliament, and I don't hear any talk of a leadership challenge. Most of the talk of Starmer going seems to come from Reform types,and I don't see how they're going to do anything.

It seems a very large proportion of the UK citizens are supporting reform. I won't take too much now to tip the balance into a general election.

The economy tipping into recession or another set of illegal immigrant rape/attacks might just do it

 

[All uphill]

I have always held that a good manager brings out the best from those working in the team they manage. How they achieve that depends on the nature of the job and the individuals in the team. Government is a team and the leader/PM the manager of that team.

These days PMs regard their position one of "ownership", setting ideology and directing exactly what will happen, how, when, etc. Rather than to chose a good team and set the conditions for them to do a good job the modern leadership (PM) seems to regard it as "my party", "my Government", "my Ideology", etc.

Such management is bound to fail as the team focuses on doing what they think the leader wants them. And when it predictably fails they play musical chairs to pretend repeating the failures before the "reset" somehow magically won't apply after the reset (despite exactly the same problems remaining in place.

Mmmm.

In an age where any differences between ministers will be exploited and become the headlines I think that the only approach that will work is one of strict discipline presented as unity.

I'd like to see PR with negotiations and differences between members of a coalition being the norm. That's unlikely to happen imo.

Interesting question from @spen666
My answer is that I think a leader who can engage and enthuse the public with a clear and achievable vision could last 5 years. That's not Keir, I'm afraid.

 

[spen666]

Mmmm.

In an age where any differences between ministers will be exploited and become the headlines I think that the only approach that will work is one of strict discipline presented as unity.

I'd like to see PR with negotiations and differences between members of a coalition being the norm. That's unlikely to happen imo.

Interesting question from @spen666
My answer is that I think a leader who can engage and enthuse the public with a clear and achievable vision could last 5 years. That's not Keir, I'm afraid.

I'm not sure such a leader could engage and enthuse the public for a whole 5 years in the current climate. I think people are not given the chance to have so long

 

[CXRAndy]

Senior labour figures tell Starmer

Stop making foooking mistakes