The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has resigned in the wake of growing rebellion within the Labour Party over his handling of key issues including the economy and immigration. That makes Starmer the sixth prime minister to fall casualty to the vicissitudes of UK politics since 2016.
“I think what has happened since 2016 has been a succession of prime ministers, from both the main parties, Conservatives and Labor,” said Yash Sinha, former high commissioner to the UK.
He told StratNewsGlobal on The Gist that “There have been elections in between. And yet we have a situation where in 2024, the Labor Party rounds the Tories and won over 400 seats. And someone like Jeremy Corbyn had been cast aside.”
He was considered to be far too left and radical, and someone who had a reputation of being middle of the road, a decent person. And Sir Keir Starmer was elected and now finds himself on the way out after barely two years.
The economy has not been doing too well since Covid, something which continues even today. Law and order too with issues like the Pakistani grooming gangs. Reports found that both Tory and Labor responsible in many ways for covering it up, but it has now come out in the open.
Immigration too is an issue even though Brexit was supposed to have dealt with that.
“I think the disgruntlement, the disenchantment of people in the UK is quite apparent. And that’s what has given rise to a far right movement like the Reform, which has performed extremely well. And you mentioned Andy Burnham. Andy Burnham, of course, is a very popular figure from Manchester.”
His victory in a recent by election has catapulted the mayor of Manchester into what could be the pole position when the Labour votes on who will be the new prime minister. Burnham is seen as the man most likely to succeed Starmer and his record in Manchester is rated as good.
Tune in for more in this conversation with Yash Sinha, former high commissioner to the UK.
