Can Keir Starmer be replaced as Prime Minister? Explainer by Keith Bays
Can Keir Starmer be replaced as Prime Minister? Explainer by Keith Bays
PA/GB News
Sir Keir Starmer has packed a lot into his first 56 days in office, resulting in condemnation from those in politics, the media and most importantly the public.
During his time in power, the Prime Minister has chosen to use his supermajority to keep the child benefit cap, cancel Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners, and hand passes and jobs to party donors.
This has left many alarmed and worried about what is to come over the next five years, but for those concerned that there's no process for dealing with a rogue Prime Minister – fear not there is.
What does the Constitution say about the removal of a Prime Minister?
The UK has no official fixed constitution, instead much of it is based on laws passed by Parliament. When trying to remove a sitting Prime Minister, the UK relies on political procedures instead of legal mechanisms.
Keir Starmer
PA
Vote of no confidence
One method is for MPs to call for and win a vote of no confidence, in this instance, Starmer would be expected to resign. And if Sir Keir survived, he would still face unbelievable pressure to step down.
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Pressure from within the Labour Party
We have already seen several Labour politicians rebel at the very start of Starmer's premiership over the two-child benefit cap vote, which led to a number of MPs losing the whip. We’ve also seen further unrest within the party over the party's decision to axe Winter Fuel Payments. So, don’t rule out a move against the Prime Minister by his own MPs.
Resignation
We must look back to the days of Gordon Brown and Tony Blair when the latter was forced to step down to understand the ruthlessness that the party possesses and to see how the Labour hierarchy can turn on each other. If the Prime Minister’s dire polling continues for months and pressure from MPs and the public ratchets up, the Prime Minister may decide to take an early bath, although this is unlikely.
The King could invite the Prime Minister to tender his resignation and step down
GettyThe role of King Charles III
If Starmer lost a vote of no confidence, the King could invite the Prime Minister to tender his resignation and step down. The monarch does have it within his gift to dismiss Sir Keir from his post, although this would be the nuclear option that could lead to a constitutional crisis. The last time that a Monarch took such a decision was in 1834 when William IV dismissed Lord Melbourne’s Whig Government.
Are there any indications it will be invoked?
According to recent polling by More in Common, Keir Starmer has a dismal Net Approval rating of minus 16, so it doesn’t take a genius political hack to advise him that numbers like that continue for too long he will be out on his ear consigned to the history books alongside former Prime Ministers such as Liz Truss who also left office prematurely.