If the UK has become ungovernable, some people say Brexit is to blame

Just hours after securing a landslide victory in Britain's 2024 general election, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has resigned as Prime Minister, less than two years into his term. Starmer, who had promised to "end the chaos" after 14 years of Conservative rule, stepped down on Monday, with veteran politician Andy Burnham expected to succeed him.

Starmer's premiership was marked by significant controversy, contributing to a sharp decline in his approval ratings. Early in his leadership, he faced backlash for cutting the universal winter fuel allowance, a payment intended to help elderly Britons with energy costs. Although parts of the policy were later reversed, the damage to his public image was significant.

Further controversies included remarks made in May last year, where he stated, "Britain risks becoming an island of strangers," a comment perceived by some as an attempt to appease conservatives. His deputy, Angela Rayner, resigned amid questions about stamp duty on an investment property. Additionally, questions arose regarding the appointment of a close friend of Jeffrey Epstein as the UK's ambassador to the US.

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end the chaos

Despite these challenges, Starmer's allies expressed confusion over the intensity of public animosity towards him. Former advisor Tom Baldwyn acknowledged Starmer's errors in judgment and his sometimes "dour communication style" but struggled to understand the level of vitriol, noting that Starmer had avoided major economic crises or financial scandals and kept the UK out of wars.

Starmer's sudden resignation has brought the idea that "Britain is broken" back into national conversation. For some, the issue lies not with the country itself but with its crumbling political system, with some people suggesting that Brexit may be a contributing factor to the UK's perceived ungovernability.

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Britain risks becoming an island of strangers