Protests erupt in London, with demonstrators chanting "Starmer Out," as the UK faces another potential change in prime ministers.
The role of the UK Prime Minister is fast becoming a high-risk job.
On the 16th, large-scale demonstrations erupted once again on the streets of London.
Although the protest's official theme was opposition to Middle Eastern immigration, under the incitement of Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist in the UK, the anger was also directed at Prime Minister Starmer. Protesters shouted slogans demanding "Starmer Out," and Robinson himself claimed that Starmer’s days were now "numbered."
Indeed, Starmer is currently facing a severe governance crisis. The Labour Party suffered historic defeats in recent local elections, with over 80 MPs publicly calling for his resignation. Yet even if Starmer steps down and a new prime minister takes office—or even if the recently rising Reform Party of Britain assumes power—it would not resolve the myriad problems confronting the country.
In fact, since Brexit in 2016, British politics has fallen into a recurring cycle: public dissatisfaction with the status quo leads to demands for the PM's resignation; ruling party MPs seize the moment to pressure for leadership changes; the PM resigns due to scandal or crisis; a new PM promises reform upon taking office but quickly discovers systemic issues are deeply entrenched; the public realizes nothing has improved, leading to renewed calls for the PM’s removal... Almost every prime minister repeats this story, making political instability the norm.
The frequency of UK prime ministerial changes has led even the Financial Times to question: Is being Prime Minister now an impossible task?
Thus, none of today’s pressing issues—illegal immigration, soaring energy prices, long-term low productivity coupled with rising living costs—can be solved simply by replacing one prime minister. Even if Starmer resigns, his successor will merely begin another round of this endless cycle.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1865423985680452/
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