Is being Prime Minister an impossible job? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 121

News

Is being Prime Minister an impossible job? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 121

23 Dec 2025

Why do UK Prime Ministers seem to burn out so quickly? We are joined by historian Robert Saunders to examine why the role has become so punishing in recent years. From Brexit and COVID to fractured parties, rigid governing conventions and relentless media scrutiny, the discussion explores what has gone wrong – and what kind of leadership and political culture might be needed to make the job survivable again.

LISTEN

In this episode, we ask whether being Prime Minister has become an impossible job – and why so many leaders have struggled to survive in office since the Brexit referendum. Joined by historian Robert Saunders of Queen Mary University of London, we explore why the role has always been exceptionally demanding, while arguing that the pressures of the post-2016 era have made it harder than ever. Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic are major political shocks that have destabilised parties and strained the capacity of government, while the rise of new media has created a relentless and unforgiving environment of scrutiny.

We also examine the leadership pipeline, with politicians reaching the top more quickly and with less experience of policy-making, party management and elections. Against this backdrop, we consider whether conventions such as collective cabinet responsibility are now part of the problem rather than the solution – encouraging inauthenticity, stifling legitimate disagreement and making it harder to manage broad political coalitions. The discussion explores the widening gap between public expectations and the realities of governing in a low-growth, post-financial-crisis economy, and concludes by asking whether rebuilding trust will require more honest communication, better political training and a willingness to rethink long-standing assumptions about how power is exercised at the top of British politics.

← Back to Parliament Matters homepage

Listen on our YouTube channel (captioned)

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

Our guest

Dr Robert Saunders

Robert Saunders

Dr Robert Saunders is Reader in Modern British History and Deputy Director of the Mile End Institute at Queen Mary University of London. His work focuses on political history and the history of ideas, including the history of democracy and democratic thought in Britain, the political and intellectual history of Thatcherism, the relationship between Britain and the European Union, and the role of religion in British political culture. Formerly on Twitter as @redhistorian he now posts on Bluesky as @robertsaunders.bsky.social

Transcript

Please note, this transcript is automatically generated. There may consequently be minor errors and the text is not formatted according to our style guide. If you wish to reference or cite the transcript copy below, please first check against the audio version above.

Intro: [00:00:00] You are listening to Parliament Matters, a Hansard Society production supported by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. Learn more at hansardsociety.org.uk/PM.

Ruth Fox: Welcome to Parliament Matters, the podcast about the institution at the heart of our democracy, Parliament itself. I'm Ruth Fox.

Mark D'Arcy: And I'm Mark D'Arcy. And as this is the last pod we are doing before Christmas, we're allowed by ancient Hansard Society tradition to bring in games. In this particular instance, we're bringing in Cluedo and we're looking at who killed the careers of the succession of Prime Ministers who've occupied Downing Street since the Brexit referendum. Was it the electorate in the library with unrealistic expectations of what could be delivered? Was it their parliamentary parties in the living room with unrealistic expectations of being re-elected? Was it a lack of economic growth that did for them? Was it perhaps the baleful [00:01:00] effects of social media?

Well, joining Ruth and me to consider all those fascinating questions is Robert Saunders of Queen Mary University of London.

Robert, first of all, there's been quite a procession, David Cameron in 2016, Theresa May a few years later, Boris Johnson after winning quite a decent majority in an election, closely followed by Liz Truss, then Rishi Sunak, and now the wolves are circling Sir Keir Starmer. Is this about more than the individual failings of all these rather different Prime Ministers?

Robert Saunders: I was worried you were gonna hit me over the head with the lead piping. I think being Prime Minister has always been a really difficult job, and I think it's really important to say that at the start. That you could pick almost any Prime Minister and you'll find them dancing on the edge of a volcano. Full transcript →

Use the links below to subscribe to the Hansard Society's Parliament Matters podcast on your preferred app, or search for 'Parliament Matters' on whichever podcasting service you use. If you are unable to find our podcast, please email us here.

Apple

YouTube Podcasts

Spotify

More ways to subscribe

Parliament Matters homepage

Latest / Highlights

News / Keir Starmer’s week of parliamentary torture over Mandelson appointment - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 140

Keir Starmer faced “ordeal by Parliament” this week after a tense Commons statement on Peter Mandelson’s US ambassadorship followed by an emergency debate, fraught PMQs, and probing select committee hearings about what he knew of security vetting. Joined by lobby journalist Tony Grew, we dissect the deepening political crisis - examining Starmer’s defence, Sir Ollie Robbins’ testimony, and Labour unrest - while asking whether prorogation could help the Prime Minister dodge another grilling at PMQs. And as the first session of this Parliament draws to a close, we look at the rising stars shaping the work of the Commons. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Acast · YouTube · Other apps · RSS

News / Dynamic alignment and Henry VIII powers: What will the Government’s EU reset mean for Parliament? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 139

A major “EU reset” bill could allow Ministers to dynamically align UK law with EU rules using so-called Henry VIII powers, raising fresh questions about Parliament’s role and scrutiny. We are joined by Professor Catherine Barnard to explore the trade-offs and implications. We also examine Parliament’s surprise block on Church of England governance reforms and ask whether shutting down Parliament for a two-week prorogation – when it cannot be recalled – is wise in an increasingly unstable world. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Acast · YouTube · Other apps · RSS

News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 20-24 April 2026

The Prime Minister will make a statement on recent revelations concerning the security vetting of Peter Mandelson. The Foreign Affairs Committee may hear from Olly Robbins, the civil servant who headed the Foreign Office who was sacked last week. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is also set to face oral questions from MPs. Legislative “ping-pong” between the two Houses continues on the English Devolution, Victims and Courts, Pension Schemes, Crime and Policing, Children’s Wellbeing and Schools, and Tobacco and Vapes Bills. The assisted dying bill reaches its final scheduled day of debate before the Session ends. There are general debates in the Commons on allied health professionals and on reform of the DVLA, and in the Lords on clean energy and rural communities and on cancer outcomes. The Joint Committee on Human Rights will question the Northern Ireland Secretary on the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.

Submissions / Written Parliamentary Questions - Our evidence to the House of Commons Procedure Committee

The use of Written Parliamentary Questions (WPQs) is rising sharply. Since July 2024, MPs have tabled questions at unprecedented levels. By late 2025 MPs were tabling over 600 per sitting day, more than double the long-term average. WPQs are a cornerstone of parliamentary scrutiny, helping MPs obtain information, challenge government policy and put issues on the public record. But this surge raises important questions about how Parliament balances transparency and accountability with the practical limits of the system. The House of Commons Procedure Committee is now examining the issue and has just published our submission containing our latest data and analysis.

News / Who really decides Immigration Rules: Parliament or the Home Secretary? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 137

Who really controls immigration law when Ministers can rewrite key rules with minimal parliamentary scrutiny? Jonathan Featonby of the Refugee Council explains the Home Secretary’s far-reaching powers over Immigration Rules. We also discuss the Crime and Policing Bill, where amendments on AI and abortion highlight the challenges posed by rushed law-making and executive overreach. And we look ahead to the next phase of the assisted dying debate, as supporters in the House of Commons prepare for a renewed legislative push in the next parliamentary Session. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Acast · YouTube · Other apps · RSS