London, United Kingdom. Andy Burnham starts his new role on Monday as Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade marked by political instability since the 2016 vote to leave the European Union. British governments have faced weak economic growth, high debt, rising welfare costs and growing global threats.
Brexit vote and Cameron’s resignation
In June 2016, Britain voted by 52% to 48% to leave the European Union after more than 40 years of membership, triggering the country’s largest political crisis since World War Two. Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron resigned, and Theresa May was selected by the party to succeed him.
May’s election setback
In June 2017, May called a snap election while opinion polls showed strong support for the Conservatives. She sought a larger parliamentary majority to pass Brexit legislation, but the party lost its majority and formed an agreement with Northern Ireland’s pro-UK Democratic Unionist Party.
Johnson succeeds May
In May 2019, May resigned after failing to overcome a parliamentary deadlock over the terms of Britain’s departure from the European Union. Boris Johnson, a leading figure in the Brexit campaign, won the Conservative Party leadership contest to replace her.
Conservative election victory
In December 2019, Johnson called a snap election as parliament remained deadlocked over Brexit. Running on the slogan “Get Brexit Done”, he led the Conservatives to their biggest election victory since Margaret Thatcher’s 1987 landslide.
