Topical Talk

Global leaders: right to resign?

Britain has had six Prime Ministers in ten years. Explore the pressures of poltical leadership.

Collage of pages from the “Global leaders: right to resign?” teaching resource showing the cover and lesson plan

Published 03 July 2026

About this lesson

The United Kingdom has had six prime ministers in just ten years. On June 22nd, Sir Keir Starmer became the latest to announce his resignation after facing pressure from within his own political party.

Is constantly changing leaders a sign of a healthy democracy – or political instability?

Use this lesson to help students:

  • Understand how UK political leadership has changed over the past decade
  • Consider the different pressures that can cause a prime minister to resign early
  • Discuss whether frequent changes in leadership help or hinder a country

Skills and knowledge

  • Problem solving

    Step 6: Analysing options
     I identify advantages and disadvantages of potential solutions
    Did you weigh up the positives and negatives of what the mouse and pigeon said?

    Step 9: Exploring causation
    I analyse causes and effects
    Why did the prime ministers resign? What effect did it have?

    Step 11: Systems thinking
     I identify how parts of a system impact each other
    How does a leader impact everything else?

  • Knowledge

    I know that the UK has had six prime ministers in ten years.
    What are some of the reasons for resignation? What’s the effect on the public?

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