Why has the U.K. had 6 prime ministers in less than 10 years?

World Why the U.K. has had 6 prime ministers in 10 years, and might soon have a 7th By Inaya Folarin Iman, Inaya Folarin Iman Reporter Inaya Folarin Iman is a reporter for CBS News covering politics and culture in the U.K. and Europe. Read Full Bio Inaya Folarin Iman, Tucker Reals Tucker Reals Editor Tucker Reals is CBSNews.com's foreign editor, based in the CBS News London bureau. He has worked for CBS News since 2006, prior to which he worked for The Associated Press in Washington, D.C., and London. Read Full Bio Tucker Reals May 19, 2026 / 7:00 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google London — Number 10 Downing Street in London, with its famous glossy black door, has had its fair share of occupants in its nearly 300-year history as the official home of Britain's prime minister.The building was home to Winston Churchill for a total of nine years; and then the "Iron Lady" Margaret Thatcher for nearly 12, spanning the 1980s. Tony Blair lived there for a decade, from 1997 until 2007. But over the last 10 years, British leaders have barely had time to unpack their boxes before making way for the next occupant. Six prime ministers have inhabited the official residence since 2016 — including four over the last four years alone. How British leaders are chosenVoters in the United Kingdom do not directly elect their prime minister in the same way Americans elect a president.Instead, voters elect members of the British Parliament's lower House of Commons to represent their local constituencies, and the leader of the party that wins a majority of the seats in the house generally becomes the prime minister.Political parties can, through internal elections, replace their leaders at any time — even if that person is the prime minister — if they lose the confidence of sufficient members. If a sitting party leader resigns from that position or is toppled, they will also cede the premiership.The system means a British prime minister can be re...