The toppling by his colleagues of Britain’s prime minister is humiliating, not only for Keir Starmer but for parliamentary democracy. It is a rejection of the electorate, which chose a party with Starmer at its head, and of Labour’s manifesto of less than two years ago, all in favour someone who, until last week, had not been an MP since 2017. Andy Burnham’s sole claim to Downing Street is that he is currently preferred by most Labour MPs. Two years ago, the same was true of Starmer. What has gone so wrong?

The reason Britain is now about to have its seventh prime minister in 10 years is rooted in the House of Commons’ behaviour as a frequently whimsical appointments board. Those sent to Westminster are entitled to do as they choose, but in recent history they have undertaken to honour the pledges given to their voters at election time. Starmer in 2024 presented a moderate Labour programme and has been struggling to enact it, often against a backdrop of hostile economic forces and declining public services. He could at least reasonably expect loyalty from his MPs.

When Starmer has crossed swords with his backbenchers, it has usually been over welfare. In these clashes he has usually compromised in the end. He suffered bruising........

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