Minister Sparks Debate By Suggesting New PM Should Trigger General Election

A minister is facing some backlash after insisting a change in party leader should legally trigger a general election.

The Home Office’s Mike Tapp said such legislation would “stop the constant churn” of prime ministers in Downing Street.

In a post on X, the minister wrote: “Is it time to legislate; if a change of leader is forced by its own Party then a General Election must be called.

“That would stop the constant churn and focus all politicians on delivery, instead of work place politics.

“These endless ‘house of cards’ games would end and the country would benefit. Let’s legislate to focus minds.”

His remarks come as his boss Keir Starmer is widely expected to resign as early as this morning – which would be the UK would be moving onto its seventh prime minister in the last decade.

The PM appears to have lost the support of much of his party after more than 100 Labour MPs and a handful of his own ministers urged him to step down.

Andy Burnham, the outgoing Greater Manchester mayor, has long had his eyes on No.10 and won the Makerfield by-election on Thursday.

He is thought to have the support of the required 81 Labour MPs needed to formally challenge Starmer’s leadership once he is sworn into the Commons this afternoon.

But Tapp’s suggestion to introduce a general election whenever there is a new party leader at the top of government received a mixed reaction, to say the least.

Fellow Labour MP Josh Fenton-Glynn wrote on X: “Mike Tapp appears surprised that we are a parliamentary democracy!

“The last two prime ministers to win an election then lose their job at the next election were Major and Wilson – course correction mid term in response to the public is the norm not the exception.”

Other social media users were split over whether this was a good plan.

Tapp later responded to the backlash, writing on X: “I’m pleased to see the debate, at least here on X, has begun. We cannot continue as we are.

“There are many nuances to this but at the core we must remember that as politicians we are here to serve the country – and 6 (possibly 7) PMs in 10 years is unsustainable.

“We need to find a better balance and this conversation is important.”

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