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Waving goodbye Harold Macmillan waves to well-wishers outside hospital, days after bowing out as prime minister in October 1963
Boris Johnson's fall as prime minister early in July was spectacular. It was forced, not by any formal vote, but instead by the resignation of dozens of ministers and aides following a series of damaging political scandals. Indeed, the number of resignations was so great that, had Johnson not quickly reversed his refusal to step down, the business of government might have ground to a halt. In keeping with Johnson's taboo-breaking career, the cascade of ministerial departures was unprecedented but history shows us that the enforced termination of a premier's occupancy of Downing Street is a much more commonplace occurrence.
Of the 20 men and women who have held the keys to Number 10 since the First World War and the dawn of the era of mass enfranchisement, only six have had their prime ministerial careers cut short as the direct result of losing a general election. There are four main reasons that the others found themselves in that position: personal choice, scandal, national crises, and internal party politics.
End of an era Boris Johnson announces his resignation as leader of the Conservative party on 7 July. He is set to stay on as PM until his replacement is announced later in the summer
This story is from the September 2022 edition of BBC History UK.
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This story is from the September 2022 edition of BBC History UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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