Column: Famous On Political Leadership Changes
[Opinion column written by MP Chris Famous]
“Power resides where men believe it resides” – Lord Varys, Game of Thrones.
In November of 2023, then Premier of the Cayman Islands Hon. Wayne Panton faced a motion of no confidence. After a deadlock vote of 9-9, he graciously agreed to step down and became Speaker of the House. In March of 2025 in the British Virgin Islands, several members of the Opposition crossed the floor and or switched sides causing Hon. Ronnie Skelton to be removed as Opposition Leader. In early February of 2026, in Bermuda Hon. Robert King was also removed as Opposition Leader and Party Leader of the One Bermuda Alliance [OBA].
It is predicted that Sir Keir Starmer may very well be soon removed/forced to resign as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom [UK].
Whilst the circumstances of their removals will differ,there are a few commonalities.
Legislation
Sir Keir Starmer has had to make multiple U-turns on proposed legislation and policies due to a majority of the backbench not being in favour of the proposals. Some prime examples; the plan to cut benefits for those with disabilities, Inheritance tax on farmers, and Winter fuel payment cuts for seniors.
Mind you, for a labour party, the above proposals are as right wing as it gets which would have caused suffering for those who could least likely afford cuts to their assistance. The Labour MPs would have rightly been under pressure by their constituents to not support those bills. In turn, they would have collectively given both the PM and his Cabinet, fair warning that they would vote against those bills.
Cabinet ministers need to remember that any proposed legislation, especially the contentious bills, can only be passed if the majority of the backbench supports those bills.
Leadership
No leader can exist on their own. All political leadership is literally dependent on the continued support not just of a cabinet but additionally, the majority of the backbench. As seen in the UK over the last 5 years, leaders from both the Conservative Party and the Labour Party have faced revolts from the backbench that trigger internal party mechanisms that allow for leaders to be replaced. Boris Johnson and Liz Truss are some of the best examples.
In any functioning Democracy, most, if not all political parties have in their written constitution the provisions for electing leaders and removing leaders. Generally, if party Caucus members feel that their present leader will cost them the next election, they will replace them.
As evidenced above, the real power of either government or opposition party is not the person who is the leader. It is the backbench / caucus that ultimately have the final say on both legislation and leadership.
“Power resides where men believe it resides.”
- Chris Famous, MP for Constituency #11, Devonshire East
Yawn. To think this man gets paid to write banal stuff like this… must be nice!
He does? By who?
That would be the Bermudian taxpayer that foots his ministerial salary.
Or are you under the impression that politicians do things for the benefit of the public and nothing else?
He gets paid to represent his constituents in the House and to address their concerns.
This article is something he does in his own time, unpaid. But well done.
And on that note, he is one of the most effective MP’s sitting in that house.
Depends on how define ‘effective’
And whether TCF is having a snooze or not .
Watching
, you are part of the PLP Alaska Hall team. Stop pretending to be neutral.
Mr Famous, uses this column for propaganda . He is paid as an MP. It is for his financial benefit that he spreads propaganda that keeps him in the money.
Written by AI….lmfao!