Does the United Kingdoms constitution sufficiently protect its democracy from a rogue prime minister?
In light of the resurgence of the far Right across Europe and some of the rhetoric of the 2024 General Election, which carried whiffs of political authoritarianism, Could It Happen Here? explores the possible consequences of a British prime minister refusing to leave office. Mapping out the processes that might occur after such an eventuality, the responsibilities of key players in the United Kingdoms democratic system, and the integrity of that system after years of stress, Peter Hennessy and Andrew Blick analyze the United Kingdoms unwritten constitution and provide a crucial recommendation for protecting and strengthening the resilience of its parliamentary democracy.
Britain's preeminent constitutional historian asks how well protected is our democracy from the threat of authoritarianism.
Prologue 1
1. The Limpet Prime Minister: A System
Under Threat 5
2. Protecting the System 18
3. The Ten-Year Stress Test 53
Conclusion 86
Notes 88
Peter Hennessy is one of the UK's leading contemporary historians and is the author of definitive books on the UK's prime ministers, constitution, civil service, and intelligence agencies. His recent works include Winds of Change: Britain in the Early Sixties and A Duty of Care: Britain Before and After Covid. He is the series editor of Haus Curiosities.
Andrew Blick is Professor of Politics and Contemporary History, and Head of Department of Political Economy. He is the editor of The Constitution in Review, a six-monthly analysis of developments in the UK constitution produced by the United Kingdom Constitution Monitoring Group.
