May’s departure and the curious question of what to do with ex-Prime Ministers | Conservative Home

Au revoir, Theresa May. After 27 years in Parliament, the former Prime Minister told the Maidenhead Advertiser that she will be standing down to spend more time with the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking which is taking up an “increasing amount” of her time. Rishi Sunak paid tribute by suggesting she “defines what it means to be a public servant”.

Maidenhead is one of the few constituencies that both YouGov’s MRP poll and Electoral Calculus have remaining Conservative at the next election. A former Prime Minister losing their seat at a general election hasn’t happened since Arthur Balfour. Even so, announcing she is going now allows May to depart on her own terms, an ending she was denied for her premiership.

May was not a very good Prime Minister. I was still at school, running as the Tory candidate in our mock election, when the ‘Maybot’ short-circuited in 2017. Her gamble to extend her majority collapsed amidst “dementia tax” rows, Corbynmania, and the exposure of her campaigning inadequacies. Her ignominious inability to deliver Brexit overshadowed her whole “burning injustices” agenda.

Nonetheless, even May’s most ardent armchair critic would at least acknowledge she has enjoyed an Indian summer on the backbenches. Having been swept into a shadow ministerial role soon after entering Parliament, May had previously spent very little time solely as a constituency MP. Liberated from office, she has used her authority as an ex-Prime Minister with aplomb.

Boris Johnson’s handling of the pandemic, the international aid target, the Rwanda Bill: all have come in for May’s disapproval. Her greatest relish from attacking the record of her immediate successor. Her unwillingness to clap for him on his departure summed up her lingering resentment over her departure from Downing Street. Edward Heath would have been proud.

Without a Johnson in the Commons to needle, May may well have lost interest in the day-to-day business of the Government, hastening her decision to stand down. This is a shame, especially when contrasted with her successor’s decision to jump before being pushed last year. May was unusual compared to recent Prime Ministers in staying on as an MP past the next election.

With the ever-hastening turnover rate of our politicians, the experience of a former premier is a rare asset. Liz Truss might be the only ex-Prime Minister in the Commons in May’s absence. What advice can the 49-Day Queen offer? She’s more interested in deluding Americans into paying her large sums to peddle fantasies about where the blame for her premiership’s failings lies.

Johnson has retreated into the happy renumeration of his solidly pointless column for The Daily Mail. Gordon Brown and John Major occasionally surface to make high-minded suggestions for how our constitution and sovereignty can be further mangled. Tony Blair operates his titular Institute of Global Change, peddling the gospel of centrism to the world, peering over Keir Starmer’s shoulder.

Similarities persist. A desire to defend their records in office, like Johnson visiting Kyiv, or May highlighting her work on modern slavery. An interest in remuneration, via speeches, lobbying, consultancy, or writing. An unwillingness to let go, to remind the world of their personal peak, even if nobody is very interested in hearing. How many more conference speeches can Truss manage?

Time will tell with the MP for South West Norfolk. In so many ways, we must consider a special case. But with Sunak continually rumoured to be jetting off to California as soon as the verdict of the electorate is given, it’s a depressing situation when those at the apex of our politics, can’t be engaged with the tedious work of being Parliamentarians. Undoubtedly, we must pay politicians more.

Perhaps it’s because they know a return to the top job is so unlikely. Johnson may have dabbled with a return, but it retirement seems to suit him better. Nine Prime Ministers had two or more non-consecutive terms in the 19^th century. Four did in the 20^th, and none have since Harold Wilson. Being in Number 10 was their personal peak. If it can’t be achieved again, why bother?

Contrast Blair quitting immediately with the long post-premiership parliamentary careers of Wilson, James Callaghan, or Clement Attlee. He may yet return to the Lords, if his income allows. Same with Major. Harold Macmillan didn’t become the Earl of Stockton until he was in his 90s. But one wonders if either can be dragged back into the clammy world of Westminster after so long out of it.

All thoroughly depressing. But readers will have noticed that there is one recent Prime Minister I haven’t so far mentioned. His example offers a ray of hope for those wanting to gainfully employ ex-PMs. I may be somewhat sceptical of our new Foreign Secretary’s aprroach. But David Cameron’s return to Parliament puts so many of his fellow ex-premiers to shame.

Previously, Cameron committed some of the cardinal sins by quitting as an MP almost immediately and unhelpfully lobbying ministers via text. But he never purposefully aimed to create any headaches for his successors and sought a useful role in various charities and campaigning organisations. He practiced his backhand, delivered food parcels to Ukraine, and wrote his memoirs.

Yet he was still young (ish) and had much more to offer Britain. The revisionist version of his premiership still needs writing, even if foreign affairs was amongst its least impressive elements. As much as many might grumble, Sunak’s willingness to bring him back and Cameron’s readiness to do so has set a helpful precedent. The Lords isn’t so inhospitable for an ex-PM after all.

One hopes May will soon join him. Since we may never have another Conservative government, I find it unlikely that she will one day have the opportunity to take her turn as Foreign Secretary. Nonetheless, continuing her good work at holding governments to account, without the stresses of daily fights against any and all housebuilding in Maidenhead, seems the perfect combination.

Indeed, she could combine it with another vital service to the nation – keeping Rory Stewart from being Chancellor of Oxford University.