2023 British Politics Wrapped: How Much Of This Nonsense Do You …

25/12/2023

Rishi Sunak warned 2023 would have its “challenges [1]“. Not wrong, was he? Here is a whistle-stop tour of the last year in British politics.

January

The prime minister unveiled his five promises by which he said voters should judge him on at the next election. He pledged to halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce the debt, cut NHS waiting lists and “stop the boats”.

Advertisement Nadhim Zahawi was sacked [2] as Tory Party chairman after “a serious breach of the ministerial code” over his tax affairs. Sunak marked his first 100 days [3] in office by being less popular at that point than his five predecessors (who made it that far).

Labour headed into the year with a 26-point lead [4]. Grant Shapps photoshopped Boris Johnson out [5] of a picture he posted on Twitter.

February

Striking workers marched through London in the largest day of coordinated strike action [6] for a decade, in protest at pay and conditions. Lee Anderson – who claimed nurses using food banks had “something wrong” with their ability budget – was appointed Tory deputy chairman [7]. Environment secretary Therese Coffey said people should eat turnips [8] to help ease the shortage of fruit and vegetables.

Sunak pulled off the seemingly impossible by reaching a breakthrough with the EU on Northern Ireland, signing the Windsor Framework [9]. Nicola Sturgeon resigned as Scotland’s first minister [10] after more than eight years in the job.

March

Gary Lineker was suspended by the BBC [11] from presenting Match Of The Day after tweeting that the language used by ministers around Rishi Sunak’s new asylum plan was similar to Germany in the 1930s. Advertisement Matt Hancock’s Covid-era WhatsApp messages were leaked [12] by journalist Isabel Oakeshott, after Hanock gave them all to her.

Boris Johnson swore “hand on heart” that he did not lie [13] to the Commons about partygate. Humza Yousaf won the SNP leadership election [14] and became Scotland’s first minister. Jeremy Corbyn was blocked from standing for re-election [15] as a Labour candidate.

April

Dominic Raab resigned [16] following multiple bullying allegations. Oliver Dowden became deputy prime minister. Rishi Sunak set out plans to make every school pupil in England learn maths [17] until they are 18. Conservative MP Scott Benton was filmed offering to help gambling industry lobbyists [18] in exchange for money.

Labour suggested Sunak did not support the jailing of child sex offenders [19]. Diane Abbott had the Labour Party whip suspended [20] after she suggested Jewish, Irish and Traveller people had never been “subject to racism”. The Scottish government launched a legal battle with the UK [21] Government after it blocked the Scottish Parliament’s move to make it easier to change gender.

Advertisement The White House denied Joe Biden was “anti-British [22]“.

May

Rishi Sunak suffered a hammering at the local elections, losing around 1,000 seats [23] across England, with Labour and the Lib Dems enjoying major gains. Jacob Rees-Mogg admitted the Conservative’s voter ID law was an attempt at “gerrymandering”[24] that backfired. Suella Braverman survived revelations she had been caught speeding [25] and accusations she asked civil servants to help her avoid a public speed awareness course. Tory MP Miriam Cates told the National Conservative conference “cultural Marxism” in schools was “destroying our children’s souls [26]“.

Another backbencher warned about the rise of “paganism”.

June

Nicola Sturgeon was arrested [27].

Nadine Dorries announced she would stand down as an MP with “immediate effect [28]“… Boris Johnson quit as an MP [29], claiming he was the victim of a “kangaroo court”. The Commons privileges committee decided he had misled parliament multiple times [30] over partygate.

He was stripped of his parliamentary pass. A new video emerged of Conservative Party staff having a party [31] during lockdown in December 2020. The government has launched a legal battle against its own public inquiry [32] into the handling of Covid in an effort to stop the release of Johnson’s unredacted WhatsApp messages, diaries and personal notebooks.

Sue Gray was given the all-clear to start as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff [33]. Suella Braverman’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was ruled unlawful [34] by the Court of Appeal. Zac Goldsmith resigned [35] from the government, saying he was “horrified” at Sunak.

The Conservative press office tweeted that Labour had a problem with chaos [36]. Advertisement Caroline Lucas, the former leader of the Green Party, said she was quitting parliament [37] at the next election.

July

The Lib Dems overturned a 19,000 Tory majority [38] to win the Somerton and Frome by-election. That was soon followed by the Conservatives’ 20,000 majority [39] in Selby and Ainsty tumbling to Labour – a seat that wasn’t even on the party’s target list for the next election.

But the Tories held onto Boris Johnosn’s former seat of Uxbridge [40] – arguably thanks to local anger at Sadiq Khan’s expansion of the Ulez scheme. A Labour civil war [41] erupted over the issue. Starmer also faced an internal rebellion after he insisted an incoming Labour government would keep the Tories’ two-child benefit cap [42].

His speech on education was interrupted by climate protesters [43]. Nigel Farage was “debanked [44]” when Coutts closed his accounts because of concerns over his political views. The Conservatives picked Susan Hall as its candidate for London mayor [45], she supported Donald Trump and expressed “deep joy” at Liz Truss’ mini-Budget.

Robert Jenrick ordered the removal of murals of cartoon characters [46] at an asylum centre for children in Dover.

August

Downing Street blanketed the airwaves with coverage of the government’s achievements on migration in what was dubbed “small boats week [47]“.

The Bibby Stockholm barge holding asylum seekers turned out to be awash with legionella [48]. Sunak went on holiday to California. While he was away Greenpeace activists managed to climb on the roof of his mansion [49] to protest the granting of new North Sea oil and gas licenses.

The prime minister “inadvertently” breached code of conduct rules [50] when he failed to declare his wife’s shares in a childcare company that would benefit from his new childcare policy. Advertisement UK wages grew [51] at a record rate – but people were over GBP200 worse off [52] a week than they would have been if pre-financial crisis trends had continued.

Ukraine’s spring offensive [53] stalled. Grant Shapps was appointed defence secretary [54]. Nadine Dorries announced she was finally actually resigning [55] as an MP

September

Rishi Sunak has announced he would weaken net zero [56] policies designed to tackle climate change, despite an outcry from several senior Tories. Boris Johnson attacked the move [57]. As did the car companies.

Suella Braverman said multiculturalism had “failed”[58] and immigration posed an “existential challenge” to the West. The home secretary added that fearing discrimination for being gay or a woman should not be enough to qualify people for refugee status. Keir Starmer demoted former leadership [59] rival Lisa Nandy as he carried out a reshuffle of his shadow cabinet.

Education secretary Gillian Keegan boasted she was doing a “fucking good job [60]” over the crumbling concrete scandal that closed many of England’s schools. Advertisement

October

Rishi Sunak cancelled the northern leg of HS2 [61] to Manchester. He expertly announced the move during the Conservative Party’s conference, in Manchester. It came after an excruciating few days of refusing to confirm it even though the decision had leaked.

Bois Johnson and David Cameron led the Tory backlash. The gathering was largely a future Tory leadership beauty parade [62]. The Conservative chair of the London assembly was dragged out of Braverman’s speech by security after he quietly complained she was delivering a “homophobic rant [63]“.

Liz Truss turned up and held a big rally of right-wing supporters. Nigel Farage said he was a fan [64] of the ex-PM. Transport secretary Mark Harper spread conspiracy theories [65] about local councils wanting to control how often people go to the shops.

Susan Hall, the Tory candidate for London mayor, claimed Jewish voters are “frightened [66]” of Sadiq Khan. Labour overturned two huge Conservative majorities to claim victory at by-elections in Nadine Dorries’ old seat of Mid Bedfordshire [67] and Chris Pincher’s former seat of Tamworth [68]. Podcaster George Osborne said losing both was “armageddon [69]” for Sunak.

Labour also comfortably won the Rutherglen and Hamilton West [70] by-election, held after Covid-rule breaking MP Margaret Ferrier got kicked out of parliament. An important boost for the party in Scotland. A protester disrupted Keir Starmer’s speech to the Labour conference by covering him in glitter [71].

British political leaders condemned Hamas [72] for its brutal terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, which triggered the biggest crisis in the Middle East in years. The streets of London, like so many cities, filled with protesters [73], showing their support for either Israelis or Palestinians trapped under bombardment in Gaza. GMB presenter Richard Madeley asked British-Palestinian MP Layla Moran if she was aware Hamas was planning the attack [74] before it happened.

Starmer resisted demands that he back a ceasefire [75] in the war as Labour splits erupted over his stance on the conflict. From “disappearing messages” to the urge to “let the virus rip [76]“, WhatsApp messages published by the Covid inquiry exposed the chaos in government during the pandemic. Sunak was branded “Dr Death the chancellor [77]” by a senior government scientist.

Simon Case, the UK’s top civil servant, told colleagues Boris Johnson “cannot lead”. Covid guidance was likely broken every day inside Downing Street [78] during the pandemic, according to the second most senior official. Matt Hancock thought that he should decide who lived or died [79]. Boris Johnson asked whether Covid could be cured by blowing a hair dryer up your nose [80].

Advertisement Humanity could “lose control” of Artificial Intelligence [81], Sunak warned as he set out a series of grim scenarios for the future of mankind. MP Andrew Bridgen reported another MP to parliamentary authorities for allegedly slapping him [82] on the back of the head and calling him a “bastard” before running away.

November

Rishi Sunak had a super normal love-in with [83] Elon Musk. The Kings’ Speech unveiled the prime minister’s legislative agenda [85], including a crackdown on rogue pedicab operators in London.[84]

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled the government’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was illegal. Tory deputy-chairman Lee Anderson said the government should “ignore the law [86]” and fly people there anyway. The prime minister said he would introduce “emergency legislation” in an attempt to keep the scheme alive.

Suella Braverman said a dictator on “day one [109]” of his second term.

References

^ challenges (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ sacked (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ marked his first 100 days (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ a 26-point lead (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ photoshopped Boris Johnson out (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ coordinated strike action (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ appointed Tory deputy chairman (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ eat turnips (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Windsor Framework (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ resigned as Scotland’s first minister (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ suspended by the BBC (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ WhatsApp messages were leaked (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ did not lie (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ won the SNP leadership election (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Corbyn was blocked from standing for re-election (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Raab resigned (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ learn maths (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ offering to help gambling industry lobbyists (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ jailing of child sex offenders (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ had the Labour Party whip suspended (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ a legal battle with the UK (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ anti-British (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ losing around 1,000 seats (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ voter ID law was an attempt at “gerrymandering” (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ survived revelations she had been caught speeding (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ destroying our children’s souls (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ arrested (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ immediate effect (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ as an MP (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ misled parliament multiple times (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Conservative Party staff having a party (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ launched a legal battle against its own public inquiry (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ start as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Rwanda was ruled unlawful (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Goldsmith resigned (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Labour had a problem with chaos (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ quitting parliament (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ overturned a 19,000 Tory majority (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ 20,000 majority (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Uxbridge (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Labour civil war (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ two-child benefit cap (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ interrupted by climate protesters (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ debanked (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ candidate for London mayor (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ murals of cartoon characters (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ small boats week (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ legionella (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ climb on the roof of his mansion (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ “inadvertently” breached code of conduct rules (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ wages grew (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ over GBP200 worse off (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ spring offensive (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ defence secretary (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ finally actually resigning (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ weaken net zero (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ attacked the move (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ multiculturalism had “failed” (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ demoted former leadership (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ fucking good job (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ northern leg of HS2 (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Tory leadership beauty parade (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ homophobic rant (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Farage said he was a fan (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Mark Harper spread conspiracy theories (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ frightened (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Mid Bedfordshire (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Tamworth (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ armageddon (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Rutherglen and Hamilton West (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ covering him in glitter (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ condemned Hamas (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ filled with protesters (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ aware Hamas was planning the attack (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ demands that he back a ceasefire (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ let the virus rip (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Dr Death the chancellor (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ broken every day inside Downing Street (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ decide who lived or died (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ a hair dryer up your nose (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Artificial Intelligence (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ slapping him (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ a super normal love-in with (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ Elon Musk (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ prime minister’s legislative agenda (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^ ignore the law (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)
^