THEY say a week is a long time in politics – well, 2022 felt like an eternity.
In 12 action-packed months we had three Prime Ministers, two Tory leadership elections and one disastrous mini-Budget.
Truss resigned, earning the title of Britain’s shortest-serving PM, holding the position for a staggeringly low 44 days
Rishi Sunak originally lost the election race to Liz Truss but was gifted the title a month later, following Truss’ collapse
Johnson started the year as the triumphant PM who avoided another Christmas Covid lockdown, but was given the axe in the summer
It was a year of downfalls, backstabbing and astonishing comebacks — with a dash of reality TV drama.
Here, Trending In The News on Sunday’s Political Editor Kate Ferguson takes a light-hearted look at the highs and lows and dishes out awards.
I’LL BE BACK?
Boris Johnson started the year as the triumphant PM who avoided another Christmas Covid lockdown.
Just six months later he was forced out — after 57 ministers resigned, calling for him to quit over the Partygate scandal.
He left No 10 in July but hinted at a future comeback, telling the country: “Hasta la vista, baby!”
This political editor wouldn’t bet against him . . .
FIVE MINUTES OF FAME
DISGRACED former Health Secretary Matt Hancock bunked off Parliament to fly Down Under to appear on I’m A Celebrity.
He said he had gone to the jungle to get “forgiveness” for his lockdown-breaking affair.
The great British public responded by voting for him to eat camel’s penis and to be buried in a coffin full of snakes.
Hancock came third in the show and soon after resigned as an MP.
HERO OF THE YEAR
COMETH the hour, cometh the man.
Volodymyr Zelensky — and the Ukrainian people — showed what courage is as they stood up to Vladimir Putin’s invading forces.
Ignoring offers to flee, Zelensky stayed with his people in Kyiv, masterminding Ukraine’s stunning military fightback.
49 DAYS LATER
“I’M a fighter, not a quitter”, boomed Liz Truss in the House of Commons on October 19.
The next day she resigned, earning the title of Britain’s shortest-serving PM.
Her six weeks in office included the disastrous mini Budget, a string of U-turns, and a huge Commons meltdown.
Liz certainly proved one old saying true — that all political careers end in failure.
BLUNDER OF THE YEAR
NO prizes for guessing this one, folks.
In a year of political gaffes, U-turns and scandals, the disastrous mini-Budget is the hands-down winner.
Liz Truss and her Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s economic blueprint horrified markets, fuelled already rocketing inflation and later cost both their jobs.
COMEBACK KID
AFTER quitting as Chancellor in July and sparking resignations which toppled Bojo, Rishi Sunak originally lost the subsequent race to be Prime Minister to Liz Truss.
He was then gifted the title weeks later when her disastrous reign came to end.
The greatest comeback since Lazarus.
NAUGHTY LIST
TORY Neil Parish, who was caught watching porn in the House of Commons Chamber while searching for “tractors”.
After being exposed in Trending In The News in April, the red-faced Devon MP dashed back to his wife Sue to grovel, telling her: “I’m sorry you married a f***ing idiot.”
Parish — who later quit as an MP — said his wife chased him round the kitchen with scissors, threatening to cut off his privates.
MELTDOWN OF YEAR
THERE were plenty of times in 2022 when the entire Tory party seemed to have a collective breakdown.
It reached its zenith on October 19, when a Labour stunt vote on fracking sent the party into meltdown.
There were tears, tantrums and even reports Tory MPs had been “manhandled” by colleagues in the voting lobbies after getting conflicting orders of how to vote.
Parliament descended into utter chaos, Tory chief whip Wendy Morton and her deputy Craig Whittaker both quit.
Liz stood down as PM the next day.
