In Pictures: Another turbulent 12 months in UK politics
Rishi Sunak is still standing after his first full year as Prime Minister but things have been far from plain sailing for the Conservative government.
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MPs started the year with a show of cross-party support, giving a rare standing ovation to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February after he provided the House of Commons with an update on his country’s war with Russia.
MPs giving a rare standing ovation after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the Commons via videolink (House of Commons/PA)
Nicola Sturgeon speaking during a press conference at Bute House in Edinburgh where she announced she will stand down as First Minister of Scotland. Picture date: Wednesday February 15, 2023.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt leaves 11 Downing Street with his ministerial box and members of his ministerial team before delivering his Budget in Parliament (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
From left, Ash Regan, Humza Yousaf and Kate Forbes after the winner of the SNP’s leadership contest was announced (Andrew Milligan/PA)
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey celebrates with campaigners after his party won control of Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council from the Conservatives in the local elections (Andrew Matthews/PA)
The report concluded that Mr Johnson deliberately misled the Commons over lockdown parties at 10 Downing Street, and would be suspended for 90 days if still an MP.
Three parilamentary by-elections were triggered by Mr Johnson’s decision to quit, including in his own constituency, after loyalists Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams also announced their resignations.
Boris Johnson leaving his home in Oxford following his resignation as an MP (Beresford Hodge/PA)
The Conservatives held onto Mr Johnson’s former seat with a reduced majority of 495 votes in a third by-election influenced by the proposed expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone.
Labour’s Keir Mather delivering his victory speech after overturning a majority of more than 20,000 votes in the Selby and Ainsty by-election (Danny Lawson/PA)
Liz Truss gives a speech on the economy at the Institute for Government in London (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
An emotional Education Secretary Gillian Keegan watches Prime Minister Rishi Sunak deliver his speech during the Conservative Party conference (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
A protester throws glitter over Sir Keir Starmer during his keynote speech at the Labour Party Conference (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
US vice president Kamala Harris and Tesla co-founder Elon Musk were among the guests at the AI Safety Summit hosted at Bletchley Park in November, during which the Government announced a “world first agreement” between 28 countries on how to manage the riskiest forms of artificial intelligence.
Rishi Sunak and Elon Musk in conversation at the AI Safety Summit (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)
The King delivers his speech beside the Queen during the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords (Leon Neal/PA)
Suella Braverman outside her home in, Bushey, Hertfordshire, after her sacking by the Prime Minister (Andrew Matthews/PA)
(Left to right) Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron and Home Secretary James Cleverly at the ceremonial welcome for President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, at Horse Guards Parade in central London (Victoria Jones/PA)
Mr Sunak’s new plan was not enough to satisfy Robert Jenrick, however, who resigned as immigration minister, arguing the legislation “does not go far enough”. But, despite much hand-wringing by MPs on the right of the Tory party, the Safety of Rwanda Bill passed second reading in the Commons by 313 votes to 269.
Home Secretary James Cleverly and Rwandan minister of foreign affairs Vincent Biruta hold a bilateral meeting after they signed a new treaty in Kigali (Ben Birchall/PA)
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