This year saw political turmoil - not only in the UK but further afield. One of the most significant moments of 2022 was the start of the Ukraine war, a crisis which has seen the deaths of tens of thousands since Russia invaded the sovereign nation on 24 February.
King Charles acceded to the throne immediately after his mother’s death. He is pictured with Queen Consort Camilla and the Prince of Wales at the Accession Council at St James’s Palace on 10 September where he was formally proclaimed King. In a televised address the day before he said he would serve the people with “loyalty, respect and love as I have throughout my life”.
He also spoke at his “profound sorrow” at the death of his “darling Mama”.
10. Liz Truss resigns after six weeks
Liz Truss won the battle for the Tory leadership ahead of Rishi Sunak. But things turned sour fast. A mini-budget caused outrage in a country battling the cost-of-living crisis. The pound plummeted after then-chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announced the biggest raft of tax cuts for half a century.
The pound fell to a fresh 37-year low, forcing the Bank of England to launch an emergency UK government bond-buying programme to prevent borrowing costs from spiralling out of control, amid fears millions of mortgage holders could face crippling rises in their repayments.
By the start of October, Truss and Kwarteng abandoned their plan to abolish the 45p rate of income tax for top earners, before the chancellor was sacked weeks later. But there was no coming back from it, and pressure continued to mount on Truss. Just six weeks into the job she announced her intention to step down. It saw her become the shortest-serving Prime Minister in UK history. Her resignation saw two main contenders for the leadership emerge - Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson. However, a comeback was not to be for Johnson and he dropped out of the race.
11. Rishi Sunak becomes Prime Minister
King Charles III is pictured greeting newly appointed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on 26 October. The second of his reign and the third of 2022. Sunak was quickly named leader of the Tory party after Liz Truss resigned. In his first speech as Prime Minister he said there are “difficult decisions to come”. The former Chancellor said that “mistakes were made” under the premiership of Liz Truss,
Sunak then began with his cabinet reshuffle. Controversially he brought back Suella Braverman as Home Secretary, six days after she resigned for breaking the Ministerial Code in the role. His reshuffle also saw the return of Dominic Raab and Michael Gove.
12. Just Stop Oil protests
October saw a month-long campaign of direct action by Just Stop Oil protesters, during which they blocked roads, spray painted buildings.
Among the action by the group was a four-day protest on the M25, which shut down parts of the UK’s busiest motorway.
Activists from the group also threw tomato soup over Vincent van Gough’s Sunflowers painting in the National Gallery in London. They also glued themselves to the wall. The painting, which is protected by glass was not harmed.
It followed a spate of similar high-profile environmental and climate protests around Europe. In November climate group Last Generation poured a black oily substance over a Gustav Klimt painting in Vienna.
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