6 of the strangest moments in British politics of 2024

good morning. When I was asked to fill in for Stephen the day before Christmas Eve, I first thought of a few things.

High on my list of gifts for loyal readers: 1) a reform plan, or perhaps 2) local government reorganization, or perhaps 3) about how lack of voting efficiency could impede British reform in key minorities. It contained a brain dump.

And I understood the reason. I thought back to conversations I’ve had over the past week with MPs, party members, political journalists, and members of the public. They said, “I’m exhausted,” “I can barely stand up,” “I’m really dead,” and “What’s left of my brain has melted like fondue.”

(I may have made the last one.)

And I realized those crunchy topics could wait until the more lively days of early January.

Instead, here’s a list of some of the weirdest moments in British politics in 2024. If I have forgotten anything, please let me know in your usual speech.

Rishi Sunak in the rain

You can stay cool even in the pouring rain. For example, Gene Kelly. Rutger Hauer released the white dove at the end of Blade Runner.

Even politicians can look good in a downpour. For example, Barack Obama was standing on a stump in Virginia at the time.

But the rain that fell on Rishi Sunak on May 22 only bathed the outgoing Prime Minister. When he called for a general election, Sunak looked and sounded more like Will from The Inbetweener than ever before.

A few drops of rain lightly splashed on his chest, and by the end of his speech, his entire suit jacket was soaked through in slow motion.

Shortly after, the Conservative Party leader gave a speech at the Titanic shipyard, offering not one but two metaphors for the worst election campaign in living memory.

Sky News Studio responds to general election poll

Ahead of July 4, it was clear that Labor was returning to power after 14 years in the political wilderness. However, the extent of the party’s victory only became clear when the exit poll results came in at 10pm that night.

Opinion polls showed Keir Starmer’s party winning a landslide victory over Downing Street with a majority of around 170 people. (That number turned out to be 163).

And while viewers watching Sky News are shown bar graphs showing what this means for each party, somewhere in the background they hear a strange, almost lustful chorus of moans. Ta.

It turned out that presenter Kay Varley and Manchester Labor Mayor Andy Burnham were only expressing surprise at the extent of the landslide victory. The Sun subsequently reported that “viewers were stunned and equally confused”.

banger of a cragger

Some political issues are impossible to prepare for. Back in October, when Keir Starmer was writing his marathon 54-minute address to the nation at Labor conference in Liverpool, his epic gaffe could not have been predicted.

Speaking on foreign affairs, the new prime minister sounded more serious than usual, calling for restraint and détente between Lebanon and Israel. “I once again call on all parties to back away from the brink. I once again call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and the return of the sausages… hostages.”

The Prime Minister was then asked why he used the word sausage (as if it had ever been a mystery) and replied: Have you never done that? ”

Original comment by Kemi Badenoch

It’s been a few days and the City of Westminster is still trying to make sense of the new Conservative leader’s comments about the sandwich.

In an interview with the Spectator this month, the opposition leader declared that “lunch is for wimps”, but also inexplicably said he sometimes eats steak at lunch. “If the bread is wet, I don’t touch it,” Badenoch said. She also asserted that the sandwich is not real food, adding, “It’s something you eat for breakfast.”

This was a change of direction from Mr Sunak, who earlier this year tried to act normal by claiming that sandwiches were his favorite food.

Mr Badenoch also didn’t understand his embarrassment when he said that his holiday job had changed his social status. “I grew up in a middle-class family, but I became working class when I was 16, working at McDonald’s.”

Broadcaster represents constituency he ‘never liked’

It feels a bit mean to put a damper on Ian Dale, one of the nicer people working in Westminster, but his bid to become Conservative MP for Tunbridge Wells has gone smoothly. I didn’t go.

The LBC broadcaster has quit the radio program to stand in the constituency previously held by Greg Clark, who has just been appointed to Labour’s Industrial Strategy Council. But unfortunately, a clip has emerged from the podcast in which he says he “never liked” Tunbridge Wells, adding: “I’d be very happy living somewhere else.”

This was his unique stance after living there for 27 years, but it was not accepted by the local residents.

Dale retracted his remarks, saying the quote had been taken out of context (he was complaining about ongoing roadworks), but added: “I’m not going to die from a thousand cuts.” said.

My personal opinion is that he would be a fine congressman and should come back next time, wherever he is.

Labor takes Scrooge too far

If there’s one thing we’ve learned in recent months, it’s that Labor really doesn’t like to look like a spendthrift. Even as we siphon off £23bn in further funding for the NHS, ministers are still giving interviews about how they are cutting state spending by banning things like Rich Tea biscuits for nurses. I want to comply.

So it’s no surprise that on election night, exhausted staff and MPs who had stayed up all night for Labor’s victory party at Tate Modern, discovered that their free drinks had been extended until Maybe it wasn’t. . . Only one glass.

That’s correct. On the night his dream finally came true after winning the first election in 14 years, the labor manager could barely cough up a drink for his one drink.

go ahead and try this

I’m hoping to visit my family on the North York Moors later this week and jam on my dad’s guitar in front of a roaring fireplace. It is a common joy that we have only recently discovered. Songs on the lineup include “King of the Road,” “Georgia On My Mind,” “Sporting Life Blues,” and “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out.”

Today’s top news

There’s no need to rush | Kemi Badenoch told the BBC there was no intention to “rush” policy, despite the party facing criticism for not taking a clear position. The Conservative Party leader said donations from Elon Musk could be “counterproductive” because “people don’t necessarily like politics to be bought”.

‘The movement has begun’ | Nick Candy, the new treasurer of Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, claims he has several billionaire backers in addition to Mr Musk, insisting that the UK has ‘so far He promised political turmoil like we’ve never seen before.

Zero growth | The UK economy failed to grow in the third quarter, according to official figures, in another blow to Labor. Rachel Reeves admitted the Government faced “huge” challenges, but insisted the Budget had laid the foundations for long-term growth.

Go to top | British business lobby group says Prime Minister Starmer will open an ‘inclusion package’ to allow young people to study and work in the UK and the EU as part of next year’s ‘reset’ negotiations aimed at easing trade barriers. He said that Japan should agree to a “target” agreement.

More families are joining the battle with councils | A Guardian analysis shows that local authorities and the government have been hit hard by over the past year after failing efforts to block support for children and young people with special educational needs in England. More than a billion pounds was spent.