channel good evening on rte addison in the gb newsroom police say a young woman killed in a mercy side pub shooting is not believed to have been the gunman's target . it's 26 year gunman's target. it's 26 year old edwards was at the lighthouse pub in wallasey village on christmas eve when . village on christmas eve when. the incident took place. four men were also tweets treated for gunshot wounds. the search for the gunman is still ongoing attention . 10th person has died attention. 10th person has died as a result of an explosion in a block of flats in jersey earlier this month. 73 year old cathy

mcguinness died in hospital on christmas day . the blast, which christmas day. the blast, which happenedin christmas day. the blast, which happened in the early hours on the 10th of december, destroyed a building in st helier. an inquest will open this friday before being adjourned while the investigation continues . at investigation continues. at least 55 people are believed to have died as a result of a severe arctic freeze that continues to grip much of the us and canada . officials say 25 and canada. officials say 25 people have been killed in buffalo in new york state where temperatures dropped as low as minus nine across the us and canada thousands of flights have been cancelled and more than 150,000 homes are still without power . the 150,000 homes are still without power. the uk's rail 150,000 homes are still without power . the uk's rail networks power. the uk's rail networks have been at a standstill today as members of the rmt union hold strike action pay hundreds of . strike action pay hundreds of. trains usually run on boxing day, but that they've all been cancelled . 20,000 eurostar cancelled. 20,000 eurostar passengers are also forced to make alternate plans as it cancelled services to london, paris, brussels and amsterdam .

paris, brussels and amsterdam. and boxing day shoppers may have defied and boxing day shoppers may have defied expectations with early data suggesting that footfall has actually risen. industry analyst springboard say may have increased by as much as half when compared to this time year. it follows concerns that the cost of living crisis coupled with rail strikes, may have kept people at home earlier said the average customer intended to spend 4% less than in 2021. we're on tv, online and dab+ radio. you're watching gb news, so i'll be back with more at top of the hour . of the hour. hello and welcome to the year in politics and what a year it's been. three prime ministers for

chancellors and one new king. a cost of living crisis. a war, europe. and the peculiar week when westminster fixated itself upon the longevity of a lettuce . yes, 2022 has been the most unpredicted of all, most wild yearin unpredicted of all, most wild year in westminster since well, the last one. let's kick it all off by looking back over first three months of the year. january kicked off with a cloud over boris johnson after a christmas eve alleged revelation of anti—lockdown parties . for a of anti—lockdown parties. for a brief while, an unknown civil servant sue seemed to be the most woman in the country as she prepared her report into downing street's misbehaviour . but when street's misbehaviour. but when it came it was a bit of a damp squib . that is because, mr. squib. that is because, mr. speaker , the report does speaker, the report does absolutely nothing to substantiate the tissue nonsense. he is just. however, nonsense. he isjust. however, bofis nonsense. he isjust. however, boris johnson , no time creating

boris johnson, no time creating a new crisis for himself with a swipe at sir keir starmer over the jemmy savile scandal. he spent most of his time prosecuting journalism, failing to prosecute jemmy savile as far as i can make it. this is all well of the prime minister's top aides resigned. one of his closest saying that there was no fair or reasonable basis for this claim claim . but the jemmy this claim claim. but the jemmy savile row was rather thrown into perspective . if by vladimir into perspective. if by vladimir putin's invasion of ukraine in late february , westminster was late february, westminster was collectively aghast at reports of atrocities from the front line . despite defiant words , the line. despite defiant words, the ukrainians, it seemed kyiv would full in a matter of days. there are some terrible atrocities being committed . there will be being committed. there will be some very grim days ahead for

ukraine calling the war. of course , worse and the cost of course, worse and the cost of living crisis at home. and in march , rishi sunak made his march, rishi sunak made his spnng march, rishi sunak made his spring statement, raising national insurance. although cutting fuel duty . so when i cutting fuel duty. so when i talk about security , i mean talk about security, i mean responding to the war in ukraine. but i also mean to of a faster growing the security of more resilient public finance is and security for working families as help with the cost of living . well let's dive right of living. well let's dive right in and explore what went on. firstly, in those first three months of the year. i'm joined by olivia utley, political reporter at gb news and rachel cunliffe is senior associate editor at the new statesman. first of all, it seems like for about half of my life we've been talking about who was at what party, when and where this was all already going by the start of the year. olivia. yes so the

christmas parties , a bit of christmas parties, a bit of a story at the end , 2021 and then story at the end, 2021 and then everything went a bit quieter of the new year and all that scandals, so to speak really starts to break in january , it starts to break in january, it was all about which of those parties boris johnson attended, which aides were there. whose fault it was that the parties started it all. and this went on as far as i can remember, for and weeks and weeks and every day another journalist was coming up with a huge breaking story about a specific party on a specific night. and it really mattered which which party was which. i mean , doesn't sound which. i mean, doesn't sound like but were like it anymore, but there were the during were the rules during lockdown were so specific that and whether it was a law that was broken or just a rule or just guidance was just a rule orjust guidance was all very important. so it all mattered a lot. which parties, which and who was there and why they were there? because some of them, they could just about swing it as a as a work event. and that far as i remember, it took up a large part of january and and it was and some of february and it was

the drip, drip, drip of these stories that really made such stories that really made it such a media story . stories that really made it such a media story. suppose, if a big media story. suppose, if at it come out on one at all, it had come out on one day, and the start, day, one thing, and the start, it wouldn't have blown up into this huge thing that it became . this huge thing that it became. no, you're right. no, i think you're right. i think if downing street had come out , here's list of out and said, here's a list of all gatherings we thought all the gatherings we thought they were justified for work at they were justified for work at the could see that the time. we could see that maybe they possibly crossed the cross into things that were not to do in the guidance. we're very about it was a very very about that. it was a very confusing and a that confusing time and a story that have been the end of it. i think the why it lasted so long was this drip, drip, drip. it was the flat denials from downing street , particularly from boris street, particularly from boris johnson himself . he sort of said johnson himself. he sort of said categorically several times , as categorically several times, as you no party happened . the you know, no party happened. the rules were followed at times rules were followed at all times . and that very denial . and that very clear denial meant that there was sort of an incentive for journalists to go and find out exactly had been happening. and we just got happening. and then we just got an list. i can't an endless list. i can't remember how many there were entitled, was over entitled, i think it was over 20. and of them were 20. and some of them were full blown parties with karaoke

machines and things that actually sound fun. and some of the things that i don't think you or i would have really thought party at the thought were a party at the time. was of some time. it was sort of some colleagues having , some food or colleagues having, some food or some and some drinks after work. and i suppose it was also muddled up there the things that there because the things that sounded like they were sounded most like they were parties, walls , parties, the sick on the walls, broken machine broken swing the karaoke machine . they happened when the prime minister wasn't at downing street. and that was a big part of it, too. and the prime minister could also the argument that it was his home and the other thing which i found really strange about the whole thing, as you say, ones which as you say, the ones which sounded most like parties sounded the most like parties seem the which they seem to be the ones which they of with, whereas one of got away with, whereas one which come is which seemed to come out is worse was the one where boris johnson walked into a room. someone ambushed him with a case and as far as far as and rishi sunak as far as far as it appeared , he had turned up it appeared, he had turned up 5 minutes early for a meeting at rishi sunak. i don't, think we rishi sunak. i don't, i think we can isn't a big policy can all agree isn't a big policy policy type. and kind of policy type. and it's kind of a bizarre a meeting and we bizarre for a meeting and we suddenly thing suddenly into the whole thing and get onto that

and well we'll get onto that bits later because of bits a bit later because of course grey couldn't report course sue grey couldn't report her final report in january as was expected because the police got involved and once that metropolitan police investigation was underway, sue grey said, well, i can't any of my findings for quite some more time, but that , of course, the time, but that, of course, the only thing that happened in the first three months of this year there was bit of a big clash in there was bit of a big clash in the midst of all of this wrangling over partygate between the and sir keir the prime minister and sir keir starmer. at one time, minister's questions the prime minister used a phrase that many people found distasteful about jemmy savile. so the insinuation at prime minister's questions was that keir starmer, when he was director of public prosecutions, was personally responsible for not prosecuting jemmy saville, the child sex offender . and the the child sex offender. and the reason that i this exploded in the way it did is one, it's false , it's inaccurate. and he false, it's inaccurate. and he wasn't involved in that decision . but two, it's a line kind of

comes from a conspiracy theory thatis comes from a conspiracy theory that is associated with the old right associated with a lot of sort of very unsavoury characters. and so to have the prime minister bring that up in parliament was kind of a big deal parliament was kind of a big deal. now whether or not he meant it to be that i don't think is necessarily the issue. he didn't apologise for it. and the kind of key from that moment was , the resignation of his key was, the resignation of his key aide, many members who'd worked with him for 15 years when he was mayor of london, bought into downing street, who had been very, very supportive of him through all of the scandal. so we could go into today with bofis we could go into today with boris johnson. and that was the moment when she quit. and that's why i think it was kind of a turning in the boris perhaps a sign of to come but sign of things to come but i suppose there is to argument sign of things to come but i suppif;e there is to argument sign of things to come but i suppif you ere is to argument sign of things to come but i suppif you were to argument sign of things to come but i suppif you were at argument sign of things to come but i suppif you were at the ument sign of things to come but i suppif you were at the topent sign of things to come but i suppif you were at the top of that if you were at the top of an organisation, you take responsive policy for people, even personally even if you're not personally involved with decision, you involved with a decision, you take and there's involved with a decision, you téfunny and there's involved with a decision, you téfunny of and there's involved with a decision, you téfunny of parallel there's involved with a decision, you téfunny of parallel there�*s a funny sort of parallel there between johnson was between boris johnson was accused not accused of in terms not personally of personally attending some of

these crazy but being these crazy parties, but being these crazy parties, but being the head of the organisation and somehow being responsible. i suppose he was trying to draw a bit comparison that that bit of a comparison that that definitely comparison. definitely was the comparison. he draw. it he was trying to draw. but it did come off quite strangely and people yes. thought that it was sort of playing into this very onune sort of playing into this very online conspiracy theory about jemmy, savile , keir starmer jemmy, savile, keir starmer there one argument that was made at the time , boris johnson at the time, boris johnson wasn't exactly in charge of downing street . johnson was in downing street. johnson was in charge of the country , and it charge of the country, and it was civil servants who were in charge of making street charge of making downing street wrong. so one argument that i remember moore remember charles moore and, other allies other boris johnson allies putting that putting forward was that actually johnson was actually boris johnson was sitting in charge of sitting there in charge of running country. how downing running the country. how downing street is wrong isn't really his job. if he was told to turn up and shake hands with people, to thank work thank them for all hard work over difficult period over this very difficult period . sort of obliged to . then he was sort of obliged to do that. if it goes out of do that. and if it goes out of control , it wasn't really his control, it wasn't really his fault that was sort of the only big defence johnson big defence of boris johnson i heard period . as rachel heard in that period. as rachel says, think that they says, i think that when they were cutting

were wrestling with very cutting resignation letter talking about bofis resignation letter talking about boris johnson's competency , that boris johnson's competency, that was in hindsight probably the beginning of the end. and yet a big lifeline for boris johnson , big lifeline for boris johnson, but a confusing and odd lifeline because people stop talking about cakes and parties on the 24th of february, when russia , 24th of february, when russia, ukraine, i think it was a lifeline for him, because i think if you look at the trajectory of the way the scandals ramping up, then suddenly this massive geopolitical event happens and puts it all into perspective and all looks while the trivial, which indeed it should. and i think that if you're reflecting on boris johnson's legacy as prime minister, one of the things that we can probably agree, he should take great pride in is strength of pride in is the strength of britain's reaction to. putin's invasion of ukraine the way. he said right from the beginning that were going to support ukraine with , military support ukraine with, military support with financial support and also by just rhetorically making it

very clear that this was an illegal war and that of the european leaders who were perhaps trying to soften their stance to putin a little bit a little bit worried about how should the eu react, how they react. it was a very strong position from and that position from britain and that i think was led by boris johnson . think was led by boris johnson. coming up after the break, trouble for boris johnson local and by elections and a peculiar scandal in westminster over tracked .

welcome to the year in politics we're looking at some of the biggest political moments of the year coming up some ballot box trouble boris johnson and for

good measure tracked . spring good measure tracked. spring into an old fashioned sex scandal , this time over claims scandal, this time over claims that a member of parliament watched in the house of commons . it turned out to be neil parish, who only days before had played the issue down on gb news. now i think we've got some of the 650 members of parliament in what a very sort of very intense area . i mean, you are intense area. i mean, you are going to get people that step over the line i mean, is it you know, i don't there's necessarily a huge culture here. yeah. it's more questions about the culture in westminster. it all ended with parishes resignation . meanwhile, resignation. meanwhile, partygate was not going away for the prime minister he and his chancellor became the first holders of those offices to receive a fixed penalty notice from the police for breaking the law . i from the police for breaking the law. i understand from the police for breaking the law . i understand the anger that law. i understand the anger that

many will feel that i myself fell short when it came to , fell short when it came to, observing the very rules which the government i lead had introduced to protect the public . and i accept in all sincerity that people had the right to expect better and to the delight of westminster journalist sue grey finally released the pictures she'd obtained of alleged lockdown parties inside downing street's a few days beforehand. local elections across much of the uk and a disaster for boris johnson and the conservatives . tory like the conservatives. tory like wandsworth and westminster turned red at the hands of angry voters. it's been a terrible night for the conservatives in london to lose wandsworth , which london to lose wandsworth, which was very much the crown jewel for the conservatives in london. i mean, they've held the seat for 40 years a crisis in

northern ireland to as republicans, sinn fein , the republicans, sinn fein, the largest party powersharing, was once again up in the air just as once again up in the airjust as the foreign secretary announced plans to junk parts of the brexit deal on northern ireland . we will take the necessary decisions to preserve peace and stability . june rolled around stability. june rolled around and perhaps johnson's worst month . he survived a vote . no month. he survived a vote. no confidence by his own mps . month. he survived a vote. no confidence by his own mps. i can announce the parliamentary party does have , but presided over does have, but presided over some disastrous by elections, losing the key red wall seats of and even a blue wall tory stronghold tiverton and honiton to the lib dems. stronghold tiverton and honiton to the lib dems . and with to the lib dems. and with impeccable timing. yet sex scandal unfolded as the deputy chief whip was accused of groping men . chief whip was accused of groping men. boris chief whip was accused of

groping men . boris johnson groping men. boris johnson initially claimed he didn't know. of course , reputation . he know. of course, reputation. he was forced later to backtrack . was forced later to backtrack. despite the turmoil westminster britain celebrated , her britain celebrated, her majesty's platinum jubilee . but majesty's platinum jubilee. but there was also sad portent of things to come . as for the first things to come. as for the first time, prince charles stood in for the queen at the state opening of parliament. while the turbulent times course did not abate , april brought with it a abate, april brought with it a great array of . stories over the great array of. stories over the past and this was a phrase that beganin past and this was a phrase that began in sort of 2017 but had a big flare up in 2022. what going on? well i think it all began with neil parish, who quite a sort of funny story by the comparisons of the rest of the yeah he comparisons of the rest of the year. he was . parliament and it year. he was. parliament and it came he lied about it first he

claimed that what he was doing was looking up a particular kind of tract to call to dominate. sir and accidentally found himself on a different sort of website. he then looked to get where he couldn't really claim that he was still just trying to look attractive. and a couple of female mp saw an obviously resource him because this was in appropriate and the end it took appropriate and the end it took a while but he had to resign the whip that the fact it took a while sort of underlined ideas already blossoming in parliament that boris johnson was sort of losing control of out of his party. there was a there was a sort of theory that boris johnson's own personal life was a bit chaotic . it was quite a bit chaotic. it was quite difficult for him to discipline his employees. and that problem carried on over the next couple of months. of course, i did google the track attractor and i didn't find any polls. the whole pansh didn't find any polls. the whole parish cover. i wonder what algorithm is are at play in people's phones, but it wasn't the story of course that to

the only story of course that to extent there are more extent there were there are more troubling stories of various mep's under as well in this period. yeah. there were a number of employees that fell under the sort of past minster umbrella as well as the parish that was imran khan. he was convicted of sexual assault which triggered another by—election and these by elections the one in tiverton and jonathan the conservatives had a majority of 24,000 very, very safe conservative seat wakefield which was imran collins constituency, was a red wall where it was predicted that labour would for be take that . labour would for be take that. so the conservatives found themselves fighting two very different fronts under fire from two very different sections of electorate. and as it became that those elections wouldn't go well, which indeed they very much did not for the conservatives, the idea that bofis conservatives, the idea that boris johnson, for all his flaws, was somebody who unite the country and people voting conservative, who perhaps might never have done so. i had this

widespread appeal that was very beneficial to the tories if he had all of his issues that started to fade away because it became obvious that actually voters were deserting the party. and if boris wasn't able to bnng and if boris wasn't able to bring all those different coalitions together, what the point of him and in the midst all of this, of course, we got the final fines. the metropolitan police issued police issued two fines. one for bofis police issued two fines. one for boris johnson , one for rishi boris johnson, one for rishi sunak. and there were over 100 for the various civil servants and special advisers who operated within number ten as well what did that mean for the party? it was pretty for the party. there were those who sort of argued that getting a fine for breaking these lockdown rules was of the same as getting a speeding ticket. you wouldn't expect minister expect the prime minister resigned a resigned to resign. he had a speeding the speeding ticket, but because the prime had put these very lockdown rules in place and there were lots of people who missed out on a family, events and funerals. the thing we mustn't on the deathbeds, there

was a lot of anger in the country at large that. the prime minister and, the chancellor had both been fined for breaking these rules. and yet it was interesting because the chancellor wasn't really considered to have done anything particularly wrong. rishi sunak turned up a little bit early for a meeting whether happened to be a meeting whether happened to be a cake on the table. don't think anyone the cake . i mean, we anyone eat the cake. i mean, we really are getting into the most trivial . situations here trivial sort of. situations here . and yet because the chancellor got a fine , some people started got a fine, some people started to think well, maybe there was a bit of a video that had appeared about the leader of the labour party drinking beer at a similar time of restrictions when indoor socialising was against rules. outdoor socialising was a legal comparable time to this boris johnson birthday story and something called beer. gates began. something called beer. gates began . this is where i think it began. this is where i think it all started to get a bit. and i say, this is somebody he doesn't think that it was right for. rishi sunak to get that fine for what clearly accident but

what was clearly an accident but this was a work meeting up in durham . keir starmer was there durham. keir starmer was there drinking a beer and there was some pizza . durham obviously is some pizza. durham obviously is also the place dominic cummings was not fined for his lockdown. breaking trip up there and then subsequent trip to test his eyesight in barnard . but there eyesight in barnard. but there were, i think, justifiable questions about, hang on the labour side were doing it too. and obviously labour had been for harsh restrictions even if they weren't actually involved in making them . and towards the in making them. and towards the end of this period we got boris johnson's first visit to ukraine, to kyiv, where really whenever there was bit of domestic trouble, we did see the prime minister get on the phone to his good friend vladimir. that relationship was real though that that that friendship between boris johnson and volodymyr zelenskyy was strong. absolutely. and i think, yeah, we were all quite cynical it at the time because it did feel as though whenever was a drama breaking boris went to

breaking off, boris went to kyiv. but boris johnson was, as rachel saying , sort of at rachel was saying, sort of at the at the very top of the the very at the very top of the of the pack, really. he was leading the pack on helping ukraine and volodymyr zelenskyy really did get on with him very well. and we saw this quite bizarre thing where as boris johnson's was fast waning in the uk, it was massive on the rise in kyiv and there was a period when there was a particular of course on there was like in the shape boris johnson's face being sold on the streets of ukraine. so it was a very strange disparity on there. i think you're probably going get some ukrainian boys named boris if you next couple of years. it's going to be a very a very popular name. but it did certainly that every time he was in trouble for anything, off he went or picked phone . and went or picked up the phone. and you if maybe might you did wonder if maybe might have other things on his have had other things on his plate rather dealing with a waning of boris johnson coming up a hot in westminster as temperature rises amongst mps

bofis temperature rises amongst mps boris johnson is booted out and the leadership election gets underway .

welcome back to a year in politics. boris johnson's luck ran out in july and after that for a while. liz truss appeared unassailable . well, a week is unassailable. well, a week is a long in . politics another july long in. politics anotherjuly began with westminster in a further with the prime minister forced to admits that he knew of six allegations against one of his whips . his health secretary his whips. his health secretary resigned in disgust. his whips. his health secretary resigned in disgust . we have to

resigned in disgust. we have to conclude that enough is , enough. conclude that enough is, enough. he followed minutes later by his chancellor. are you going to be the next minister, boris government was in its final crisis . it government was in its final crisis. it prompted government was in its final crisis . it prompted veritable crisis. it prompted veritable avalanche of ministerial after two days of intense pressure and speculation. the prime minister threw in the towel . i want you threw in the towel. i want you to know how sad i am to be giving up the best job in the world. but them's the breaks . world. but them's the breaks. but the brakes were in the race for number ten. a host of conservative mps threw in their hats, including the largely unknown rehman chishti , who unknown rehman chishti, who seemed to be the only person to fancy himself for the job. for a brief moment, it seemed like the smart money could be behind penny mordaunt to be the next minister. but ultimately, rishi sunak was the favourite of tory.

they placed him forward to the membership along with the foreign secretary liz truss . the foreign secretary liz truss. the campaign's stretched on for nearly two months. the candidates touring the country speaking to members. but it seemed that the party couldn't forgive the former chancellor forgive the former chancellor for appearing to stab boris johnson in the back . and liz johnson in the back. and liz truss with her campaign on tax cuts . was triumphant that i cuts. was triumphant that i could notice that liz truss is elected as the leader of the conservative . conservative. the next day she flew to balmoral to meet her majesty . balmoral to meet her majesty. the . queen. a smiling monarch the. queen. a smiling monarch greeting her 59th and final

prime. the last time we would ever see . her well, if looking ever see. her well, if looking back, the of the year was the beginning of the end for boris johnson. july was the end of the end for boris johnson and olivia . those final weeks of boris johnson , prime minister , before johnson, prime minister, before he announced his resignation. what went wrong ? well, it was what went wrong? well, it was pretty really. we had the resignation . of sajid javid and resignation. of sajid javid and rishi sunak two big beasts in the conservative party, the chancellor and the health secretary and that everyone assumed was going to be the end of the couple of hours later, you would see the resignation of the prime minister. that's not what over the next 48 hours. we saw a slew of resignations like i've never happened before in british politics. it was just minister after minister going to down the really, really junior ranks, sending in these really cutting letters of resignation,

posting them all over twitter. everyone was talking about it. there were department for education at one point, had only minister out of eight. and that was some sort of very, very junior person in the lords. so it felt though, what is going to happen? can he post carry on hanging on people at one point was sort of comparing him to donald trump to leave donald trump refusing to leave after the election. and this went on for an extraordinary penod went on for an extraordinary period of time, really, although looking back, it was only sort of two days. it was chaos, though. it was absolute chaos. he was losing ministers than he could replace . he went into could replace. he went into a select committee meeting the day after sajid javid and rishi sunak resigning and acted as if nothing was wrong . every single nothing was wrong. every single member of that select committee was really laying into him . and was really laying into him. and i think during that meeting four, possibly five ministers resigned . it was going on. so it resigned. it was going on. so it really was extraordinary . and i really was extraordinary. and i think there was a sense in sort

of the core boris camp that he could tough it out because he tossed out every other scandal that would have taken down any other prime. and i think he thought that this just like all the others, it was only when it really got to the point where there weren't enough people to fill government that fill his government that he finally he would finally announced that he would be the people he be when even the people he reappointed to fill the gap started resigning . well. yes. we started resigning. well. yes. we had education secretary had an education secretary lasted 36 hours because he took the then went, thank the job and then went, thank you.she the job and then went, thank you. she didn't her pay out for that, by the way. and i think think is what it is think that is that is what it is interesting he interesting though because he did survive a confidence vote of the parliamentary party amid a few weeks before hand. there was all of this discussion that time that the 1922 committee executive were going to change the rules and that another vote would held. is there not an argument that that might have been a more legitimate thing proper whereby mp proper process whereby mp actually voted him out rather just forcing him out with a resignation ? yeah, it was a bit resignation? yeah, it was a bit odd really, because people didn't. was everyone

didn't. there was everyone turning against boris johnson when this vote of when there was this vote of no confidence. there a sort confidence. but there was a sort worry that they didn't really know was going to replace know who was going to replace him. only power that they him. so the only power that they had resigning in their had was just resigning in their droves. but it still left the problem of there's no one really to fill the gap, but after all bofis to fill the gap, but after all boris johnson did decide it to resign. but a leadership election started and at the start there were huge number of candidates . what was going on. candidates. what was going on. i think what was going is there wasn't a clear successor to bofis wasn't a clear successor to boris johnson. if there hadn't been a clear successor then i think that vote of no confidence for the time round would for the first time round would have very different. have gone a very different. usually what happens mp usually what happens is tory mp line they and it's a very line up who they and it's a very sort of and ruthless mechanism rather than the chaos that we saw and given that there wasn't a clear successor everyone threw the hat in the ring which i actually think was quite a good thing you got to have representation from different wings of the party. they got to have a conversation what they actually wanted the conservative party interesting only

party to be interesting only none of those candidates i think were particularly warm about bofis were particularly warm about boris johnson, even though all of them had obviously benefited from from him being in power. so there this real tension between trying to channel the support and the popularity that boris johnson had had while , also johnson had had while, also making it clear that they were very different. some of them, i think, were more successful than others. who could forget the others. and who could forget the one two day candidacy of one or two day candidacy of raymond history. so i nominated himself. yes. and i think he only managed to get his own backing. you needed a few more than that to manage to get on the ballot paper? yeah, it was hugely wide open campaign that subsequently when we had the leadership election, not very much later that night, 22 committee changed the rules. but as was you only needed something like 15% of the party to support you to get through to the next stage. so yeah, in some ways it was really good because we saw this debate what the this debate about what the conservative was, i conservative party was, but i think began , sort think it began, it sort of opened up these which were opened up all these which were

already in the already there in the conservative party armour and you saw these tribal factions developing and at some points seemed as though people had almost nothing in common. some of the some of the two different sides of party, you had sort sides of the party, you had sort of and liz truss of tom tugendhat and liz truss actually very little in common have sort of jeremy hunt throwing hat in the ring. again, very different to talk to the sort of thing that that liz truss is offering. there were all these different kinds of kemi badenoch as well was really the star of this period . not the star of this period. not very not very experienced in government , but got really far government, but got really far because she was offering it a very different vision of conservatives. you think perhaps if she'd held a proper cabinet post might have won the post she might have won the thing it remarkable thing but it was remarkable seeing how quickly broad field was whittled and then for how long the final two went on and on. i everyone can agree that the length of will it be liz truss will it be rishi sunak's stage of the contest really did

go too long, not least because while all the political drama was happening, we were facing a looming energy crisis and indeed economic crisis . and that very economic crisis. and that very much sense that the much was a sense that the conservative party was too focussed internal focussed its own internal politics not looking at the fact that energy bills were about to skyrocket and what other european were to work out european were trying to work out they were going to do when those gas the was . gas shortages hit the uk was. just looking at will it be rishi or will it be less. and of course by the start of september we that we'd we got the answer that we'd known going to be the answer for the month half. the previous month a half. liz truss after the truss became minister after the break. the rise and. very rapid fool of liz truss as prime minister. a disaster stress, mini budget and another prime minister .

welcome back . well, who could welcome back. well, who could forget liz , his brief but forget liz, his brief but eventful stint as prime minister we're looking back at the final of 2020 to liz started her premiership not as a politician but a stateswoman. announcing to the nation, the news that was dreaded for so long and with the passing of the second elizabeth teenage . we usher in a new era teenage. we usher in a new era by saying the words god save the . ki by saying the words god save the. ki hold as the nation mourned the passing of our longest serving and greatest monarch . she served and greatest monarch. she served so faithfully for 77, 70 years and so having to stand in line in the queue for like the 14 hours, really not that much in

comparison to what she . a parade comparison to what she. a parade of world leaders came to pay their respects to the new prime minister just in a sea of ministerjust in a sea of dignitaries and yet when politics finally returned it was a bang. the new chancellor a mini—budget that was anything but mini. today we have cut stamp duty. we've allowed businesses to keep more their own money, to invest, to innovate , to grow. we have cut innovate, to grow. we have cut income tax and national insurance for millions of workers. we are securing our place in a fiercely global economy with lower rates of corporation tax and lower of personal tax . a vast array of personal tax. a vast array of tax cuts and billions spent on energy price fixing sent the markets into a tail spin. the bank of england was forced to intervene to avert a calamity . intervene to avert a calamity. liz truss is signature economic policy was shot to pieces she made it through was a pressing

tory conference but sacked her own and replaced with the sunak supporting jerry me. hunt we will reverse almost all the tax measures announced in the growth plan. three weeks ago he almost all of her economic policies and became prime minister in but name. days later liz truss herself forced from power. i will remain as prime minister until a successor has been chosen. thank you . serving just chosen. thank you. serving just 44 days in office , the party 44 days in office, the party seem to have learnt their lesson. good afternoon again. short leadership contest followed . and rishi sunak , with followed. and rishi sunak, with his earlier warnings of economic turmoil somewhat vindicate to it, was crowned leader without a formal contest . it was formal contest. it was interesting, though those first

few days we had a cabinet reshuffle and then energy announcement. it was going really, really quickly. we the one of the largest intervention ends, i think in modern when it came to the amount of energy bill package support that was on. but we barely got the chance to process because while that was actually discussed in the commons , the news broke that her commons, the news broke that her majesty was very ill . then we majesty was very ill. then we had ten days of mourning . had ten days of mourning. nothing really happened . where nothing really happened. where liz truss led the nation in the mourning something that obviously boris johnson think had been expecting planning to do so we had politics hold but then we started and we started really quite forcefully . it really quite forcefully. it really quite forcefully. it really did. but let's just dwell on that for a second. the fact that this up to £200 billion sort of uncapped to spend on fixing energy prices was announced it got no political airtime didn't really sink in to the british public because course bigger news came along . course bigger news came along. yes. and literally as

announcement was being made in the commons and all political journalists were sitting around thinking was going to be thinking this was going to be a huge day political huge day in political journalism. and turned it journalism. and it turned out it was day for country was a huge day for the country because. queen later because. the queen died later that and then we into this official period of mourning politics completely on hold . politics completely on hold. nothing happened. and then back with a bang and i think part of the problem really with what we what we saw next, which was mini budget, was that liz truss had promised to do so much soon. she promised to do so much soon. she promised to do so much soon. she promised to hit the ground running. she did hit the ground running. she did hit the ground running . then she got stopped running. then she got stopped and then thought, and then she thought, right, i can start again and can just start up again and country ready for it. the country wasn't ready for it. the markets it. markets weren't ready for it. kwasi kwarteng hadn't done any of the stuff which we're used to seeing chancellors do. we used to seeing them stand up, explain what do and what they're going to do and explain they've got the explain how they've got the to do they're do that, where they're finding the do and he the to money do that. and he hadnt the to money do that. and he hadn't that. so pretty hadn't any of that. so pretty much was for what much no one was ready for what was extra budget was a big go was an extra budget was a big go for growth budget. the principle. behind it was the old economic model is broken.

nothing's working. we have to go drastic to fix things. that's what he tried within a couple days. it all began to fall apart. so it had interestingly begun to fall apart during the labour party conference was taking place over that weekend when markets reopened on monday. we saw a significant move. now some people this was to do with the way that the united states was raising interest rates. the was raising interest rates. the was getting stronger against lots of currencies but particularly there was something britain way that the britain and the way that the markets had lost confidence in where britain was and what a time for the labour party to be meeting just as the pound was tumbling and indeed the labour party poll ratings were rising. well all labour really had to do was sit back and watch the watch the tories unravel, which is indeed what they did. i don't think i can remember anything from that particular conference, something about green energy possibly really focus possibly. but really the focus was very on what was going on with . liz truss and kwasi with. liz truss and kwasi kwarteng. so the value of the

pound dropped quite radically. the of england had to step the bank of england had to step in support pension funds in to support pension funds because was looking because it really was looking like a financial crisis . like a blown financial crisis. and throughout all of this, liz basically hit and i think was one of the problems was that she didn't feel the need or she wasn't able to come out and explain why she made the decisions that she had and how she thought it was all going to work in the future. beyond saying pro—growth. well saying i am pro—growth. well everyone's pro—growth. you clearly an economic system. markets investors who don't trust you and just saying repeating the same line over and over again clearly wasn't going to cut it . and she didn't seem to cut it. and she didn't seem to cut it. and she didn't seem to realise this. she did this disastrous round on local radio. i think it's possible she thought that maybe local radio stations would give her an easier time than some of the national broadcasters. she was clearly very wrong there and it became apparent maybe her plan had merit and maybe it didn't. but she didn't have the skills or , the sort of intellect, or, the sort of intellect, intellectual ability to back it

up and, to explain it. although what we did also was she didn't have a party united behind her conservative conference came next. and on the morning, conservative conference came next. and on the morning , that next. and on the morning, that first day of conservative conference , the sunday morning, conference, the sunday morning, michael gove was on the media round. of course , longer in the round. of course, longer in the cabinet and saying that liz truss should u—turn over things like reducing the top rate of tax to back where it was under tony blair, which on the first night of conservative party she did she performed first u—turn. yeah and it was a sort of clumsy u—turn. it felt very much as though she was bounced into it. basically the centrepiece of the mini budget , basically the centrepiece of the mini budget, a lower tax rates for the very rich. those who were earning over 150,000. and she thought that she could turn britain into this place where if you want to invest, where rich people wanted to come, where rich people want to start, businesses, and when she had to u—turn on that, that to me really feel like it was , the really did feel like it was, the beginning end. and beginning of the end. and of course that led the course that all led to the

firing of . the chancellor, that firing of. the chancellor, that first u—turn to several more first u—turn led to several more u—turns . the chancellor u—turns. the chancellor being fired next friday, the chancellor being fired, having just flown back from the imf in york, having said no, everything's doing exactly the same. and then the next day he's gone.i same. and then the next day he's gone. i don't really understand the logic of that because anyone who had been watching this closely knew that liz truss and kwasi kwarteng, they were close friends , but they were also friends, but they were also ideological allies and this budget had been put together by both them with little input both of them with little input from the rest of the cabinet , from the rest of the cabinet, the rest of the party. it was very shared project. so very much a shared project. so for liz truss, to sack her chancellor and say it was all his fault, just seemed rather disingenuous to ditch one of the big that her prime big points that made her prime in first place. the idea in the first place. the idea that corporation that we should keep corporation tax raise as the tax at 19, not raise as the country was likely facing recession to give up point of principle seemed like she'd given up her premiership . of given up her premiership. of course, jeremy hunt came in as the new chancellor and many people were saying that really jeremy hunt's the new prime?

yeah, there were all of cartoons of jeremy hunt standing outside number 11, doing a lecture sounding a lectern, making a speech about the way he wants country to go, because it really did seem at that point as though what point of liz truss what is the point of liz truss she's everything she's ditched everything that that for the that she stood for the leadership campaign which she won you basically did just won and you basically did just have hunt running the have jeremy hunt running the country of there was country and then of there was the huge blow which was the the next huge blow which was the resignation suella braverman and it was billed as a resignation because she had leaked an email to she'd sent an email to a aide and it was on mincer it was as and it was on mincer it was as and she shouldn't have been using her personal to send this email. but behind scenes what it sounded was that there was sounded like was that there was a policy between liz truss , a big policy between liz truss, slash, jeremy hunt and zellerbach rothman on immigration and jeremy hunt, who's considered be on the sort of left wing of the of the party, was not too concerned about bringing migration down.

suella braverman felt very, very differently . and this sort of differently. and this sort of vision that led suella having to go again writing a very, very biting resignation letter. and after that she'd lost her chancellor and, her home secretary. she appointed grant shapps to replace weatherall. when grant shapps is very much on the jeremy hunt wing of the party, it did sort of feel as though she was prime minister in name only . and the next of name only. and the next day, of course, a resignation. and this was the most remarkable time we'd rattled through a number of prime ministers very quickly, but quickly. then we but incredibly quickly. then we got another one. well, 44 days. liz truss lasted from becoming prime minister to announcing her resignation . and i think there resignation. and i think there was a widespread understanding in the conservative that another eight leadership contest, eight week leadership contest, particularly a time such particularly a time of such multiple crises, wasn't acceptable , operable. they set acceptable, operable. they set the bar incredibly high for the replacement of liz truss essentially , trying to make sure essentially, trying to make sure that there would only be one

candidate, that candidate be rishi sunak. it is wild time though because rishi sunak became prime minister and he now has a fairly ongoing party beneath him. yes it felt very much as though the support behind sunak was miles wide and inches deep. the conservative party, when faced with the real prospect electoral oblivion, did their minds and unite behind rishi. i can use all sorts of people, including kevin bacon, for example, is very powerful . for example, is very powerful. michael gove throwing their support in behind rishi sunak and suella braverman suella braverman herself , which did braverman herself, which did feel at the time he kept jeremy hunt in place, which i just sort of sense of stability and it felt as though it was going to be sort of politics return to normal, as we have seen in the in the last bit of the year, politics roughly to normal. but it though there are it feels as though there are quite lot of tensions under quite a lot of tensions under the there are a lot of the surface. there are a lot of unhappy conservatives didn't unhappy conservatives who didn't want over the want rishi sunak over the summer. knew their summer. they knew that their constituents didn't particularly want sunak and those want rishi sunak and those problems are beginning . raise

problems are beginning. raise their ugly head again. a very difficult christmas , perhaps not difficult christmas, perhaps not the happiest of new years , the the happiest of new years, the prime minister, but what a 12 months it's been . well, that was months it's been. well, that was 2022, the year politics, the most eventful in westminster since the one before it. well we'll bring you all of the action on what an earth 2023 might hold right here on gb news. but for now , have a very news. but for now, have a very happy new year. looking ahead to tomorrow's weather and the uk will a cold and frosty start for many turning wetter in the west ? here turning wetter in the west? here are the details. a cold, icy start to tuesday morning across northern scotland with sleet and showers turning cloudy . rain and showers turning cloudy. rain and hill snow arrives from . the hill snow arrives from. the south turning windy to a wet morning across northern ireland with brisk winds developing . the with brisk winds developing. the rain could be heavy at times

leading to some tricky travelling conditions cloud amounts increasing tuesday morning across northern england . the wind picking up too icy stretches around first thing as the cold air lingers. cloudy and morning for wales and liverpool bay area as rain in from the west the rain turning heavy as the morning progresses temperatures rising after cold start apache frost across the midlands tuesday morning . midlands tuesday morning. temperatures quickly rising . temperatures quickly rising. clouds spread in from the west the risk of rain arriving as the morning progresses with the winds to a cold and frosty start for many across east anglia tomorrow morning with morning sunshine cloud increasing from the west as the morning moves on with rain arriving later, a chilly start to the day across southern england with the best of any morning sunshine in the east, clouds increasing as the morning progresses, turning windy, too, with rain later . wet windy, too, with rain later. wet and windy weather continue

eastwards through the day with snow falling over scotland . snow falling over scotland. temperatures on the mild side for many .

good evening and welcome to a boxing day special of tonight, live with me, stephen, and for the brilliant dan wootton and. we have a packed show tonight coming over the next 2 hours. do we need to buy presents for kids, too young to know what christmas is. kids, too young to know what christmas is . is it okay have christmas is. is it okay to have a curry christmas day? our strikes the high streets rishi sunak causes a stir at a homeless shelter and the king's speech is dissected with david starkey plus plenty chat with my brilliant panel, including the full paper review at 1030. but first, let's the latest news headunes first, let's the latest news headlines with rae addison .