2022 was quite intense for the United Kingdom, with a number of monumental events drastically affecting the country’s politics and economy.
London’s BoJo Falling Down, Falling Down
During the summer, the growing number of scandals plaguing his cabinet proved to be too much for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson who finally announced his resignation on July 7.
On September 5, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss emerged as BoJo’s successor, having won the Conservative Party leadership race.
Her tenure as the country’s prime minister, however, proved to be one of the shortest in Britain’s history and on October 20, Truss announced her own resignation, dogged by criticism from both her opponents and her fellow Tories who did not seem particularly thrilled with her performance.
A few days later, Truss was succeeded by former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, who now stewards the United Kingdom into the next year.
The Queen is Dead, Long Live the King
On September 8, Elizabeth II, the Queen of England, died. Her reign, which lasted for over 70 years, became the longest in Britain’s history and one of the longest ever in the world.
She was succeeded by her son Charles who now reigns as Charles III, the King of England.
Something Rotten in the UK Economy
With its politics in turmoil, Britain’s economy also did not fare particularly well this year.
In 2022, the country witnessed a severe increase in the prices of food and energy, with inflation running rampant.
Lofty promises made by successive Tory prime ministers did little to reverse this negative trend, and it remains to be seen whether the UK will fare better in 2023.
Protests
Britain’s economic woes resulted in several strikes across the country.
Over the past months, the UK witnessed walkouts by rail workers, nurses, emergency responders and postal workers, with disgruntled people demanding wages that would allow them to survive amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Climate protesters have also made things difficult for London, with activists perpetrating blockades of several oil terminals in the country and even staging a lengthy protest in the capital in September and October.