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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| A year of one political crisis after another | A year of one political crisis after another |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Liz Truss was Britain's shortest-serving prime minister | Liz Truss was Britain's shortest-serving prime minister |
| Three prime ministers. Two heads of state. One crisis after another. That, in short, is the story of 2022. | Three prime ministers. Two heads of state. One crisis after another. That, in short, is the story of 2022. |
| There was also a UK Supreme Court ruling that cancelled plans for an independence referendum next October. | There was also a UK Supreme Court ruling that cancelled plans for an independence referendum next October. |
| In Scotland, we started the year in Covid-19 restrictions and ended it with a huge NHS backlog and long waits for treatment. | In Scotland, we started the year in Covid-19 restrictions and ended it with a huge NHS backlog and long waits for treatment. |
| The full costs of curbing public services and economic activity during the pandemic are still being counted. | The full costs of curbing public services and economic activity during the pandemic are still being counted. |
| The public inquiry that might do some of that work stalled with the resignation of its chairwoman, the judge Lady Poole. | The public inquiry that might do some of that work stalled with the resignation of its chairwoman, the judge Lady Poole. |
| As the Covid-19 emergency eased, the war in Ukraine fuelled an energy price spike and wider cost of living pressures. | As the Covid-19 emergency eased, the war in Ukraine fuelled an energy price spike and wider cost of living pressures. |
| Thousands of Ukrainian refugees fled to Scotland, with many temporarily housed on ships in Edinburgh and Glasgow. | Thousands of Ukrainian refugees fled to Scotland, with many temporarily housed on ships in Edinburgh and Glasgow. |
| Ukrainian refugee Mariana Zdzhanske travelled to Edinburgh with her mother, who has dementia | Ukrainian refugee Mariana Zdzhanske travelled to Edinburgh with her mother, who has dementia |
| The UK government has been at the forefront of efforts to arm and train the Ukrainian military. | The UK government has been at the forefront of efforts to arm and train the Ukrainian military. |
| It has also borrowed billions of pounds to reduce the impact of rising gas and electricity bills on household budgets. | It has also borrowed billions of pounds to reduce the impact of rising gas and electricity bills on household budgets. |
| As chancellor, Rishi Sunak announced a support package the day after Sue Gray's report into lockdown parties in Downing Street. | As chancellor, Rishi Sunak announced a support package the day after Sue Gray's report into lockdown parties in Downing Street. |
| That gave Boris Johnson only temporary respite from the scandal that did so much to undermine his premiership. | That gave Boris Johnson only temporary respite from the scandal that did so much to undermine his premiership. |
| It caused a huge rift with the bulk of the Scottish Conservative group at Holyrood and their leader, Douglas Ross. | It caused a huge rift with the bulk of the Scottish Conservative group at Holyrood and their leader, Douglas Ross. |
| He demanded the PM's resignation in January only to suspend that call when Russia invaded Ukraine the following month. | He demanded the PM's resignation in January only to suspend that call when Russia invaded Ukraine the following month. |
| Mr Ross wrote to the 1922 committee calling for a leadership contest after saying Mr Johnson's position was untenable | Mr Ross wrote to the 1922 committee calling for a leadership contest after saying Mr Johnson's position was untenable |
| His flip-flop and Partygate itself did the Scottish Tories no favours in the local elections where they slipped into third place behind Labour. | His flip-flop and Partygate itself did the Scottish Tories no favours in the local elections where they slipped into third place behind Labour. |
| The SNP got the most votes and seats in what was their 11th successive victory in a Scotland-wide election. | The SNP got the most votes and seats in what was their 11th successive victory in a Scotland-wide election. |
| They remain the dominant force in Scottish politics after more than 15 years in power. | They remain the dominant force in Scottish politics after more than 15 years in power. |
| Boris Johnson survived a confidence vote of Tory MPs only to be forced out by mass resignations from his government. | Boris Johnson survived a confidence vote of Tory MPs only to be forced out by mass resignations from his government. |
| Having led that rebellion, Rishi Sunak lost out to Liz Truss in the leadership contest that followed. | Having led that rebellion, Rishi Sunak lost out to Liz Truss in the leadership contest that followed. |
| She travelled to Balmoral to be appointed prime minister by the Queen two days before Her Majesty's death. | She travelled to Balmoral to be appointed prime minister by the Queen two days before Her Majesty's death. |
| Large crowds lined the streets of Scotland to pay their respects to a monarch who Ms Truss said had been "devoted to the union". | Large crowds lined the streets of Scotland to pay their respects to a monarch who Ms Truss said had been "devoted to the union". |
| Nicola Sturgeon paid tribute to the Queen and welcomed King Charles to the throne | Nicola Sturgeon paid tribute to the Queen and welcomed King Charles to the throne |
| At Holyrood, Nicola Sturgeon described the Queen as the "anchor of our nation" as she welcomed King Charles to the throne. | At Holyrood, Nicola Sturgeon described the Queen as the "anchor of our nation" as she welcomed King Charles to the throne. |
| Within weeks, Liz Truss had destroyed her premiership with a disastrous tax-cutting mini-budget that spooked the markets. | Within weeks, Liz Truss had destroyed her premiership with a disastrous tax-cutting mini-budget that spooked the markets. |
| She became the Britain's shortest-serving prime minister in the same year that Nicola Sturgeon outlasted all previous first ministers of Scotland. | She became the Britain's shortest-serving prime minister in the same year that Nicola Sturgeon outlasted all previous first ministers of Scotland. |
| Nicola Sturgeon: The story so far | Nicola Sturgeon: The story so far |
| Not that everything went Ms Sturgeon's way this year. She couldn't celebrate her longest-serving moment because she got Covid-19. | Not that everything went Ms Sturgeon's way this year. She couldn't celebrate her longest-serving moment because she got Covid-19. |
| There have been pay strikes by teachers, rail workers and bin collectors, with NHS staff due to walk out in the new year. | There have been pay strikes by teachers, rail workers and bin collectors, with NHS staff due to walk out in the new year. |
| The vastly overdue, overbudget ferries from the Ferguson shipyard continue to erode the Scottish government's reputation for competence. | The vastly overdue, overbudget ferries from the Ferguson shipyard continue to erode the Scottish government's reputation for competence. |
| And controversial reforms to make it easer to legally change gender prompted the biggest ever SNP rebellion at Holyrood. | And controversial reforms to make it easer to legally change gender prompted the biggest ever SNP rebellion at Holyrood. |
| Opponents of the gender recognition reforms protested outside the Scottish parliament | Opponents of the gender recognition reforms protested outside the Scottish parliament |
| Meanwhile, the party's MPs at Westminster forced out the first minister's ally, Ian Blackford, as their leader. | Meanwhile, the party's MPs at Westminster forced out the first minister's ally, Ian Blackford, as their leader. |
| That came after the UK Supreme Court ruled that Holyrood cannot hold another independence referendum without Westminster's approval. | That came after the UK Supreme Court ruled that Holyrood cannot hold another independence referendum without Westminster's approval. |
| That indefinitely delays indyref2, except that Nicola Sturgeon intends to treat the next UK election as if it were a vote on independence. | That indefinitely delays indyref2, except that Nicola Sturgeon intends to treat the next UK election as if it were a vote on independence. |
| The detailed approach to this massive political gamble is to be decided at a special conference in the spring. | The detailed approach to this massive political gamble is to be decided at a special conference in the spring. |
| The SNP are heartened by a short run of opinion polls that suggest 'Yes' is currently ahead. | The SNP are heartened by a short run of opinion polls that suggest 'Yes' is currently ahead. |
| Further tumult | Further tumult |
| In the same way, Labour are encouraged by the UK polling trend that suggests they are on course to take power from the Conservatives. | In the same way, Labour are encouraged by the UK polling trend that suggests they are on course to take power from the Conservatives. |
| The party is promising to redistribute power throughout the UK, not least as an alternative to Scottish independence. | The party is promising to redistribute power throughout the UK, not least as an alternative to Scottish independence. |
| It is Rishi Sunak's challenge to turn around his party's fortunes, as the third Tory PM this year - the fifth since the Brexit vote. | It is Rishi Sunak's challenge to turn around his party's fortunes, as the third Tory PM this year - the fifth since the Brexit vote. |
| That's easier said than done when inflation is sky high, interest rates and taxes are rising and public spending is to be squeezed. | That's easier said than done when inflation is sky high, interest rates and taxes are rising and public spending is to be squeezed. |
| The UK's financial challenges are reflected in Scotland, where ministers decided to put a penny on income tax for higher earners. | The UK's financial challenges are reflected in Scotland, where ministers decided to put a penny on income tax for higher earners. |
| They are maintaining a new £25 a week child payment to help poorer families. | They are maintaining a new £25 a week child payment to help poorer families. |
| In challenging times, further tumult is inevitable, although it's hard to imagine the year ahead being anything like as eventful as 2022. | In challenging times, further tumult is inevitable, although it's hard to imagine the year ahead being anything like as eventful as 2022. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Scotland | Scotland |
| Ferries | Ferries |
| Boris Johnson | Boris Johnson |
| Liz Truss | Liz Truss |
| Rishi Sunak | Rishi Sunak |
| Scottish Budget | Scottish Budget |