The Spectator

Portrait of the year: Lockdown, protests, parties and Matt Hancock’s kiss

issue 18 December 2021

January

The United Kingdom found itself in possession of a trade agreement with the EU. Coronavirus restrictions were tightened. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was administered with authorisation for the first time; retired doctors could not vaccinate before undergoing ‘diversity’ training. To prevent vaccines being exported from the EU to Northern Ireland, the EU prepared to invoke Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol, but soon changed its mind. The Capitol in Washington, DC was overrun by weird people, one with horns, supporting President Donald Trump, despite his electoral defeat. Joe Biden was inaugurated as President a week later.

February

The government promised to legalise the drinking of coffee by two people on a park bench. Captain Sir Tom Moore, aged 100, who raised £32 million for NHS charities, died after catching Covid. The Queen confirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could not ‘continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service’.

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