In 2024, no incumbent has been safe. Whether it was the Democrats in America or the Tories in Britain, there has been plenty of drama in every corner of the globe. Here in Westminster, Keir Starmer swept to power – only to discover that governing well is quite a bit harder than some seemed to believe. Rishi Sunak meanwhile has left the political stage, to be replaced by Kemi Badenoch after a mammoth four-month contest.
So in a year of shocks, the only safe seat could be found tonight at The Spectator’s Parliamentarian Awards. The great and the not-so-good of British politics crammed themselves into the opulent splendour of the Old War Office in Whitehall to toast, commiserate and celebrate the memories of this year.
Politicians of every stripe were in attendance this evening, with Wes Streeting and Torcuil Crichton among those present from Sir Keir’s Labour lot. Mr S also spotted the arrivals of James Cleverly, Robert Jenrick and the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, while Reform’s Nigel Farage cut a striking figure in the crowd.
