From an outgoing prime minister battling on without a brolly to the protected status of pie and mash, lighter political moments were not in short supply in 2024.
With a general election in July and plenty of serious stories across 2024, here is the PA news agency’s look back at this year’s lighter moments from the world of public affairs.
– Sunak serenaded in the rain
Rishi Sunak walks back in to 10 Downing Street after calling an election (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
The general election campaign got off to a soggy start in May as then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made the election announcement without an umbrella in the midst of a downpour.
Dampening the spirits of the prime minister even further was a large set of speakers pressed up against the gates of Downing Street playing Things Can Only Get Better – a hit from the 90s which was the sound of Tony Blair’s 1997 general election soundtrack – which almost drowned out his speech.
Appearing to take the situation in good spirits, Mr Sunak later quipped that he was not “a fair weather politician”.
– Sir Ed’s election antics
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey taking part in a bungee jump during a visit to Eastbourne Borough Football Club (Gareth Fuller/PA)
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey appeared to thoroughly enjoy himself during the election campaign, getting up to all sorts of antics in a bid to win votes.
On a visit to the Lake District, the Liberal Democrat leader took a plunge into Lake Windermere while paddleboarding in a wetsuit and lifejacket in May.
In June, Sir Ed headed to Thorpe Park to “have fun” following the launch of his party’s manifesto – when asked about the visit, he said that “politics can be a rollercoaster ride”.
Days later, he made a splash while attempting a floating assault course in Warwickshire, repeatedly falling into the water.
– Labour wins the battle for TikTok
TikTok was a new battleground for the political parties in this year’s election (UKLabour/TikTok)
TikTok became a major battleground for the three main political parties throughout the general election campaign, but it was Labour who excelled, leaning heavily into internet culture to mock the Conservatives and share their own policies.
Labour’s most watched video aimed to land a blow at Mr Sunak’s national service policy by using a clip of Cilla Black singing Surprise! Surprise! with a caption that read: “POV: Rishi Sunak turning up to your 18th birthday to send you to war”.
The video received around five million views and more than 700,000 likes.
– Sunak’s struggles without Sky TV
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With echoes of a bacon sandwich eaten by Ed Miliband and Theresa May running through fields of wheat, Mr Sunak’s election gaffe came in June when asked if he ever had to go without things as a child in an ITV interview.
“There’ll be all sorts of things that I would’ve wanted as a kid that I couldn’t have… famously, Sky TV, so that was something that we never had growing up actually,” he replied.
Comedians poked fun at the moment – for example, comedy writer Michael Spicer posted a video with the caption “rishi sunak having a fever dream”, showing him playing a sleeping prime minister mumbling “oh but father, if we subscribe to the movie bundle package, they’ll give us a six month bonus period” before waking up with a gasp.
– Jennie takes Westminster by storm
Steve Darling, the Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay, with his guide dog Jennie, aged four (Liberal Democrats/PA)
Parliament gained a new pet this year in the form of Jennie the guide dog, assisting Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling, who has a genetic eye condition called Stargardt disease.
Jennie is often spotted sleeping in the Commons nearby to the MP for Torbay, who said she is planning on becoming “the leader of the o-paw-sition”.
The four-year-old golden retriever is “living the true life of a parliamentarian”, because she enjoys a bit of shut-eye in the chamber, Mr Darling said in October.
Mr Darling previously described Jennie as a “tart”, telling Times Radio in July: “She loves being loved by other people.”
– Ministers vote to give pie and mash special status
Should pies be protected? (Victoria Jones/PA)
An unexpected menu item got a boost in October after its potential special status was discussed in parliament.
A former minister urged the Government to say “Yes, Pie Minister” and give traditional pie and mash protected status to celebrate its cockney origins.
Richard Holden asked the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to award Traditional Speciality Guaranteed status for the dish, which would mean producers would need to follow a specific recipe to use the name in future.
Mr Holden said that if the meal, consisting of a meat pie, mash potatoes and a parsley sauce known as liquor, was in Italy or France it would already be recognised.