20 January – Conservative MP William Wragg accuses whips of blackmail against Conservative MPs who are believed to support the ousting of Johnson. The Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, tells the Commons that potentially criminal offences would be a matter for the police. A Downing Street spokesperson says: "We are not aware of any evidence to support what are clearly serious allegations."[4][5]
24 January
Johnson orders an inquiry into allegations by Conservative MP Nus Ghani that she was sacked as a minister after being told her "Muslim-ness” was "making colleagues uncomfortable".[6]
Conservative peer Lord Agnew publicly resigns in the House of Lords after criticising the government's handling of fraudulent Covid business loans.[7]
31 January – The initial findings of a report by Sue Gray into Downing Street parties are published. She notes that, "At least some of the gatherings in question represent a serious failure to observe not just the high standards expected of those working at the heart of Government but also of the standards expected of the entire British population at the time," and concludes that "a number of these gatherings should not have been allowed to take place or to develop in the way that they did. There is significant learning to be drawn from these events which must be addressed immediately across Government."[8]
2 February – The government publishes a white paper on its "levelling up" strategy, which aims to reduce the gap between rich and poor parts of the country by 2030. This includes a 40% increase in research and development spending for the North, Midlands, South West, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.[9][10]
3 February –
Munira Mirza resigns as Director of the Number 10 Policy Unit, saying it was in protest at Johnson's comments about Keir Starmer being responsible for the failure to prosecute serial sex offender Jimmy Savile.[11] Three other senior aides resign hours later – Director of Communications Jack Doyle, Chief of Staff Dan Rosenfield, and Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister Martin Reynolds.[12]
Health Secretary Sajid Javid sets out the government's plans to reduce the NHS backlog resulting from the pandemic, including new facilities paid for by an extra £8bn of investment over the next three years.[18]
The government's plan to introduce a photo ID requirement for elections is defeated in the House of Lords by 199 votes to 170.[24]
The government's new energy strategy is published, which includes a plan for eight new nuclear reactors and 95% of the UK's electricity coming from low-carbon sources by 2030.[25]
21 April – MPs debate a motion calling for an inquiry into claims that Johnson misled Parliament over Partygate.[27]
24 April – The Elections Act 2022 receives royal assent, The Act introduces voter photo identification for in-person voting to the United Kingdom for the first time. The requirement would apply to UK general elections, English local elections, and police and crime commissioner elections in England and Wales.[28][29]
27 April – In a statement, Conservative Chief WhipChris Heaton-Harris says he is investigating reports that a Conservative MP watched pornography on his phone in the House of Commons chamber, after complaints from female Tory MPs. The MP is later revealed to be Neil Parish, Conservative MP for Tiverton and Honiton (see 29 April).[30]
29 April – Conservative MP Neil Parish is suspended from the Conservative Whip over allegations that he watched pornography on his phone in the House of Commons.[31]
30 April – Neil Parish admits to watching pornography twice in the House of Commons and says that he will resign as an MP.[32]
The 2022 Welsh local elections are contested under new boundaries. This is the first time Welsh councils can choose between the first-past-the-post system and a proportional single transferable vote (STV) system, but councils need to give advance notice of such a change.[35][36] Overall, Welsh Labour gain control of one council and Plaid Cymru three, whilst the Welsh Conservatives lose one and Independents two.[37]
25 May – Partygate: The full version of the Gray Report is published. In the 37-page document, Sue Gray concludes that senior Downing Street officials, both political and non-political, "bear responsibility" for the culture of partying during COVID lockdowns.[43][44]
26 May – Chancellor Rishi Sunak announces a £15 billion package of measures to address soaring energy costs, partly offset by a 25% windfall tax on oil and gas firms' profits. He tells the Commons that every UK household will get an energy bill discount of £400 in October, while the poorest households will also get a payment of £650 to ease living costs.[45]
27 May – A new version of the Ministerial Code is published, removing the need for a minister to resign over breaches of its rules.[46]
6 June – Sir Graham Brady, Chairman of the 1922 committee of the Conservative Party, announces a vote of confidence in Boris Johnson's leadership of the party. A secret ballot is held from 6-8pm.[47] The party's MPs decide that they have confidence in Johnson's leadership. However, more than 40% vote against him, with a result of 211 to 148.[48]
23 June – By-elections take place in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton. Labour win in Wakefield, while the Liberal Democrats win in Tiverton and Honiton, overturning a substantial Conservative majority.[49]
25 June – Following Conservative losses at the Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton by-elections, it is reported that Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he is "thinking actively" about fighting the next two general elections, which would make him the UK's longest serving post-war prime minister.[50]
A further six allegations against Chris Pincher emerge, involving behaviour over a decade. Three complaints are that Pincher made unwanted advances against other male MPs, one in a bar at the House of Commons and one in Pincher's parliamentary office. One complainant is reported to have given 10 Downing Street details in February 2022 and expressed concerns over Pincher becoming a whip in charge of other MPs' welfare. Pincher maintains he has no intention of resigning as an MP.[57]
Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey tells the BBC Prime Minister Boris Johnson was not aware of "specific allegations" against Pincher at the time of his appointment as Deputy Chief Whip in February 2022.[58]
5 July –
Downing Street concedes that Johnson was aware of some allegations against Chris Pincher when he was appointed as Deputy Chief Whip in February 2022.[55]
In an interview with the BBC's Chris Mason, Johnson says he had been told about a misconduct complaint against Pincher before appointing him to the role of Deputy Chief Whip in February 2022. Johnson describes his decision as a "bad mistake".[59]
Sajid Javid resigns as health secretary, saying he "can no longer, in good conscience, continue serving in this government."[60]
Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, also resigns, saying the public expect government to be conducted "properly, competently and seriously."[60]
Andrew Murrison resigns as Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy to Morocco, commenting "Others must square their continuing enjoyment of your patronage with their personal sense of decency, honour and integrity but I no longer can".[61]
Bim Afolami, vice chair of the Conservative party, resigns on air during an interview with TalkTV.[60]
Saqib Bhatti resigns as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State.[63]
Laura Trott resigns as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Transport, citing "trust in politics is – and must always be – of the utmost importance, but sadly in recent months this has been lost".[63]
6 July –
Will Quince an education minister, resigns after "accepting and repeating assurances to the media [from No 10] which have now been found to be inaccurate".[63][64]
Five ministers – Kemi Badenoch, Neil O'Brien, Alex Burghart, Lee Rowley and Julia Lopez – issue a joint resignation letter, saying "it has become increasingly clear that the government cannot function given the issues that have come to light" and calling on Johnson to resign.[73]
Mark Logan resigns as a Parliamentary Private Secretary, saying "there is only so much anyone can expect my constituents to accept and ignore."[78]
Mike Freer resigns as both Minister for Exports and Minister for Equalities stating it was in addition “creating an atmosphere of hostility for LGBT+ people” and in protest over Johnson's leadership.[79]
In an interview with ITV's Robert Peston, Attorney General Suella Braverman announces that she will stand in a Conservative Party leadership election if one is called.[81]
Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, former Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove and former Health Secretary Matt Hancock rule themselves out of the race to succeed Johnson.[85][86]
Stephen Greenhalgh resigns as Building Safety and Fire Minister, citing the events leading up to Johnson's resignation.[88]
9 July –
Former Health Secretary Sajid Javid launches his campaign to be the next leader of the Conservative Party.[89]
Jeremy Hunt, also a former Health Secretary, launches his bid to be the next Conservative Party leader.[90]
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps launches his Conservative Party leadership campaign.[91]
Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi announces his intention to run in the Conservative Party leadership election.[92]
Former Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch announces her candidacy for the 2022 Conservative Party leadership election.[93]
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, considered a favourite to succeed Johnson in a recent ConservativeHome poll, rules himself out of entering the leadership contest.[94]
10 July –
Secretary of State for Trade Policy Penny Mordaunt launches her Conservative Party leadership campaign.[95]
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss becomes the tenth Conservative MP to launch a bid to succeed Johnson as leader.[96]
Rehman Chishti declares his intention to enter the Conservative leadership race.[97]
11 July –
Prime Minister Boris Johnson refuses to give his public support to any of the eleven candidates, instead preferring to concentrate on the job of government.[98]
1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady unveils the timetable for the leadership election, with the election due to complete on 5 September.[99]
Penny Mordaunt is knocked out of the Conservative Party leadership race, leaving Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to go head-to-head in a ballot of party members.[115]
27 July – Sam Tarry, a Labour MP representing Ilford South, is dismissed from his post as a shadow transport minister after joining picketing railway workers at London's Euston station during the 2022 railway strike. Labour says his dismissal has nothing to do with his decision to join the picket line, but is due to unauthorised media interviews he gave throughout the day.[119]
3 August – The sending out of ballot papers for the Conservative leadership election has been delayed amid security concerns after GCHQ warned hackers could change people's votes.[120]
11 August – The Prime Minister, Chancellor, and Business Secretary meet representatives of energy companies to discuss the ongoing price rises,[122] but the meeting concludes without any firm resolution.[123]
15 August – The Cabinet Office announces the launch of an emergency warning system to send alerts about severe weather and other life-threatening events to mobile phones. The system will launch in October and cover England, Scotland and Wales.[124]
16 August – Conservative MP William Wragg announces on Twitter that he is taking a break from his duties, due to severe depression and anxiety.[125]
31 August – Buckingham Palace confirms that the Queen will appoint the next Prime Minister at Balmoral, breaking with tradition by not returning to London to make the appointment.[127]
1 September – In one of his last actions as Prime Minister, Johnson confirms that the government will provide £700 million in funding for the Sizewell C nuclear power station.[128]
2 September –
Sky News has reported that a Cabinet minister and a senior Downing Street aide in the Johnson Government are facing allegations of sexual misconduct following claims made by two women at Westminster.[129]
Johnson appoints journalist and author Harry Mount to the House of Lords appointments commission, the body that oversees the appointment of new peers; he takes up the role on 11 September.[130]
A review carried out by former chief inspector of constabulary Sir Tom Winsor concludes that Dame Cressida Dick "felt intimidated" into resigning as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police after an ultimatum from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. Khan accuses the report of being biased.[132]
During a tour of the House of Commons members of Extinction Rebellionstage a protest by gluing themselves together around the Speaker's Chair, leading to eight arrests and questions about security.[133]
Boris Johnson makes his final speech as prime minister before stepping down from the role, referencing Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, a Roman general who was called upon to return to Rome as a dictator.[138]
Boris Johnson travels to Balmoral to officially offer his resignation to The Queen.
The Queen performs her final duty by appointing the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announces a number of measures to offset the effect of the cost of living crisis in Scotland. These include a rent freeze for public and private rented properties, a temporary eviction ban, a freeze on rail fares and an increase in the Scottish Child Payment to £25 per week.[147]
Liz Truss attends her first Prime Minister's Questions as prime minister.[149]
Buckingham Palace announces that the Queen has postponed an online meeting of the Privy Council after being advised to rest by doctors.[150]
8 September –
Liz Truss announces plans to limit energy bills, with a bill for a typical household capped at £2,500 a year for the next two years. A new six month scheme to limit bills for businesses is also announced.[151]
Buckingham Palace issues a statement at lunchtime announcing that The Queen is under 'medal supervision' at Balmoral and that her doctors were 'concerned' for her health.[152]
The House of Commons begins two days of tributes to the Queen, after which Parliament will be suspended until after 21 September. Liz Truss opens the proceedings by describing the late monarch as "one of the greatest leaders the world has known".[160]
The King and The Queen Consort travel from Balmoral to London. The King enters Buckingham Palace for his first time as monarch.[161]
23 September – Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng delivers an emergency mini-budget in which he announces the biggest tax cuts in the UK since 1972. The 45% top rate of income tax, paid by only the highest earners, will be scrapped, while the basic rate will be reduced from 20% to 19%. The cap on bankers' bonuses is lifted, and a planned rise in corporation tax is also scrapped. An increase in National Insurance is reversed, while the threshold before stamp duty is paid in England and Northern Ireland is raised to £425,000 for first time buyers and £250,000 for everyone else.[178][179]
27 September – Sir Keir Starmer delivers his speech at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, presenting his vision for a "fairer, greener Britain". Alongside a boost in NHS funding, this plan would include a new publicly owned company, Great British Energy, and a target for 100% of the country's electricity being from zero carbon sources by 2030.[180][181]
3 October – Following a backlash, the government announces the cancellation of their plan to abolish the highest income tax band.[182]
5 October – Liz Truss makes her first Conservative Party Conference speech as Prime Minister, saying she is focused on "growth, growth, growth" and decrying what she calls an "anti-growth coalition". The event is interrupted by protesters from Greenpeace.[183]
In a Downing Street press conference, Truss confirms a reversal of her plan to scrap an increase in corporation tax and admits "it is clear that parts of our mini-budget went further and faster than markets were expecting."[189][190]
15 October – Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme the day after his appointment as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt concedes that mistakes were made with the mini-budget outlined by his predecessor, chiefly that Kwarteng was wrong to cut the top tax rate, and that some taxes will have to be increased.[191]
17 October –
The new Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, delivers an emergency statement to the Commons, in which he announces that the government "will reverse almost all the tax measures" from the mini-budget. The reconfigured budget will raise £32bn, out of the £70bn needed to close the funding gap.[192]
21 October – Penny Mordaunt becomes the first Conservative MP to formally put her name forward as Liz Truss's successor.[197]
23 October –
Rishi Sunak enters the race to be the next Conservative leader.[198]
Boris Johnson rules himself out of the race to become the next prime minister.[199]
24 October – Penny Mordaunt drops out of the Conservative leadership race, leaving Rishi Sunak to be declared the winner. The next day, he became the first British Asian prime minister, and the youngest person to hold the office for more than 200 years.[200]
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt defers the statement on the government's Medium Term Fiscal Plan from 31 October to 17 November, and confirms it will be an autumn statement.[205]
14 November – Charles III begins the process of increasing the number of senior royals who can stand in for him on official duties, proposing Princess Anne and Prince Edward be added to the four presently named in a request read to the House of Lords.[216]
17 November – The Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, delivers his autumn statement to the House of Commons.[217]
19 November – Sunak makes his first visit as prime minister to Kyiv to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.[218]
The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments finds that Matt Hancock broke government rules on post-ministerial jobs by not consulting the watchdog before joining I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, but its chairman, Eric Pickles, advises it would be disproportionate to take action against him.[220]