April
- 1st – The energy price cap rose a whopping 54 per cent to £1,971 for the typical household. It turned out to be an ominous move as energy prices soared following the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Little did we know that things were going to get much much worse…
- 6th – Calories on menus mandated – From the 6th of April, all chain restaurants in the UK had to begin displaying the calories of their dishes on menus. The move caused backlash from many and Immee Mariott gave her take.
- 10th – French election
- Jakub Trybull – “Despite his victory being undeniably historic (first re-election in 20 years), Macron is often portrayed as “out of touch”, a “president for the rich”. For many, he is not the president that they would’ve wished for but he is the president they elected. But, the nature and result are arguably more important. French politics is becoming more divided, Le Pen’s party the National Front doubled its share, whilst leftist parties formed the parliamentary coalition NUPES to counter this rise.”
- 12th – Sunak and Johnson fined – Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson both received Fixed Penalty Notices for their participation in ‘partygate’. One can’t help but feel the bar was substantially lower for many to be punished than the PM himself who received just one fine despite being embroiled in countless events.
- 14th – Rwanda Policy announced
- Jakub Trybull – “Then, as if out of nowhere, the Government announced the Rwanda scheme to deter people arriving “dangerously, illegally or unnecessarily into the UK”. The number of people arriving into the UK by boat has increased and while the Government agrees that this is a safety issue requiring solutions, the one provided is gross, disproportionate and inhumane. As Flora Dyson writes, the linguistic hypocrisy of the Conservative Government’s rhetoric on asylum seekers questions the supposed “legality” of human beings, of people. Even the wording the Government uses of preventing people from immigrating “unnecessarily” shows that these measures push past the need to ensure migrant safety, pushing into a political arena. I wonder how “unnecessary” these people are in a post-Brexit Britain flooded by vacancies yearning to be filled, and how “unnecessary” it is for us to offer refuge to victims of terror and war.”
- I also covered the issue when it reared its head later in the year, calling for safe and legal routes for asylum.
- Anna Davidson took a satirical look back at where Boris Johnson learnt his talents in flouting the rules, Oxford University.
