In Pictures: Rain-soaked Rishi and wide-eyed Wes in year’s best political images

Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves during their visit to Panorama St Paul’s, which will become HSBC’s new headquarters, in the City of London (Stefan Rousseau/PA) - (PA Archive)

Politics in the UK in 2024 was dominated by July’s general election as Labour swept to power ending 14 years of Tory rule.

But aside from the election and the hectic campaigning that preceded it, it was a dramatic year in Scotland where Humza Yousaf stepped down as first minister, and in Wales where Vaughan Gething was forced to quit as the country’s leader.

And it was a big year for women with Rachel Reeves becoming the first woman to hold the post of Chancellor of the Exchequer and Kemi Badenoch beating off the competition to take over as leader of the Conservative Party.

PA news agency photographers were there to capture all the big moments – and many of the quirky ones, too.

A future voter keeps an eye on Rishi Sunak as he enjoys a drink during a visit to a pub in Glossop, Derbyshire (Jacob King/PA) (PA Archive)

David Lammy makes a fist of it as he continues with his speech at the Fabian Society in London despite protesters trying to interrupt him (Maja Smiejkowska/PA) (PA Archive)

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has a go at the keepie-up challenge at the party’s conference in Glasgow (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Archive)

Hear! Hear! Oliver Dowden requires an adjustment of his earpiece before appearing on a television politics broadcast (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Archive)

Humza Yousaf takes part in a bookbug session at Drumbrae Library Hub in Edinburgh (Jeff J Mitchell/PA) (PA Archive)

Putri Gayatri Pertiwi watches on as her husband George Galloway speaks to the media outside the Houses of Parliament in London (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Archive)

Victoria Atkins looks startled as she leaves Broadcasting House in London after appearing on Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg (Victoria Jones/PA) (PA Archive)

Former US president Barack Obama waits outside 10 Downing Street after arriving for a meeting with Rishi Sunak (Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire) (PA Archive)

Vaughan Gething signs his affirmation as the first minister of Wales, watched by Justice Martin Griffiths, but within weeks the politician was forced to quit (Ben Birchall/PA) (PA Archive)

The most memorable political image of the year is probably Rishi Sunak soaked in rain as he announced the general election outside Downing Street (Lucy North/PA) (PA Archive)

Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour ultimately won the general election but Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey seemingly had the most fun during the campaign as he took part in a number of stunts such as this bungee jump (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire)

The eyes have it for Health Secretary Wes Streeting as he and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer visit a hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire (Jacob King/PA) (PA Archive)

Brolly brigade Rachel Reeves, Yvette Cooper, and Angela Rayner smile despite the rain during a trip to Yarm, near Middlesbrough (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Archive)

James Cleverly minds his step as he climbs onto a police boat in the Italian port of Lampedusa (Victoria Jones/PA) (PA Wire)

Rachel Reeves poses outside 11 Downing Street before becoming the first woman to deliver a Budget as Chancellor of the Exchequer (Lucy North/PA) (PA Wire)

Kemi Badenoch’s husband Hamish applauds in delight as she is announced as the new Conservative Party leader (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Wire)