The political year of 2025 has been anything but dull, providing a treasure trove of strange, surreal, and downright quirky moments perfectly captured by photographers. From cabinet ministers handling heavy weaponry to former prime ministers being attacked by flightless birds, it has been a year where the line between politics and spectacle blurred frequently.
Surreal Scenes and Stage Entrances
The year was packed with moments that left observers scratching their heads. At the G7 summit in June, an awkward scene unfolded when US President Donald Trump dropped some of his files, prompting the UK Prime Minister to kneel and retrieve them. Meanwhile, the Conservative Party conference in October saw Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick employ a surreal prop to make a point about the judiciary.
Perhaps the most unusual conference appearance came in May at the Reform UK gathering. Dame Andrea Jenkyns made a memorable entrance, striding onstage in a glittery jumpsuit while singing 'Insomniac', a song she wrote in her youth.
Armed Encounters and Animal Antics
Security and wildlife provided some of the year's most striking images. During a visit to Carver Barracks in Essex in June, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch was pictured handling a machine gun, much to the apparent concern of a nearby soldier. In a more pastoral setting, the annual Westminster Dog of the Year show saw Labour's David Burton-Sampson showcase his stunning Dalmatian, Lotti.
However, the award for most painful animal interaction goes to former PM Boris Johnson, who was bitten by an ostrich during a family day out, responding with a sweary: “Cripes! Oh, f****** hell.”
Diplomacy, Discord, and Dancing
International relations had their odd moments too. In August, Foreign Secretary David Lammy and US Vice President JD Vance appeared chummy during a fishing trip at Chevening House in Kent, though it later emerged Lammy should have had a fishing licence. Donald Trump's state visit sparked protests in London, but he also caused a stir by insistently celebrating with Chelsea players after they won the Club World Cup.
On the domestic front, the Tory conference saw sparse attendance for major speeches, but Kemi Badenoch later lifted spirits by launching into 'Sweet Caroline' in the bar. In a lighter moment, Prime Minister Keir Starmer was forced to apologise to a headteacher after encouraging primary school children to join the viral '6-7' dance craze.
Other notable snapshots included Liz Truss appearing in a video plugging a whiskey brand with a bare-knuckle fighter, and the return of Nadine Dorries to frontline politics, over a year after she quit Parliament in protest. The year proved that in UK politics, the camera never lies, and it often captures the wonderfully weird.
