Marina Hyde

Marina Hyde had an extraordinary year holding a flailing, accident-prone government, multiple ministers and other authorities to account. Many of Hyde's columns deployed her trademark humour and satirical skills, but others displayed genuine anger and an ability to draw together the strands of the political debate, highlighting incompetence and malfeasance.

On 1 October 2021, Hyde considered the record of the Met police in protecting women. Against the backdrop of the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer and crass advice from senior officers about how women might protect themselves, Hyde demanded fewer words and more action from the authorities. "The message from women this week is loud and clear: no more learning," she said. “Our consciousness about male violence and how far it reaches is well and truly raised". On 11 January 2022, Hyde voiced the nation's exasperation as it emerged that Boris Johnson was himself present at a lockdown bring-your-own-bottle party at No 10 attended by up to 100 people. And on 8 April 2022, in a piece weaving together satire and outrage, Hyde addressed the travails of the Chancellor of the Exchequer: the "Treasury-based luxury casualwear influencer Rishi Sunak", following revelations that his wife is a non dom. "Mate – you can’t even persuade your own wife to pay you tax." In a year of extraordinary and turbulent politics, Hyde's wicked humour, eye for detail, clarity of thought and uncompromising stances towards those who wield power have made her a must read across the political spectrum.