Peter Brookes

Peter Brookes has responded to another year of political turbulence with his usual wit and brilliance. His jokes are always funny but it is his draughtsmanship and skill with the paintbrush that make his cartoons memorable works of art.

In May he responded to the unveiling of a new portrait of King Charles by Jonathan Yeo. Most people's first response was, why is it so red? Even Just Stop Oil's protesters carrying tomato soup realised they'd arrived too late.

Rishi Sunak's hasty retreat from the D-Day commemorations in June gave Brookes the opportunity to draw a scene that was poignant as well as funny: bemused soldiers in their landing craft watching the PM flee in his Riviera-style launch.

And in September, as the row over Keir Starmer's gifts from Lord Alli began to brew, Brookes focused on the free glasses, nailing the PM's inability to see the lack of political judgment he'd displayed.

Once again Brookes has shown, with loving attention to detail, that in every misfortune there is humour and the opportunity for a miniature polychromatic masterpiece to brighten Times readers' breakfast tables