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The Year in Review: What was the biggest story of 2023?

Politics &
Economics

Presented in partnership with 

Big news stories tumbled after each other in 2023. In February, Nicola Sturgeon unexpectedly resigned as First Minister of Scotland leaving the SNP and the independence movement in turmoil. With the launch of ChatGPT artificial intelligence went mainstream. An investigation by the Sunday Times and Channel 4 accused comedian and internet commentator Russell Brand of serious sexual offences. Former president Donald Trump was charged with numerous crimes in American courts. The Ukrainian military launched a broad counter-offensive against Russia. And in Russia, mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin launched an armed rebellion against Vladimir Putin.

Now, in the closing months of the year the world is shaken by events unfolding in Israel and Gaza. 

We were joined by Tortoise journalists and special guest ITV Political Editor Robert Peston, for a live recording of The News Meeting podcast to discuss the biggest stories of the year. Each guest pitched a story from the past 12 months that they think mattered most and at the end Tortoise editor James Harding decided the story of the year. 

Speakers for the motion

  • Robert Peston

    Political Editor of ITV News and author of Bust: Saving the Economy, Democracy and our Sanity

  • Jess Winch

    News Editor at Tortoise  

  • Cat Neilan 

    Political Editor at Tortoise 

Chair

  • James Harding

    Founder and Editor of Tortoise

Speakers

Speaker

Robert Peston

Political Editor of ITV News and author of Bust: Saving the Economy, Democracy and our Sanity

Jess Winch

News Editor at Tortoise  

Cat Neilan 

Political Editor at Tortoise 

Chair

James Harding

Founder and Editor of Tortoise

Founder and Editor of Tortoise Media. James was Director of News and Current Affairs at the BBC from 2012-18. Prior to that he was Editor of The Times from 2007-2012, winning the Newspaper of the Year in two of the five years he edited the paper. He was previously The Times’ Business Editor, having joined from The Financial Times, where he worked as Washington Bureau Chief, Media Editor and China correspondent opening the paper’s bureau in Shanghai in 1996.