A look ahead at the key events leading the news agenda next week, from the team at Foresight News.
Leading the week
It could be a make-or-break week for Boris Johnson’s tenure as Prime Minister, with the publication of the Sue Gray report suddenly thrown back into the spotlight. The Met Police announced the conclusion of its “partygate” investigation on Thursday, with more than 120 fixed penalty notices being issued. The full Gray report has been on hold pending the outcome of the Met’s investigation, and its conclusion raised expectations that the report could be released before the Commons rises for its Whitsun recess on Thursday (26 May).
It was never likely to be smooth sailing for the Conservative Party this week in any event, beginning with former Tory MP Imran Khan being sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Monday (23 May). Khan was found guilty last month of sexually assaulting a teenage boy at a party in Staffordshire in 2008, and his subsequent resignation as Member of Parliament for Wakefield has now set the stage for one of two key by-elections next month. It’s unlikely the government will be given an easy ride in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon either, as the hugely controversial Public Order Bill gets its second reading. Critics argue the proposed legislation, unveiled in the Queen’s Speech earlier this month, would introduce draconian measures aimed at “criminalising the right to protest”, though the Home Secretary says the Bill helps police “prevent antisocial protests from disrupting people’s lives”.
Away from the dramas of Westminster and following the official royal opening of the long-awaited Crossrail project on 17 May, members of the public can finally make their maiden commute on the Elizabeth Line on Tuesday (24 May). The project has been beset by political rows between management and City Hall and four years of delays, resulting in the line coming in at around £4 billion over budget. Transport for London have said the east-west line will “transform” travel across the capital, contributing an estimated £42 billion to the UK economy.
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Looking abroad
Following a two-year hiatus, some of the world’s most powerful people descend on the Swiss Alpine resort of Davos-Klosters for the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting. The ramifications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will dominate discussions, starting on Monday (23 May) when President Volodymyr Zelensky will deliver a keynote address from Kyiv. Not a single Russian official or business leader has been invited this year in solidarity with Ukraine, despite the historically close ties between organisers and Russia. But there’s nevertheless plenty to watch on the subject.
Highlights on Tuesday (24 May) include special addresses from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, followed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Wednesday. The closing day agenda on Thursday includes interventions from boxer-turned-Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Beyond Ukraine, keep an eye out for discussions with new Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (23 May), IAEA chief Rafael Grossi (24 May), Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin (25 May), and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (26 May).
Also look out for:
May 23
- Oxfam’s pre-Davos report on food and energy billionaires’ windfall
- Royals attend Chelsea Flower Show preview day
- Tim Davie at Lords committee session on BBC funding
- Joe Biden meets with Fumio Kishida in Tokyo
May 24
- Sajid Javid at Onward ‘Restitch’ event
- Chelsea Flower Show opens to public
- Three months ago: Russia invaded Ukraine
May 25
- Prime Minister’s Questions
- Efra committee chair election result to replace Neil Parish
- Laura Castle sentenced for murder of Leiland-James Corkill
- Twitter annual meeting
May 26
- Hay Festival begins; Hillary Clinton & Jeremy Hunt among speakers
May 27
- Man accused of murdering Sgt. Matt Ratana in court
- Donald Trump speaks at NRA Leadership Forum
May 28
- UEFA Champions League Final: Liverpool v Real Madrid
- European Rugby Champions Cup Final
- Palme D’Or presented at Cannes
May 29
- Presidential election in Colombia
- F1 Monaco Grand Prix
- Sky Bet Championship Playoff Final
Statistics, reports and results
May 23
- TIME 100 announcement
- OECD GDP growth figures
May 24
- UK Public Sector Finances
- OBR welfare trends report
- OECD Taxing Wages 2022
- Amnesty International report on global use of the death penalty
- Shell AGM
May 25
- US CBO Budget and Economic Outlook
- Germany Q1 GDP
- Amazon ASM
- Results from: Marks & Spencer, SSE
May 26
- Energy trends and prices
- Long-term international migration statistics
- Pupil absence in England (Autumn 2021)
- Results from: Alibaba, United Utilities
Anniversaries and awareness days
May 23
- Arts Education Week (to May 29)
May 25
- Two years ago: George Floyd killed
- Africa Day
- Towel Day
May 27
- National Fish and Chip Day
May 28
- International Day of Action for Women’s Health
- World Hunger Day
- 50 Years ago: Duke of Windsor died
May 29
- Jerusalem Day
- One year ago: Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds married
The news diary is provided in association with Foresight News.
Picture: Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
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