It has been a year of three prime ministers, which means that for political anoraks, 2022 has also been a three-lectern year.
Will we ever see such a variety of Downing Street street furniture again?
It has been reported that each PM can order a new lectern, funded by the taxpayer, but that has been denied by Downing Street.
Rishi Sunak has chosen a “solid and stable” lectern, said Sky News’s political editor, Beth Rigby – a symbol, he presumably hopes, of what is to come.
The new PM says he had been brought in to “fix” mistakes.
It seems fair to say that Liz Truss did not have the best of luck with hers.
In her first day in office, Boris Johnson’s successor drove through heavy London rain on her way to Number 10. The lectern she chose – with a wavy, “Jenga-like” column – had to be covered in a black bin bag.
The twists and turns in the design ironically presaged the drama to come during her brief time at the top.
The last six prime ministers – back to Gordon Brown – have each chosen different designs to announce either their arrival or departure from Number 10.
Boris Johnson went for a podium made from wood in a deep-ish shade of brown which a straight-sided column – something surprisingly unflamboyant for such a colourful character.
David Cameron’s lectern was made of lighter wood with a flared column.
And Gordon Brown went for something strictly functional on wheels.
It is not a “podium”, by the way. A podium is the raised platform that medal winners stand on at sporting events.
