The Art Of Politics: Seeing The Year Out In The Best Political Cartooning
by Richard Bruton
Time for a last look at the political cartoons for 2026, as The Art Of Politics rounds up some of the best from December…
UKRAINE / RUSSIA – PEACE IN OUR TIME LOOKS A LONG WAY OFF…
Despite Trump’s intervention, there seems to be little hope of a lasting peace deal between Ukraine and Russia…
ISRAEL / GAZA – IT JUST NEVER REALLY ENDS, DOES IT?…
Oh, and there was a big hoo-haa over the Israeli entry to Eurovision. For those of you who don’t know it, Eurovision is a big song contest where European nations (plus Australia, Morroco, and Israel) compete every year. It’s a beloved institution, queer friendly, all about inclusion, and not afraid to take political action when it’s needed. Well, sometimes. For example, when Russia invaded Ukraine, Russia were out, pretty much immediately. With Israel… not so much.
AUSTRALIA IN MOURNING FOLLOWING THE BONDI BEACH ATTACKS…
On 14th December, Bondi Beach suffered an anti-semitic terror attack as two Islamist gunmen killed 15 people. An absolute tragedy is happening in a country where these things are mercifully rare thanks to its gun laws. Gun laws, which, following the attack, will no doubt be tightened even further. Since the enactment of the strict gun laws in 1996 following the Port Arthur massacre, which killed 35, there have been 27 mass shootings in Australia (one where at least four people are injured). Far too many, of course, with Bondi Beach being the worst since 1996.
Oh, and for the Americans jumping on this tragedy on social media in the hours and days after the Bondi Beach shooting, shame on you for crowing over their perception that tighter gun controls don’t work because of this. If you’re after a comparison – 27 mass shootings in Australia since 1996, 32 in the USA in DECEMBER 2025 alone. Seriously, it’s insane.
Ben Jennings… on the heroic actions of Ahmed al-Ahmed that saved, no doubt, so many lives in disarming one of the gunmen.
THE UNITED STATES OF TRUMP…
Yes, Trump uber alles once more. Of course. And America teeters on the brink of so many things, with ye olde Pres doing some strange stuff and going on some unhinged rants…
Clay Bennett, returning us to the scourge of gun crime in the US…
There was the continued kerfuffle over the Epstein papers…
There was the new rule of Customs and Border Protection being able to scour through the social media of those wanting to enter America. You know, because the President of the land of the free doesn’t seem that keen on the whole freedom of speech thing when it’s criticising him.
And then there was President Trump carrying out what were variously described as international war crimes and even piracy in the crackdown on what the US government are claiming is the ‘narco-terrorist’ government of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Ah, targeted regime change in Central/South America, a familiar refrain returns.
OVER IN THE UK…
The Labour government keep on keeping on going from ba to worse, always seeming to be able to make a crisis from any drama, no matter how small…
Well, despite immigration falling by 69%, the flag wankers were still out over the month…
And speaking of flag wankers, a series of allegations of Nigel Farage’s racism tracing back to his private school days (common man of the people my arse) hasn’t really dented his popularity amongst those who feel empowered to say horrible things…
Chancellor Rachel Reeves continued to come under fire for her budget… Ella Baron…
And the continued negligence around the NHS, what should be Britain’s proudest achievement, a shining example of a health care system free to all, is being driven into the ground by political neglect and even a political desire to see it fail. Anyway, the forecast Flu-pocalypse that was prophesied to bring the service to its knees didn’t quite happen. But it’s more a case of when, not if.
Oh, and as for another beloved (by some at least) British institution, the BBC… they’re getting sued by Trump after they screwed up over an edit of his speech before the US Capitol riot that then aired in a Panorama documentary.
