Heroes of 2017

John Curtice

The Guardian

Susan Fowler

Colin Kaepernick

Sadiq Khan

Khan began the year building on the biggest mandate of any politician in Western Europe and finished cementing his place as one of London's most popular mayors of all time. The son of a bus driver from South London hasn’t shied away from tackling big decisions, taking on Trump and Uber, and his reaction to Grenfell disaster gained numerous plaudits. With an approval rating of plus 35% don’t bet against London’s first Muslim mayor becoming the UK’s first Muslim Prime Minister one day in the future.

UK’s emergency services

The UK suffered five terrorist attacks in 2017 in Westminster, Manchester, London Bridge, Finsbury Park and Parsons Green. At each, the response of the country's emergency services were lauded but this was perhaps most warrented following the Grenfell Tower disaster. The UK’s biggest fire since the Second World War caused 71 deaths with more than 250 London Fire Brigade firefighters involved from stations all across London in efforts to control the fire. Over 100 London Ambulance Service crews also attended as the teams worked tirelessly through the night battling the blaze and looking for victims. Piers Morgan put it unusually succinctly, when he said: “As others run out, they march in. Absolute heroes”.