7 April 2022
Betting on 2022
Preliminary Results
by John Watson
We had hoped to award the prize for our New Year quiz this week but the two leading runners are only half a point apart and the figure for the CPI for March is not yet available, the latter being published on 13 April. The winner will therefore be announced then. Meanwhile, to please the curious, the answers so far are in italics below:
1 As at 16 December 2020 the WHO recorded 545,136 infections in the previous 24 hours. What will the figure be for the 24 hours ending on 1 April 2022? 1,391,813
2 As at 18 December, the UK Covid death rate was holding fairly steady at 125. Where will it be on 1 April? 195
Then with Frost going and public approval falling, the skids look to be well under Boris Johnson. So:
3 Will he go before the New Year; in January; February; March; or None of Them? None of Them
4 Who will be PM on 1 April 2022? Boris Johnson
As the troops mass on the border and European leaders waffle on fatuously and portentously about “serious consequences”, the Russian invasion of the Ukraine looks all but inevitable. So:
5 Bet on a date for the beginning of the war or, if you think it won’t happen before 1 April, put none. 24 February 2020
6 In which month do you think the Nord Stream 2 pipeline will begin to carry gas? If you think it won’t happen by April or at all put none. None
Fox spent most of his political life in opposition where the politics were every bit as rancorous as those currently besetting Labour. So:
7 Who do you think will be the Deputy Leader of the Labour party on 1 April 2022? Angela Rayner
8 In which month will Mr Corbyn be readmitted to the Parliamentary Labour Party? If not before 1 April put none. None
The emergence of a new variant may show the Government as having emptied the cupboard too precipitately by the original furlough scheme. No doubt Rishi will do his best but:
9 The £:$ exchange rate was at 1.324$ at 1.46 am on 19 December. Where will it be at the same time on 1 April? 1.311
10 The annualised UK Consumer Price Index rose to 5.1% for November. What do you expect the annualised rise to be over March 2022? Not yet available
Following the limited achievement in Glasgow, global warming looks set to continue. So:
11 The highest recorded temperature in the UK in March is 25.6 in 1968 at Mepal in Cambridgeshire. Last year saw the second highest at 24.5. What do you think will be the highest recorded temperature in March 2022? 20.8 in London on 23 March
The Ashes have got off to their usual appalling start after twaddle from the England skipper about it feeling different this time:
12 Scoring 1 for a win and 0.5 for a draw or tie, how many points do you think England will amass? 0.5
