Ian Brunskill - The Times Companion to 2017: The best writing from The Times

Jeremy Corbyn cast himself as the scourge of the establishment in his first big speech of the general election campaign at Church House in Westminster. Richard Pohle photographed the Labour leader in April as he left the venue after the speech in a throng of supporters and cameramen: an early sign of the surprising popularity his party would gather during the short campaign

Tony Bellew assails David Haye in the tenth round of their heavyweight fight at the O2 Arena in March, captured by Marc Aspland. Haye was knocked through the ropes in the next round.

Richard Pohle photographed Dan Mothersole stoking the furnace of the tugboat Portwey during its 90th anniversary on the Thames

Ladies Day at Royal Ascot always means an abundance of exotic headgear. These were some of the more restrained examples, pictured by Richard Pohle in June

North Korea tested a hydrogen bomb and fired ballistic missiles capable of hitting US territory. President Trump responded with a threat of fire and fury

The Times political cartoonist Peter Brookes was appointed CBE but that did not stop him making fun of the establishment. Top: Theresa May says goodbye to the EU. Above: the Grenfell Tower fire inspired a more serious message

Two gifts to cartoonists, the North Korean and US leaders, continue to provoke disbelief months after this depiction in April.

Brookes had some fun with the troubled publication of the Labour Party manifesto in May

Armed troops were deployed on the streets of London in May in response to the terrorist attack at Manchester Arena. Richard Pohle photographed them in Westminster, where Khalid Masood had killed five people in an attack two months earlier

The cracks are showing in the governments economic policy according to Morten Morlands cartoon after the Grenfell Tower fire.

Morland seemed to find some sympathy for Donald Trumps beleaguered aides

Theresa Mays change of direction on social care did not play well with voters during the election campaign.

Morland linked the terrorist attack in Barcelona with the solar eclipse in August to create a haunting illustration

James Glossop photographed this eye-catching great grey owl at the Scottish Owl Centre in Bathgate, West Lothian, in April.

Theresa May suggests another species of bird at the Conservative Party manifesto launch in Halifax the following month, captured by Richard Pohle

The centenary of the battle of Passchendaele was marked at the end of July at the Menin Gate in Ypres. Richard Pohle photographed this serviceman in front of some of the more than 54,000 names inscribed on the monument remembering Commonwealth casualties who have no known grave

Jack Hill photographed this group of internal refugees in the Siixawle camp, Sool province, Somaliland. A devastating drought had robbed the families of their livelihoods and homes.

The Ship Inn cricket team has to time its matches at Elie Beach, Fife, to avoid the incoming tide. Bradley Ormesher caught this game in August

A firefighter, photographed by Jack Hill, keeps up the search for bodies in Grenfell Tower the day after fire devastated the block in June.

Tony Blair appears to be alone with his thoughts in this image by Richard Pohle from the dedication in March of a memorial in Horse Guards Parade to Britons who served in Afghanistan and Iraq

Usain Bolt strains every sinew during the 100m heats at the World Athletics Championships in London in August. Marc Aspland caught the determination on the sprinters face during one of his last solo races. Bolt was left only with a bronze after Justin Gatlin and Christian Coleman cast a shadow over his farewell appearance

Special thanks to Matthew Lyons (production editor), Nasim Asl, Jack Dyson, Josie Eve and Ailsa McNeil (editorial assistants), Sarah Willcox (sub-editor), Mark Grayson and Andrew Keys (designers); and to Gerry Breslin, Jethro Lennox, Karen Midgley, Kevin Robbins and Sarah Woods at HarperCollins. Thanks also to the contributors and to the following