Events

January

* 8 January –

Kwasi Kwarteng Akwasi Addo Alfred Kwarteng (born 26 May 1975) is a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Spelthorne (UK Parliament constituency), S ...

is appointed Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, replacing

Alok Sharma Alok Sharma (born 7 September 1967) is a British politician who served as the President for COP26 from 2021-2022. Resigning his previous position as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in order to lead COP26, he re ...

who became the new President for COP26. Kwarteng is replaced as

Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth The minister of state for energy and climate is a mid-level position in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in the Government of the United Kingdom. It is currently held by Graham Stuart. The role used to be part of the p ...

Anne-Marie Trevelyan Anne-Marie Belinda Trevelyan (née Beaton; born 6 April 1969) is a British politician, a member of the Conservative Party, she has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Berwick-upon-Tweed since 2015. Trevelyan is a junior minister, and has served ...

, the former

Secretary of State for International Development The minister of state for development and Africa, formerly the minister of state for development and the secretary of state for international development, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom. The off ...

. He also became the first

black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

politician of any party to have been appointed Secretary of State. *11 January –

James Brokenshire James Peter Brokenshire (8 January 1968 – 7 October 2021) was a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party, he served in Theresa May's cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 2016 to 2018, ...

takes a leave of absence as Minister for Security. *11 January –

Michelle Ballantyne Michelle Lorraine Ballantyne (' Cross; born 28 November 1962) is a British politician and former nurse who served as Leader of Reform UK Scotland from January 2021 to February 2022. She was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Sou ...

becomes the Leader of

Reform UK Reform UK is a right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. It was founded with support from Nigel Farage in November 2018 as the Brexit Party, advocating hard Euroscepticism and a no-deal Brexit, and was briefly a significant p ...

Scotland. *21 January – Former

Brexit Party Reform UK is a right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. It was founded with support from Nigel Farage in November 2018 as the Brexit Party, advocating hard Euroscepticism and a no-deal Brexit, and was briefly a significant ...

Member of the European Parliament A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the ECSC) first met in 1952, its ...

Robert Rowland Robert Andrew Rowland (28 February 1966 – 23 January 2021) was a British politician who served as a Brexit Party Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for South East England from 2019 until the United Kingdom's exit from the EU in 2020. He ...

dies in a diving accident. *23 January –

Paul Davies Paul Charles William Davies (born 22 April 1946) is an English physicist, writer and broadcaster, a professor in Arizona State University and Director of BEYOND: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science. He is affiliated with the Institute ...

resigns as leader of the

Welsh Conservatives The Welsh Conservatives ( cy, Ceidwadwyr Cymreig) is the branch of the United Kingdom Conservative Party that operates in Wales. At Westminster elections, it is the second most popular political party in Wales, having obtained the second-larg ...

following a possible breach of

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...

regulations.

Darren Miller Darren Miller is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Charlie G. Hawkins. He made his first appearance on 6 September 2004 and departed in the episode broadcast on 20 September 2011. Storylines The Miller f ...

also resigns from the Conservative front bench over the same issue. *24 January –

Andrew RT Davies Andrew Robert Tudor Davies CBE (born 1968) is a British politician serving as Leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the Senedd since 2021, previously holding the position from 2011 to 2018. He has been a Member of the Senedd (MS) since 2 ...

is appointed leader of the Welsh Conservatives following a short discussion between Conservative Senedd members.

February

* 3 February –

Neale Hanvey James Neale Hanvey (born 28 December 1964) is a Scottish politician serving as the Leader of the Alba Party in the House of Commons since 2021, and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath since 2019. Formerly a member ...

is appointed as the Scottish National Party's Shadow Minister for COVID Vaccine Deployment. * 6 February –

is sacked from the Frontbench Team of Ian Blackford. * 26 February – A Supreme Court ruling agrees unanimously against a legal challenge made by Shamima Begum. * 27 February –

Anas Sarwar Anas Sarwar (born 14 March 1983) is a Scottish politician who has served as Leader of the Scottish Labour Party since 2021. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Glasgow region since 2016, having been Member of Parliame ...

defeats

Monica Lennon Monica Lennon (' Ward; born 7 January 1981) is a Scottish politician who has served as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Central Scotland region since 2016. A member of the Scottish Labour Party, she has served in various roles ...

in the

2021 Scottish Labour leadership election The 2021 Scottish Labour leadership election was triggered on 14 January 2021 by the resignation of Richard Leonard as leader of the Scottish Labour Party, who had led the party since 2017. Two candidates were nominated, Anas Sarwar and Moni ...

March

* 2 March – The following ministerial appointments are made: Suella Braveman is designated as a Minister on Leave, Michael Ellis replaces her as acting

Attorney General for England and Wales His Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales is one of the law officers of the Crown and the principal legal adviser to sovereign and Government in affairs pertaining to England and Wales. The attorney general maintains the Attorney G ...

and

Advocate General for Northern Ireland The advocate general for Northern Ireland is the chief legal adviser to the Government of the United Kingdom on Northern Ireland law and the post is held by the attorney general for England and Wales by virtue of that office. The advocate general ...

Lucy Frazer Lucy Frazer (born 17 May 1972) is a British politician serving as Minister of State for Housing and Planning since October 2022. A member of the Conservative Party, she previously served as Solicitor General for England and Wales and Minister ...

replaces Ellis as

Solicitor General for England and Wales His Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, known informally as the Solicitor General, is one of the law officers of the Crown in the government of the United Kingdom. They are the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to ad ...

, and joins the Privy Council. * 9 March – UK cop

Wayne Couzens Wayne may refer to: People with the given name and surname * Wayne (given name) * Wayne (surname) Geographical Places with name ''Wayne'' may take their name from a person with that surname; the most famous such person was Gen. "Mad" Antho ...

is arrested for the murder of innocent lady Sarah Everard. He was an officer within the Diplomatic Services unit. He had also previously worked in other government departments. He is later sentenced to life. *10 March –

Patrick Grady Patrick John Grady (born 5 February 1980) is a Scottish politician. He was elected at the 2015 UK general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow North. He was re-elected for the same constituency in the 2017 general election an ...

MP resigns as SNP Chief Whip. *11 March – A by-election was held in the ward of Aird and Loch Ness to elect one candidate to win a seat on the Highland Council. *16 March –

Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...

MP for Hartlepool Mike Hill resigns from the House of Commons due to his employment tribunal later in the year following allegations of sexual harassment and victimisation. *18 March – A by-election was held in the ward of Helensburgh and Lomond South to elect one candidate to win a seat on

Argyll and Bute Council Argyll and Bute ( sco, Argyll an Buit; gd, Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd, ) is one of 32 unitary authority council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod (14 July 2020). ...

. *23 March – The

Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints The Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints was a Committee of the Scottish Parliament which was set up to investigate the Alex Salmond scandal, in which the Scottish Government breached its own guidelines in its o ...

of the Scottish Parliament releases its final report. *26 March – The public launch of the

Alba Party The Alba Party is a Scottish nationalist and pro-independence political party in Scotland. The party was founded in February 2021, with Alex Salmond (a former first minister of Scotland) announced as party leader shortly thereafter. Salmond lau ...

, founded by former Scottish National Party leader

Alex Salmond Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond (; born 31 December 1954) is a Scottish politician and economist who served as First Minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014. A prominent figure on the Scottish nationalist movement, he has served as leader ...

. *27 March – A number of defections to the

from the Scottish National Party; sitting MPs

Kenny MacAskill Kenneth Wright MacAskill (born 28 April 1958) is a Scottish politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for East Lothian since 2019. He previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Justice from 2007 to 2014 and was a Member of the Scottish ...

and

. Former MP

Corri Wilson Corraine Wilson (born 11 April 1965) is an Alba Party politician who was previously the Scottish National Party (SNP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock from 2015 to 2017. Early life Wilson worked in the Civil Service for 2 ...

also defects. *27 March – A number of parliamentarians have sanctions placed on them by China; MPs

Iain Duncan Smith Sir George Iain Duncan Smith (born George Ian Duncan Smith; 9 April 1954), often referred to by his initials IDS, is a British politician who served as Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2003. He was ...

, Nusrat Ghani,

Tim Loughton Timothy Paul Loughton, (born 30 May 1962) is a British politician and former banker who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for East Worthing and Shoreham since the 1997 general election. A member of the Conservative Party, he was Parl ...

Tom Tugendhat Thomas Georg John Tugendhat, (born 27 June 1973) is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he has served as Minister of State for Security since September 2022. He previously served as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Comm ...

Neil O'Brien Neil John O'Brien (born 6 November 1978) is a British politician who was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Primary Care and Public Health in September 2022. He was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Harborough in 2017. ...

and peers Baroness Kennedy and

Lord Alton David Patrick Paul Alton, Baron Alton of Liverpool, (born 15 March 1951) is a British politician. He is a former Liberal Party and later Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament who has sat as a crossbench member of the House of Lords since 1997 ...

, who are all members of the

Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) is an international, cross-party alliance of parliamentarians from democratic countries focused on relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC), and specifically, the Chinese Communist Party ...

April

*13 to 15 April –

2021 Lord Speaker election An election for Lord Speaker, the presiding officer of the House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or offici ...

*20 April – Conservative MP Johnny Mercer is sacked as

Minister for Veterans The minister of state for veterans' affairs is a ministerial position in the Cabinet Office in the British government, currently held by Johnny Mercer who took the office on 25 October 2022. Earlier, it was jointly with the Ministry of Defence. Th ...

by Boris Johnson.

May

* 1 May –

John McFall, Baron McFall of Alcluith John Francis McFall, Baron McFall of Alcluith, (born 4 October 1944) is a Scottish politician, now the Lord Speaker having previously been Senior Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords from 1 September 2016 to 30 April 2021. He was previously a ...

becomes the

Lord Speaker The Lord Speaker is the presiding officer, chairman and highest authority of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The office is analogous to the Speaker of the House of Commons: the Lord Speaker is elected by the member ...

*5 May – French fishermen protest off Jersey as part of the Jersey fishing licences dispute. *6 May: ** A series of elections took place for local councils and

directly elected mayors Directly elected Mayors or Leaders in England, informally known as Metro Mayors or Leaders, are local government executive leaders who are directly elected by the residents of a local authority area (typically, but not always, a metropolitan are ...

in England, as well as police and crime commissioners in England and Wales ** Welsh Parliament election **

Scottish Parliament election Scotland has elections to several bodies: the Scottish Parliament, the United Kingdom Parliament, local councils and community councils. Before the United Kingdom left the European Union, Scotland elected members to the European Parliament. ...

** London Assembly election ** London mayoral election **

2021 Hartlepool by-election A by-election for the House of Commons constituency of Hartlepool in the former county of Cleveland, England, was held on 6 May 2021. The by-election was triggered following the resignation of Labour Member of Parliament (MP) Mike Hill, who r ...

**The

National Assembly for Wales The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and () in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees certain taxes and scrutinises the Welsh Go ...

officially changes its name to Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament. *8 May – Steve Aiken resigns as the leader of the

Ulster Unionist Party The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded in 1905, emerging from the Irish Unionist Alliance in Ulster. Under Edward Carson, it led unionist opposition to the Irish Home Rule m ...

. *9 May –

2021 Shadow Cabinet reshuffle Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition in the United Kingdom, carried out a reshuffle of his shadow cabinet on 9 May 2021. This followed disappointing results for the Labour Party, including historic defeat in the Hartlepool by-election an ...

*11 May –

2021 State Opening of Parliament A State Opening of Parliament took place on 11 May 2021. Queen Elizabeth II opened the second session of the 58th Parliament with the traditional Queen's Speech. The event was significant as it involved many restrictions due to the COVID-19 pa ...

*13 May – ** 2021 Airdrie and Shotts by-election ** Lord Benyon is appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity. *14 May –

May 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election The May 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election was triggered by Arlene Foster's resignation from leadership. It was the Democratic Unionist Party's first leadership election since the party's founding in 1971. Foster released a stat ...

*28 May –

Edwin Poots Edwin Poots (born 27 April 1965) is a British politician in Northern Ireland who served as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from May to June 2021. He was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in 1998, and was ...

becomes

Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is a unionist, loyalist, and national conservative political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1971 during the Troubles by Ian Paisley, who led the party for the next 37 years. Currently led ...

June

* 11 to 13 June:

47th G7 summit The 47th G7 summit was held from 11 to 13 June 2021 in Cornwall, England, during the United Kingdom's tenure of the presidency of the Group of Seven (G7), an inter-governmental political forum of seven advanced nations. The participants includ ...

is held at

Carbis Bay Carbis Bay (Cornish: ''Karrbons'', meaning "causeway") is a seaside resort and village in Cornwall, England. It lies southeast of St Ives, on the western coast of St Ives Bay, on the Atlantic coast. The South West Coast Path passes above th ...

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

. * 17 June –

resigns as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, having only been in position for 21 days, triggering a new leadership contest: see

June 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election The June 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election was triggered by Edwin Poots' resignation from the leadership of the party on 17 June 2021. Poots released a statement on 17 June 2021 announcing his intention to resign as party leade ...

Paul Givan Paul Jonathan Givan (born 12 October 1981) is a Unionist politician from Northern Ireland representing the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Givan served as First Minister of Northern Ireland from June 2021 to February 2022, the youngest person ...

becomes

First Minister of Northern Ireland The First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland are the joint heads of government of the Northern Ireland Executive and have overall responsibility for the running of the Executive Office. Despite the different titles for the two ...

. * 17 June –

2021 Chesham and Amersham by-election A by-election was held in the United Kingdom Parliament constituency of Chesham and Amersham on 17 June 2021, following the death of the sitting member, Dame Cheryl Gillan, on 4 April 2021. Gillan had served as MP for the constituency since 1992 ...

. * 22 June –

Jeffrey Donaldson Sir Jeffrey Mark Donaldson (born 7 December 1962) is a Northern Irish politician who has served as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) since June 2021. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Lagan Valley since 1997, and lead ...

is elected unopposed in the

. * 26 June –

Matt Hancock Matthew John David Hancock (born 2 October 1978) is a British politician who served as Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General from 2015 to 2016, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport from January to July 201 ...

resigns as

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care The secretary of state for health and social care, also referred to as the health secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for the work of the Department of Health and Social Care. The incumbent ...

July

* 1 July – 2021 Batley and Spen by-election. *2 July –

Angela Merkel Angela Dorothea Merkel (; ; born 17 July 1954) is a German former politician and scientist who served as Chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021. A member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), she previously served as Leader of the Opp ...

makes a visit to the UK, her last as Chancellor of Germany. *5 July –

Jonathan Bartley Jonathan Charles Bartley (born 16 October 1971) is a British politician and was Co-Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, a position he shared with Caroline Lucas and then, from 4 September 2018, with Siân Berry. He was the Green Pa ...

stands down as leader of the

Green Party of England and Wales The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW; cy, Plaid Werdd Cymru a Lloegr, kw, Party Gwer Pow an Sowson ha Kembra, often simply the Green Party or Greens) is a green, left-wing political party in England and Wales. Since October 2021, Carla ...

. *7 July –

tenders his resignation as Minister for Security to

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...

, stating his recovery from lung cancer was "taking longer than expected"

August

* 13 August – Damian Hinds returned to government as Minister of State for Security following the resignation of

on health grounds. * 18 August –

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

was recalled due to the situation in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

. *19 August – 2021 Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner by-election *31 August – The Scottish National Party and the

Scottish Greens The Scottish Greens (also known as the Scottish Green Party; gd, Pàrtaidh Uaine na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Green Pairtie) are a green political party in Scotland. The party has seven MSPs in the Scottish Parliament as of May 2021. As of the 2 ...

sign a power sharing agreement.

September

* 2 September – The

2021 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election The 2021 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election was held from August to September 2021 to select a new leader or leaders of the Green Party of England and Wales. It was triggered by Jonathan Bartley's announcement on 5 July 2021 ...

begins. *15 September –

carries out his second major

cabinet reshuffle A cabinet reshuffle or shuffle occurs when a head of government rotates or changes the composition of ministers in their cabinet, or when the Head of State changes the head of government and a number of ministers. They are more common in parli ...

, same day,

AUKUS AUKUS (, ) is a trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, announced on 15 September 2021 for the Indo-Pacific region. Under the pact, the US and the UK will help Australia to acquire nuclear-powered ...

is announced *17 September – Liberal Democrats annual conference opens in

Canary Wharf Canary Wharf is an area of London, England, located near the Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Canary Wharf is defined by the Greater London Authority as being part of London's central business district, alongside Central Lon ...

. *23 September –

ends. *25 September – The 2021

Labour Party Conference The Labour Party Conference is the annual conference of the British Labour Party. It is formally the supreme decision-making body of the party and is traditionally held in the final week of September, during the party conference season when th ...

opens in Brighton, East Sussex. *27 September – Andy McDonald resigns from the Shadow Cabinet of

Keir Starmer Sir Keir Rodney Starmer (; born 2 September 1962) is a British politician and barrister who has served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party since 2020. He has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Holborn and St Pancras s ...

October

* 1 October – It is announced that

Carla Denyer Carla Suzanne Denyer (born 1985) is a British politician who has served as co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales since 2021. She has been a city councillor in Bristol since 2015 (initially for Clifton East ward, and since the 2016 ...

and

Adrian Ramsay Adrian Philip Ramsay (born 1981) is a British politician and co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales alongside Carla Denyer. He was previously the deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales from 2008 to 2012. He served as ...

won the

. * 1 October –

conference opened in

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

. * 3 October – The 2021

Conservative Party Conference The Conservative Party Conference (CPC) is a four-day national conference event held by the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom. It takes place every year around October during the British party conference season, when the House of Commons is ...

opens in

. * 7 October –

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup

dies from

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, malign ...

at the age of 53. *13 October –

MP for

Leicester East Leicester East is a United Kingdom constituencies, constituency represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, UK Parliament since December 2019 by Claudia Webbe, who was ele ...

Claudia Webbe Claudia Naomi Webbe (born 8 March 1965) is a British politician who is currently the Member of Parliament (MP) for Leicester East. Elected to Parliament for Labour in the 2019 general election, she currently sits as an independent. Born ...

found guilty of harassment. The Labour Party called on her to resign from parliament. *15 October –

MP for Southend West

David Amess David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

is murdered after being stabbed at a constituency surgery at a Methodist church in

Leigh-on-Sea Leigh-on-Sea (), commonly referred to simply as Leigh, is a town and civil parish in the City of Southend-on-Sea, in the ceremonial county of Essex, England. In 2011, it had a population of 22,509. Geography Leigh-on-Sea is on the northern ...

. Police are investigating it as a

terror attack Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...

. *27 October –

October 2021 United Kingdom budget The October 2021 United Kingdom budget, officially known as the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021. A Stronger Economy for the British People, was a budget statement made by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak on 27 October 2021. It wa ...

was unveiled by Chancellor Rishi Sunak. *31 October – 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) begins in Glasgow.

November

*4 November –

Owen Paterson Owen William Paterson (born 24 June 1956) is a British former politician who served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 2010 to 2012 and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2012 to 2014 under Prime Minist ...

, Conservative MP for

North Shropshire North Shropshire was a local government district in Shropshire, England from 1974 to 2009. The district council was based at Edinburgh House in Wem. Other settlements included the towns of Ellesmere, Market Drayton, Wem and Whitchurch, as w ...

announces his resignation from parliament. *4 November –

MP for

expelled from the Labour Party following sentencing. *24 November –

November 2021 English Channel disaster On 24 November 2021, an inflatable dinghy carrying migrants from France to the United Kingdom capsized in the English Channel causing the deaths of 27 of the 30 people on board. It is believed to be the deadliest incident in the English Channel ...

*25 November –

2021 North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner by-election A by-election was held on 25 November 2021 for the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner post after the resignation of Philip Allott following his remarks on the murder of Sarah Everard. The election was won by the Conservative P ...

*27 November – Boris Johnson announces new measures for England in response to the new

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant Omicron (B.1.1.529) is a variant of SARS-CoV-2 first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Network for Genomics Surveillance in South Africa on 24 November 2021. It was first detected in Botswana and has spread to become the ...

December

*2 December – Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election *16 December –

2021 North Shropshire by-election A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of North Shropshire was held on 16 December 2021. It was triggered by the resignation of the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Owen Paterson on 5 November 2021. The by-elect ...

Events in the year

Greensill scandal The Greensill scandal is a political controversy in the United Kingdom related to lobbying activities on behalf of financial services company Greensill Capital. It implicated former Prime Minister David Cameron, former Cabinet Secretary Lord Hey ...

* Westminster Christmas parties controversy

Deaths

* 4 January –

Kay Ullrich Catherine Mario Ullrich ( née Morrison, 5 May 1943 – 4 January 2021) was a Scottish politician who was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the West of Scotland region from 1999 to 2003. A prominent member of the Scottish Nationa ...

, Scottish politician (b. 1943) * 8 January – Michael Shaw, Baron Shaw of Northstead, English politician (b. 1920) * 23 January –

, English politician (b. 1966) * 24 January –

Bobby McKee Bobby McKee, MBE (1941 – 24 January 2021) was a Unionist politician in Larne, Northern Ireland and former member of the Ulster Volunteer Force. McKee was a Democratic Unionist Party councillor and a member of Larne Borough Council since 198 ...

, Northern Irish politician (b. 1941) * 2 February –

Maureen Colquhoun Maureen Morfydd Colquhoun ( ; ' Smith, 12 August 1928 – 2 February 2021) was a British economist and Labour politician. She was Britain's first openly lesbian member of Parliament (MP). Education and early political career Smith was born ...

, English politician; first openly lesbian British MP (b. 1928) * 6 February –

Andrew Fraser, Baron Fraser of Corriegarth Alexander Andrew Macdonell Fraser, Baron Fraser of Corriegarth (2 December 1946 – 6 February 2021) was an English banker, treasurer of the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom and was a member of the House of Lords. He was described vari ...

, Scottish politician and peer (b. 1946) *4 April – Dame

Cheryl Gillan Dame Cheryl Elise Kendall Gillan (; 21 April 1952 – 4 April 2021) was a British politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Chesham and Amersham from 1992 until her death in 2021. A member of the Conservative Party, she served a ...

, politician, MP (since 1992),

Secretary of State for Wales The secretary of state for Wales ( cy, ysgrifennydd gwladol Cymru), also referred to as the Welsh secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Wales Office. The incumbent is a member ...

(2010–2012) (b. 1952). *6 April –

Peter Ainsworth Peter Michael Ainsworth (16 November 1956 – 6 April 2021) was a British Conservative politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for East Surrey from 1992 to 2010. Following his retirement from politics, Ainsworth was appointed UK ch ...

, politician, MP (1992–2010) (b. 1956) * 9 April – Ian Gibson, politician, MP (1997–2009) (b. 1938) * 12 April –

Shirley Williams Shirley Vivian Teresa Brittain Williams, Baroness Williams of Crosby, (' Catlin; 27 July 1930 – 12 April 2021) was a British politician and academic. Originally a Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP), she served in the Labour cabinet from ...

, politician, MP (1964–1979, 1981–1983),

Secretary of State for Education The secretary of state for education, also referred to as the education secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for the work of the Department for Education. The incumbent is a member of the C ...

and

Paymaster General His Majesty's Paymaster General or HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom. The incumbent Paymaster General is Jeremy Quin MP. History The post was created in 1836 by the merger of the posi ...

(1976–1979) (b. 1930) * 17 April – Frank Judd, Baron Judd, politician, MP (1966–1979) (b. 1935). * 24 April – Trevor Smith, Baron Smith of Clifton, politician and life peer (b. 1937) * 15 May – George Little, Scottish-Canadian politician (b. 1937) * 18 June – Andrew Welsh, Scottish politician, MP (1974–1979, 1987–2001), MSP (1999–2011) (b. 1944). *20 June –

Gordon Dunne Gordon Dunne (4 April 1959 – 20 June 2021) was a Unionist politician from Northern Ireland representing the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Dunne was a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) from 2011 to 2021, representing North ...

, politician, MLA (2011–2021) (b. 1959). * 24 June –

Dick Leonard Richard Lawrence Leonard (12 December 1930 – 24 June 2021) was a British writer, journalist and Labour politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Romford from 1970 to 1974. He was a pro-European social democrat and had been a ...

, journalist and politician, MP (1970–1974) (b. 1930). * 7 July –

Elystan Morgan, Baron Elystan-Morgan Dafydd Elystan Elystan-Morgan, Baron Elystan-Morgan (7 December 1932 – 7 July 2021), known as Elystan Morgan, was a Welsh politician. He sat as a crossbencher in the House of Lords from 1981 to 2020, and served as a Labour MP from 1966 to 197 ...

, Welsh politician, MP (1966–1974) and member of the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...

(1981–2020) (b. 1932). * 2 August –

Peter Smith, Baron Smith of Leigh Peter Richard Charles Smith, Baron Smith of Leigh (24 July 1945 – 2 August 2021) was a British Labour local politician and life peer. Career Peter Smith was educated at Bolton School before going up to LSE where he graduated in economics ...

, politician and life peer, member of the

(since 1999) (born 1945). * 18 August –

Austin Mitchell Austin Vernon Mitchell (19 September 1934 – 18 August 2021) was a British academic, journalist and Labour Party politician who was the member of Parliament (MP) for Great Grimsby from a 1977 by-election to 2015. He was also the chair of t ...

, politician, MP (1977–2015) (b. 1934). * 27 August –

Noel Cringle Noel Quayle Cringle OBE (16 December 1937 – 28 August 2021) was President of Tynwald, the legislature of the Isle of Man, from 2000 to 2011. Cringle was born and raised in Ballabeg, educated at Castle Rushen High School and became a farmer ...

, Manx politician,

President of Tynwald The President of Tynwald (''Eaghtyrane Tinvaal'') is the presiding officer at the sittings of Tynwald Court in Douglas and is elected by the members of Tynwald from amongst their number. The first elected President, Charles Kerruish, was ele ...

(2000–2011) (b. 1937). * 9 September –

Bruce McFee Bruce James McFee (18 May 1961 – 9 September 2021) was a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. He was elected as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the West of Scotland region at the 2003 election. McFee served on the Scotti ...

, Scottish politician, MSP (2003–2007), complications from a stroke (b. 1961). *24 September –

Grey Ruthven, 2nd Earl of Gowrie Alexander Patrick Greysteil Hore-Ruthven, 2nd Earl of Gowrie, (26 November 1939 – 24 September 2021), usually known as Grey Gowrie or Lord Gowrie, was an Irish-born British hereditary peer, politician, and businessman. Lord Gowrie was also ...

, Irish-born politician, businessman, and arts administrator,

chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is a ministerial office in the Government of the United Kingdom. The position is the second highest ranking minister in the Cabinet Office, immediately after the Prime Minister, and senior to the Minist ...

(1984–1985) (b. 1939). * 1 October – Sir

Dennis Walters Sir Dennis Murray Walters (28 November 1928 – 1 October 2021) was a British Conservative Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Westbury from 1964 to 1992. Early life The son of Douglas L. Walters and Clara Walters ...

, politician, MP (1964–1992) (b. 1928). * 7 October –

, politician, MP (since 2005), secretary of state for Northern Ireland (2016–2018) and housing, communities and local government (2018–2019), lung cancer (b. 1968). *15 October – Sir

, politician, MP (since 1983), stabbed (b. 1952). * 17 October –

Ernie Ross Ernest Ross (27 July 1942 – 17 October 2021) was a British politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Dundee West from 1979 to 2005. He was a member of the Labour Party. Early life Ross was born in Dundee, Scotland, on 27 ...

, politician, MP (1979–2005) (b. 1942). * 26 October – Isabel Turner, Scottish-born Canadian politician, mayor of

Kingston, Ontario Kingston is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is located on the north-eastern end of Lake Ontario, at the beginning of the St. Lawrence River and at the mouth of the Cataraqui River (south end of the Rideau Canal). The city is midway between To ...

(2000–2003), pneumonia (b. 1936). * 31 October – Sir

Jim Lester Sir James Theodore Lester (23 May 1932 – 31 October 2021) was a British Conservative Party politician. Parliamentary career Born in Nottingham in May 1932, Lester first stood for Parliament in a by-election at Bassetlaw in 1968, when he ...

, politician, MP (1974–1997) (b. 1932). * 7 November – Sir John Butterfill, politician, MP (1983–2010) (b. 1941). * 1 December –

Bertram Bowyer, 2nd Baron Denham Bertram Stanley Mitford Bowyer, 2nd Baron Denham, (3 October 1927 – 1 December 2021), was a British Conservative politician, hereditary peer, writer and former member of the House of Lords. He was one of the few people to serve in the gover ...

, politician, member of the

(1949–2021) and

captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms The Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms is a post in the Government of the United Kingdom that has been held by the Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is th ...

(1979–1991) (b. 1927). * 2 December –

Bill McKenzie, Baron McKenzie of Luton William David McKenzie, Baron McKenzie of Luton (24 July 1946 – 2 December 2021) was a British Labour politician. Until the 2010 general election, he was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions and the ...