1986 in the United Kingdom
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Events from the year
1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal ente ...
in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
. It is particularly noted for the "
Big Bang The Big Bang event is a physical theory that describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature. Various cosmological models of the Big Bang explain the evolution of the observable universe from the ...
" deregulation of the financial markets.


Incumbents

*
Monarch A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
*
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 is not ...
Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. S ...
(
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 i ...
) *
Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
49th


Events


January

*January – The
Vauxhall Belmont The Vauxhall Belmont is a saloon car sold in the United Kingdom by Vauxhall between January 1986 and September 1991. It was equivalent to a saloon version of the award winning Opel Kadett E, launched in the autumn of 1984, whose other body s ...
compact saloon goes on sale, giving buyers a traditional saloon alternative to the Astra hatchback and estate models. The car would remain in production until September 1991. *7 January – The
Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) is the trade association for the United Kingdom motor industry. Its role is to "promote the interests of the UK automotive industry at home and abroad." History SMMT was founded by Frede ...
announces that a record of more than 1.8 million new cars were sold in Britain during 1985, beating the previous record set in 1983. The Ford Escort was Britain's most popular new car for the fourth year running and all of the top 10 best-selling new cars were produced by Ford, Vauxhall or Austin Rover. Continental and Japanese manufacturers enjoyed a good-sized percentage of the new car market though, with
Fiat Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiary ...
,
Nissan , trade name, trading as Nissan Motor Corporation and often shortened to Nissan, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The company sells ...
,
Peugeot Peugeot (, , ) is a French brand of automobiles owned by Stellantis. The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was founded in 1810, with a steel foundry that soon started making hand tools and kitchen equipment, and the ...
,
Renault Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufactured ...
,
Volkswagen Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German Automotive industry, motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a ...
and
Volvo The Volvo Group ( sv, Volvokoncernen; legally Aktiebolaget Volvo, shortened to AB Volvo, stylized as VOLVO) is a Swedish multinational manufacturing corporation headquartered in Gothenburg. While its core activity is the production, distributio ...
all doing well. *9 January **
Michael Heseltine Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, (; born 21 March 1933) is a British politician and businessman. Having begun his career as a property developer, he became one of the founders of the publishing house Haymarket. Heseltine served a ...
resigns as
Defence Secretary A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...
over the
Westland affair The Westland affair in 1985–86 was an episode in which Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and her Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Heseltine, went public over a cabinet dispute with questions raised about whether ...
. **After three successive monthly falls in unemployment, the jobless count for December 1985 increased by nearly 15,000 to 3,181,300. *12 January – The game show ''
Catchphrase A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...
'' begins on
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
hosted by Roy Walker along with the computer generated character Mr. Chips. It concludes in 2002, but is revived in 2013. *14 January – The
Salafi jihadist Salafi jihadism or jihadist-Salafism is a transnational, hybrid religious-political ideology based on the Sunni sect of Islamism, seeking to establish a global caliphate, characterized by the advocacy for "physical" (military) jihadist and Sa ...
group
al-Muhajiroun Al-Muhajiroun ( ar, المهاجرون, "The Emigrants") is a Proscription, proscribed militant network based in Saudi Arabia. The founder of the group was Omar Bakri Muhammad, a Syrian who previously belonged to ''Hizb ut-Tahrir''; he was not p ...
begins to operate in the UK. *20 January – The United Kingdom and France announce plans to construct the
Channel Tunnel The Channel Tunnel (french: Tunnel sous la Manche), also known as the Chunnel, is a railway tunnel that connects Folkestone (Kent, England, UK) with Coquelles ( Hauts-de-France, France) beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. ...
, which they hope to open by the early-1990s. *24 January –
Leon Brittan Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne, (25 September 193921 January 2015) was a British Conservative politician and barrister who served as a European Commissioner from 1989 to 1999. As a member of Parliament from 1974 to 1988, he serve ...
resigns as Trade and Industry Secretary over the Westland affair. *31 January – Unemployment for this month has increased to 3,204,900 – a postwar high which accounts for 14.4% of the workforce.


February

* February **Heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures affected most of Britain during the month. **The British-built
Peugeot 309 The Peugeot 309 is a small family car that was manufactured between 1985 and 1994 in England, Spain and France by PSA Peugeot Citroën. It was originally intended to be badged as a Talbot and, as development progressed, to be called the Talbot Ar ...
goes on sale in Britain, four months after its continental launch. It is built at the former Rootes/
Chrysler Stellantis North America (officially FCA US and formerly Chrysler ()) is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of the multinational automoti ...
factory at
Ryton Ryton may refer to: Places in England * Ryton, Gloucestershire, a location *Ryton, North Yorkshire *Ryton, Shropshire *Ryton, Tyne and Wear *Ryton, Warwickshire (in Bulkington) *Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Warwickshire *Great Ryton, Shropshire People ...
, near
Coventry Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its ...
which is also set to produce a larger Peugeot saloon model from next year. *6 February – The UK Government scraps plans to sell
Austin Rover The Austin Rover Group (abbreviated ARG) was a British motor manufacturer. It was created in 1982 as the mass-market car manufacturing subsidiary of British Leyland (BL). Previously, this entity had been known as BL Cars Ltd (formerly Leyland C ...
to
Ford Ford commonly refers to: * Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford * Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river Ford may also refer to: Ford Motor Company * Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company * Ford F ...
. *12 February – The Franco-British Channel Fixed Link Treaty is signed at
Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. ...
as the Channel Tunnel plans move forward. *15 February – In the
Wapping dispute The Wapping dispute was a lengthy failed strike by print workers in London in 1986. Print unions tried to block distribution of ''The Sunday Times'', along with other newspapers in Rupert Murdoch's News International group, after production wa ...
, fifty-eight people are arrested by police at a demonstration. *17 February – The UK signs the
Single European Act The Single European Act (SEA) was the first major revision of the 1957 Treaty of Rome. The Act set the European Community an objective of establishing a single market by 31 December 1992, and a forerunner of the European Union's Common Foreign ...
.


March

*March –
Ford Ford commonly refers to: * Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford * Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river Ford may also refer to: Ford Motor Company * Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company * Ford F ...
launches a new generation of its big-selling Escort and Orion ranges. *4 March – The national tabloid newspaper ''
Today Today (archaically to-day) may refer to: * Day of the present, the time that is perceived directly, often called ''now'' * Current era, present * The current calendar date Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Today'' (1930 film), a 1930 A ...
'' launches from
Wapping Wapping () is a district in East London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Wapping's position, on the north bank of the River Thames, has given it a strong maritime character, which it retains through its riverside public houses and steps, ...
. It pioneers the use of computer photo typesetting and full-colour
offset printing Offset printing is a common printing technique in which the inked image is transferred (or "offset") from a plate to a rubber blanket and then to the printing surface. When used in combination with the lithographic process, which is based on t ...
at a time when British national newspapers are still using
Linotype machine The Linotype machine ( ) is a "line casting" machine used in printing; manufactured and sold by the former Mergenthaler Linotype Company and related It was a hot metal typesetting system that cast lines of metal type for individual uses. Lin ...
s and
letterpress Letterpress printing is a technique of relief printing. Using a printing press, the process allows many copies to be produced by repeated direct impression of an inked, raised surface against sheets or a continuous roll of paper. A worker comp ...
. *5 March – The High Court disqualifies and fines 81 Labour councillors for failing to set a rate. *13 March – '' The Sun'' newspaper alleges that comedian
Freddie Starr Freddie Starr (born Frederick Leslie Fowell; 9 January 1943 – 9 May 2019) was an English stand up comedian, impressionist, singer and actor. Starr was the lead singer of Merseybeat rock and roll group the Midniters during the early 1960s, and ...
ate a live
hamster Hamsters are rodents (order Rodentia) belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae, which contains 19 species classified in seven genera.Fox, Sue. 2006. ''Hamsters''. T.F.H. Publications Inc. They have become established as popular small pets. The b ...
. *18 March –
Inheritance tax An inheritance tax is a tax paid by a person who inherits money or property of a person who has died, whereas an estate tax is a levy on the estate (money and property) of a person who has died. International tax law distinguishes between an es ...
replaces Capital Transfer Tax. *19 March –
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...
announces the engagement of
Prince Andrew Prince Andrew, Duke of York, (Andrew Albert Christian Edward; born 19 February 1960) is a member of the British royal family. He is the younger brother of King Charles III and the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince ...
to Sarah Ferguson; they will be married later this year. *23 March –
Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club is an English professional football club based in Fulham, West London. Founded in 1905, they play their home games at Stamford Bridge. The club competes in the Premier League, the top division of English football ...
are the first winners of the Football League's new
Full Members Cup The Full Members' Cup was an association football cup competition held in English football from 1985 to 1992. It was also known under its sponsored names of the Simod Cup from 1987 to 1989 and the Zenith Data Systems Cup from 1989 to 1992. The ...
, beating
Manchester City 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 tw ...
5–4 in the final at Wembley, although Manchester City clawed the deficit to a single goal in the last five minutes after being 5–1 down. *29 March – The first high-speed
catamaran A Formula 16 beachable catamaran Powered catamaran passenger ferry at Salem, Massachusetts, United States A catamaran () (informally, a "cat") is a multi-hulled watercraft featuring two parallel hulls of equal size. It is a geometry-stab ...
ferry is introduced into service in the British Isles, HSC ''Our Lady Patricia'' on
Sealink British Ferries Sealink was a ferry company based in the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1984, operating services to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Isle of Wight and Ireland. Ports served by the company included: Port of Dover, ...
'
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...
Ryde Ryde is an English seaside town and civil parish on the north-east coast of the Isle of Wight. The built-up area had a population of 23,999 according to the 2011 Census and an estimate of 24,847 in 2019. Its growth as a seaside resort came af ...
passage. *31 March ** The
Greater London Council The Greater London Council (GLC) was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council (LCC) which had covered a much smaller area. The GLC was dissolved in 198 ...
is abolished, as are the metropolitan county councils of
West Midlands West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...
, Greater Manchester,
Merseyside Merseyside ( ) is a metropolitan county, metropolitan and ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England, 1.38 million. It encompasses both banks of the Merse ...
, Tyne and Wear,
West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
and
South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a ceremonial and metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. The county has four council areas which are the cities of Doncaster and Sheffield as well as the boroughs of Barnsley and Rotherham. In N ...
. ** A fire causes extensive damage at
Hampton Court Palace Hampton Court Palace is a Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwest and upstream of central London on the River Thames. The building of the palace began in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the chie ...
in Surrey. ** The Haig Pit, Whitehaven, Cumbria closes.


April

*April –
Hanson Trust Hanson UK, formerly Hanson Trust plc, is a British-based building materials company, headquartered in Maidenhead. The company has been a subsidiary of the German company HeidelbergCement since August 2007, and was formerly listed on the London S ...
concludes its takeover of the
Imperial Group Imperial Brands plc (formerly Imperial Tobacco Group plc), is a British multinational tobacco company headquartered in Bristol, England. It is the world's fourth-largest international cigarette company measured by market share after Philip Mor ...
for £2.5 billion. *1 April – The
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
and
Princess of Wales Princess of Wales (Welsh: ''Tywysoges Cymru'') is a courtesy title used since the 14th century by the wife of the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. The current title-holder is Catherine (née Middleton). The title was firs ...
open the extension of
London Underground The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or by its nickname the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent ceremonial counties of England, counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and He ...
's
Piccadilly line The Piccadilly line is a deep-level London Underground line running from the north to the west of London. It has two branches, which split at Acton Town, and serves 53 stations. The line serves Heathrow Airport, and some of its stations are n ...
to
Heathrow Terminal 4 Heathrow Terminal 4 is an airport terminal at Heathrow Airport, the main airport serving London, England, situated to the south of the southern runway, next to the cargo terminal. It is connected to Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3 by the vehicular ...
. Trains do not stop at the station until 12 April. *7 April –
Clive Sinclair Sir Clive Marles Sinclair (30 July 1940 – 16 September 2021) was an English entrepreneur and inventor, best known for being a pioneer in the computing industry, and also as the founder of several companies that developed consumer electronics ...
sells rights to
ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer. Referred to during development as t ...
and other inventions to
Amstrad Amstrad was a British electronics company, founded in 1968 by Alan Sugar at the age of 21. The name is a contraction of Alan Michael Sugar Trading. It was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in April 1980. During the late 1980s, Amstrad ...
. *15 April – The
Shops Bill 1986 The Shops Bill 1986 was a parliamentary bill in the United Kingdom that would have ended government regulation of Sunday shopping in England and Wales. Introduced by the Government of Margaret Thatcher, it was defeated in the House of Commons at ...
, which would have liberalised
Sunday shopping Sunday shopping or Sunday trading refers to the ability of retailers to operate stores on Sunday, a day that Christian tradition typically recognises as a day of rest. Rules governing shopping hours, such as Sunday shopping, vary around the worl ...
, is defeated in the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
on its
second reading A reading of a bill is a stage of debate on the bill held by a general body of a legislature. In the Westminster system, developed in the United Kingdom, there are generally three readings of a bill as it passes through the stages of becoming, ...
, the last time that a government bill will fall at that stage, one of only four defeats in the Commons for Mrs Thatcher and the only time an entire government bill is defeated during her tenure. *17 April ** Journalist John McCarthy is kidnapped in
Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...
, where three other hostages are found dead. The
Revolutionary Cells (RZ) The Revolutionary Cells (german: Revolutionäre Zellen, abbreviated RZ) were a self-described "urban guerrilla" organisation that was active between 1973 and 1995. The West German Interior Ministry described it as one of West Germany's most dange ...
claims responsibility as revenge for the recent American bombing of
Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...
. ** A treaty is signed to end the supposed
Three Hundred and Thirty Five Years' War The Three Hundred and Thirty Five Years' War ( nl, Driehonderdvijfendertigjarige Oorlog, kw, Bell a dri hans pymthek warn ugens) was an alleged state of war between the Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly (located off the southwest coast of Gr ...
between the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and the
Isles of Scilly The Isles of Scilly (; kw, Syllan, ', or ) is an archipelago off the southwestern tip of Cornwall, England. One of the islands, St Agnes, is the most southerly point in Britain, being over further south than the most southerly point of the ...
. *20 April –
Oxford United F.C. Oxford United Football Club is a professional football club in the city of Oxford, England. The team plays in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. The chairman is Grant Ferguson, the manager is Karl Robinson and t ...
, who joined the Football League only in 1962 and are in the First Division for the first time, win the
Football League Cup The EFL Cup (referred to historically, and colloquially, as the League Cup), currently known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual knockout competition and major trophy in men's domestic football in England. Organised by the ...
with a 3–0 win over
Queens Park Rangers Queens Park Rangers Football Club, commonly abbreviated to QPR, is a professional football club based in Shepherd's Bush, West London, England, which compete in the . After a nomadic early existence, they have played home matches at Loftus Ro ...
at Wembley. *24 April –
Wallis, Duchess of Windsor Wallis, Duchess of Windsor (born Bessie Wallis Warfield, later Simpson; June 19, 1896 – April 24, 1986), was an American socialite and wife of the former King Edward VIII. Their intention to marry and her status as a divorcée caused ...
dies in her home in the
Bois de Boulogne The Bois de Boulogne (, "Boulogne woodland") is a large public park located along the western edge of the 16th arrondissement of Paris, near the suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt and Neuilly-sur-Seine. The land was ceded to the city of Paris by t ...
,
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, aged 89, outliving her husband by fourteen years. *28 April – The first phase of the MetroCentre, Europe's largest indoor shopping centre, in
Gateshead Gateshead () is a large town in northern England. It is on the River Tyne's southern bank, opposite Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle to which it is joined by seven bridges. The town contains the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Millennium Bridge, Sage ...
, is opened. The remainder of the centre is set to open this autumn. *29 April – The
Duchess of Windsor Wallis, Duchess of Windsor (born Bessie Wallis Warfield, later Simpson; June 19, 1896 – April 24, 1986), was an American socialite and wife of the former King Edward VIII. Their intention to marry and her status as a divorcée caused a ...
is buried at
Frogmore Frogmore is an estate within the Home Park, adjoining Windsor Castle, in Berkshire, England. It comprises , of primarily private gardens managed by the Crown Estate. It is the location of Frogmore House, a royal retreat, and Frogmore Cottage. Th ...
. *30 April –
Riot A riot is a form of civil disorder commonly characterized by a group lashing out in a violent public disturbance against authority, property, or people. Riots typically involve destruction of property, public or private. The property targete ...
ing erupts overnight in prisons across Britain. Dozens of prisoners escape, while prisoners at
Stafford Stafford () is a market town and the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies about north of Wolverhampton, south of Stoke-on-Trent and northwest of Birmingham. The town had a population of 70,145 in t ...
Prison set the prison canteen alight by smashing windows and dumping a burning
mattress A mattress is a large, usually rectangular pad for supporting a lying person. It is designed to be used as a bed, or on a bed frame as part of a bed. Mattresses may consist of a quilted or similarly fastened case, usually of heavy cloth, conta ...
onto the roof. The worst disturbances come at Northeye Prison in
Sussex Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...
, where a 70-strong mob of prisoners takes over the jail and sets fire to the canteen, hospital wing and sports hall.


May

*May – The last
Talbot Talbot was an automobile marque introduced in 1902 by English-French company Clément-Talbot. The founders, Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury and Adolphe Clément-Bayard, reduced their financial interests in their Clément-Talbot ...
badged passenger cars are built in Britain and France by
Peugeot Peugeot (, , ) is a French brand of automobiles owned by Stellantis. The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was founded in 1810, with a steel foundry that soon started making hand tools and kitchen equipment, and the ...
who will continue making their own cars at the former
Rootes Group The Rootes Group or Rootes Motors Limited was a British automobile manufacturer and, separately, a major motor distributors and dealers business. Run from London's West End, the manufacturer was based in the Midlands and the distribution and dea ...
plant near
Coventry Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its ...
and the former
Simca Simca (; Mechanical and Automotive Body Manufacturing Company) was a French automaker, founded in November 1934 by Fiat S.p.A. and directed from July 1935 to May 1963 by Italian Henri Pigozzi. Simca was affiliated with Fiat and, after Simca bough ...
production facilities in
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. Peugeot is to continue the Talbot brand for commercial vehicles and production of the
Horizon The horizon is the apparent line that separates the surface of a celestial body from its sky when viewed from the perspective of an observer on or near the surface of the relevant body. This line divides all viewing directions based on whether i ...
range will continue in
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
and
Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
until next year. *5 May – Liverpool win the Football League First Division title for a record 16th time after winning 1–0 at Chelsea.
Kenny Dalglish Sir Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish (born 4 March 1951) is a Scottish former association football, football player and manager (association football), manager. During his career, he made 338 appearances for Celtic F.C., Celtic and 515 for Liverpoo ...
, in his first season as the club's player-manager, scores the goal which gives Liverpool the title. *8 May – Labour makes large gains in local council elections, collecting 37% of the votes nationally compared to the Conservatives on 34% and the Alliance on 26%. These are the first national elections to be held since the recent abolition of the metropolitan councils. *10 May – The first all-
Merseyside Merseyside ( ) is a metropolitan county, metropolitan and ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England, 1.38 million. It encompasses both banks of the Merse ...
FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
final ends in a 3–1 win for
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
over Everton, who become only the third team this century to win the double, having already secured the
Football League First Division The Football League First Division was a division of the Football League in England from 1888 until 2004. It was the top division in the English football league system from the season 1888–89 until 1991–92, a century in which the First ...
title. *20 May – The Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Act revises the
prohibited degree of kinship In law, a prohibited degree of kinship refers to a degree of consanguinity (blood relatedness) and sometimes affinity (relation by marriage or sexual relationship) between persons that results in certain actions between them being illegal. Two major ...
for marriage. *21 May – The
Harrison Birtwistle Sir Harrison Birtwistle (15 July 1934 – 18 April 2022) was an English composer of contemporary classical music best known for his operas, often based on mythological subjects. Among his many compositions, his better known works include ''Th ...
opera ''
The Mask of Orpheus ''The Mask of Orpheus'' is an opera with music by Harrison Birtwistle, electronic music realised by Barry Anderson (composer), Barry Anderson and a libretto by Peter Zinovieff. It was premiered in London at the English National Opera on 21 May 198 ...
'' premieres in London.


June

*10 June – Patrick Joseph Magee is found guilty of the 1984
Brighton hotel bombing A Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) assassination attempt against members of the British government took place on 12 October 1984 at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. A long-delay time bomb was plante ...
and sentenced to
life imprisonment Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which convicted people are to remain in prison for the rest of their natural lives or indefinitely until pardoned, paroled, or otherwise commuted to a fixed term. Crimes for ...
. *12 June **
Derek Hatton Derek Anthony Hatton (born 17 January 1948) is a British former politician, later a broadcaster, property developer and businessman. He gained national prominence as deputy leader of Liverpool City Council in the 1980s and was a member of the Tr ...
, leader of Liverpool council, is expelled from the Labour Party for belonging to the
entryist Entryism (also called entrism, enterism, or infiltration) is a political strategy in which an organisation or state encourages its members or supporters to join another, usually larger, organization in an attempt to expand influence and expand the ...
Militant The English word ''militant'' is both an adjective and a noun, and it is generally used to mean vigorously active, combative and/or aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in "militant reformers". It comes from the 15th century Latin " ...
group. ** Austin Rover is renamed the
Rover Group The Rover Group plc was the British vehicle manufacturing conglomerate known as "BL plc" until 1986 (formerly British Leyland), which had been a state-owned company since 1975. It initially included the Austin Rover Group car business (comprisi ...
four years after the name change from
British Leyland British Leyland was an automotive engineering and manufacturing conglomerate formed in the United Kingdom in 1968 as British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd (BLMC), following the merger of Leyland Motors and British Motor Holdings. It was partl ...
. *14 June – The
Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
rides to
Trooping the Colour Trooping the Colour is a ceremony performed every year in London, United Kingdom, by regiments of the British Army. Similar events are held in other countries of the Commonwealth. Trooping the Colour has been a tradition of British infantry regi ...
on horseback for the last time. *23 June – Patrick Magee is jailed for life for the Brighton bombing of October 1984 as well as other IRA bombings. *24 June –
Ian Paisley Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, (6 April 1926 – 12 September 2014) was a Northern Irish loyalist politician and Protestant religious leader who served as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from 1971 to 2008 and First ...
's
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 by J ...
stage protest at dissolution of
Northern Ireland Assembly sco-ulster, Norlin Airlan Assemblie , legislature = 7th Northern Ireland Assembly, Seventh Assembly , coa_pic = File:NI_Assembly.svg , coa_res = 250px , house_type = Unicameralism, Unicameral , hou ...
. *29 June **
Richard Branson Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is a British billionaire, entrepreneur, and business magnate. In the 1970s he founded the Virgin Group, which today controls more than 400 companies in various fields. Branson expressed ...
beats the speed record for a
transatlantic crossing Transatlantic crossings are passages of passengers and cargo across the Atlantic Ocean between Europe or Africa and the Americas. The majority of passenger traffic is across the North Atlantic between Western Europe and North America. Centuries ...
by boat in ''Virgin Atlantic Challenger II'' but is denied the
Blue Riband The Blue Riband () is an unofficial accolade given to the passenger liner crossing the Atlantic Ocean in regular service with the record highest average speed. The term was borrowed from horse racing and was not widely used until after 1910. T ...
award. ** The World Cup ends in
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
with Argentina as winners and
West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
runners-up, but England's
Gary Lineker Gary Winston Lineker (; born 30 November 1960) is an English former professional footballer and current sports broadcaster. He is regarded as having been one of the greatest English strikers. His media career began with the BBC, where he has p ...
wins the Golden Boot, having finished as the competition's leading scorer with six goals. Lineker, who has been at Everton for the last year and is the First Division's top scorer, is reported to be on the verge of a transfer to FC Barcelona of Spain.


July

* July –
Nissan , trade name, trading as Nissan Motor Corporation and often shortened to Nissan, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The company sells ...
begins production of the
Bluebird The bluebirds are a North American group of medium-sized, mostly insectivorous or omnivorous birds in the order of Passerines in the genus ''Sialia'' of the thrush family (Turdidae). Bluebirds are one of the few thrush genera in the Americas. ...
at its landmark factory near
Sunderland Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...
. *1 July –
Gary Lineker Gary Winston Lineker (; born 30 November 1960) is an English former professional footballer and current sports broadcaster. He is regarded as having been one of the greatest English strikers. His media career began with the BBC, where he has p ...
becomes the most expensive British footballer ever in a £2.75 million move from Everton to
FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially known as Barça (), is a professional football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football. Founded ...
. *2 July – 24 hours after Gary Lineker's transfer,
Ian Rush Ian James Rush (born 20 October 1961) is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a forward. At club level Rush played for Liverpool from 1980–1987 and 1988–1996. He is the club's all-time leading goalscorer, having scored a to ...
sets a new transfer record for a British footballer when he agrees a £3.2 million move from
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
to
Juventus Juventus Football Club (from la, iuventūs, 'youth'; ), colloquially known as Juve (), is a professional Association football, football club based in Turin, Piedmont, Italy, that competes in the Serie A, the top tier of the Italian football leagu ...
of
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, but is loaned back to Liverpool for a season and will not play his first game for Juventus until at least August 1987. *4 July – A policeman is cleared of the manslaughter of five-year-old John Shorthouse, who was killed in an armed raid on a house in
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
in August last year. *10 July –
Austin Rover The Austin Rover Group (abbreviated ARG) was a British motor manufacturer. It was created in 1982 as the mass-market car manufacturing subsidiary of British Leyland (BL). Previously, this entity had been known as BL Cars Ltd (formerly Leyland C ...
launches its new Honda-based
Rover 800 The Rover 800 series is an executive car (E-segment in Europe) range manufactured by the Austin Rover Group subsidiary of British Leyland, and its successor the Rover Group from 1986 to 1999. It was also marketed as the Sterling in the United St ...
executive car, which replaces the decade-old
Rover SD1 The Rover SD1 is both the code name and eventual production name given to a series of executive cars built by the Specialist Division (later the ''Jaguar-Rover-Triumph'' division) of British Leyland (BL), under the Rover marque. It was produced ...
and is part of a joint venture with
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
ese carmaker
Honda is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...
. The car will also be sold in the United States under the Sterling marque. The Honda version will be badged as the
Honda Legend :''Sections of this article are translated from Japanese Wikipedia''. The Honda Legend is a series of V6-engined executive cars/mid-size luxury sedans produced by Honda since 1985 which currently serves as its flagship vehicle. It is larger tha ...
. *12 July – Rioting breaks out at
Portadown Portadown () is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about southwest of Belfast. It is in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area and had a population of a ...
in Northern Ireland between Protestants and Catholics. *17 July – It is announced that unemployment rose to 3,220,400 in June. It has now exceeded 3 million for nearly five years. *23 July –
Prince Andrew, Duke of York Prince Andrew, Duke of York, (Andrew Albert Christian Edward; born 19 February 1960) is a member of the British royal family. He is the younger brother of King Charles III and the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince ...
, marries Sarah Ferguson at
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
in London. *24 July – 2 August – The
Commonwealth Games The Commonwealth Games, often referred to as the Friendly Games or simply the Comm Games, are a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and, with the exce ...
are held in
Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
. *28 July – Estate agent
Suzy Lamplugh Suzy may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Suzy'' (film), a 1936 film starring Jean Harlow, Franchot Tone and Cary Grant * "Suzy" (Fool's Garden song), a song by German pop band Fool's Garden * "Suzy", a song by French electro swing band Ca ...
vanishes after a meeting in London. She was declared legally dead in 1994, but as of 2020, her body has still not been found and the case remains unsolved to the present day. *30 July – A MORI poll shows that Labour are now nine points ahead of the Conservatives with 41% of the vote, with Liberal/SDP Alliance support now at 25%.


August

*8 August – Rival gangs of
Manchester United 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 City of Salford, Salford to ...
and
West Ham United West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club that plays its home matches in Stratford, East London. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The club plays at the London Stadium, hav ...
fans clash on a
Sealink Sealink was a ferry company based in the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1984, operating services to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Isle of Wight and Ireland. Ports served by the company included: Dover, Folkesto ...
ferry bound for
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
where the two clubs are playing pre-season friendlies. The
UEFA Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs f ...
ban on English clubs in European competitions is continuing for a second season, and there are now fears that English clubs may not even be able to play friendlies overseas. *13 August – The
Eurotunnel Group Getlink, formerly Groupe Eurotunnel, is a European public company based in Paris that manages and operates the infrastructure of the Channel Tunnel between England and France, operates the Eurotunnel Shuttle train service, and earns revenue o ...
is formed to operate the Channel Tunnel. *15 August – The latest MORI poll shows that the Conservatives have eliminated Labour's nine-point lead and drawn level with them by gaining 37% in the latest opinion poll, in the space of just over two weeks. *16 August – Figures released by the government reveal that a record of nearly 3,100,000 people claimed Unemployment Benefit last month, although the official total of unemployed people in Britain is still short of the record of nearly 3,300,000 which was set two years ago. *19 August – The
privatisation Privatization (also privatisation in British English) can mean several different things, most commonly referring to moving something from the public sector into the private sector. It is also sometimes used as a synonym for deregulation when ...
of the National Bus Company begins with the first sale of a bus operating subsidiary,
Devon General Devon General was the principal bus operator in south Devon from 1919. The name was first used by the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company which was created in 1919. In 1922 it was purchased by the National Electric Construction Company whi ...
, in a
management buyout A management buyout (MBO) is a form of acquisition in which a company's existing managers acquire a large part, or all, of the company, whether from a parent company or individual. Management-, and/or leveraged buyout became noted phenomena of 1 ...
. *22 August –
John Stalker John Stalker (14 April 1939 – 15 February 2019) was a British police officer who served as Deputy Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police. He headed the Stalker Inquiry that investigated the shooting of suspected members of the Provisio ...
, deputy chief constable of Greater Manchester police, is cleared of misconduct over allegations of associating with criminals. *25 August – Economists warn that a global recession is imminent, barely five years after the previous recession. *29 August **Britain's oldest twins, May and Marjorie Chavasse, celebrate their one-hundredth birthday. **Highest national average 24-hour total rainfall until 2020. *c. August – The one-millionth council house in the United Kingdom is sold to its tenants in
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
, seven years after the Right To Buy scheme was launched.


September

*September –
GCSE The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private sc ...
examination courses replace both
GCE 'O' Level The O-Level (Ordinary Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education. It was introduced in place of the School Certificate in 1951 as part of an educational reform alongside the more in-depth ...
and
CSE CSE may refer to: Education Examinations * Certificate of Secondary Education, a secondary school qualification in the United Kingdom, replaced by the GCSE * Civil Services Examination, an examination to qualify for government service in India Fi ...
courses for 14-year-olds. *6 September – First episode of medical drama serial ''
Casualty Casualty may refer to: *Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster **Civilian casualty, a non-combatant killed or injured in warfare * The emergency department of a hospital, also known as ...
'' airs on
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
. It will still be running on television more than thirty years later. *8 September –
Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. S ...
officially opens the first phase of the
Nissan , trade name, trading as Nissan Motor Corporation and often shortened to Nissan, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The company sells ...
car factory The automotive industry comprises a wide range of companies and organizations involved in the design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and selling of motor vehicles. It is one of the world's largest industries by revenue (from 16 % such a ...
at
Sunderland Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...
, which has been in use for two months. It is the first car factory to be built in Europe by a Japanese carmaker. *14 September – Fears of another recession in Britain are eased by economists at
Liverpool University , mottoeng = These days of peace foster learning , established = 1881 – University College Liverpool1884 – affiliated to the federal Victoria Universityhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/2004/4 University of Manchester Act 200 ...
predicting 3.1% economic growth next year. *18 September – It is announced that unemployment rose to 3,280,106 in July. *19 September – A man is killed in the
Colwich rail crash The Colwich rail crash occurred on the evening of Friday 19 September 1986 at Colwich Junction, Staffordshire, England. It was significant in that it was a high speed collision between two packed express trains. One driver was killed, but no ...
. *24 September – The flotation of the
Trustee Savings Bank A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital markets. Because ...
s attracts a record of more than 4 million applications for shares.


October

*7 October – The first edition of ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' national morning newspaper is published in London. *9 October ** "Babes in the Wood" murders: two girls, Nicola Fellows (aged nine) and Karen Hadaway (aged 10), are reported missing in
Moulsecoomb Moulsecoomb () is a suburb of Brighton, Sussex, England, on the northeast side around Lewes Road, between Coldean and Bevendean, north of the seafront. The eastern edge adjoins Falmer Hill on the South Downs. It is often divided into smaller ...
,
Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...
. **Musical ''
The Phantom of the Opera ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pierr ...
'' opens at
Her Majesty's Theatre Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Haymarket, London, Haymarket in the City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, ...
in London. *10 October – "Babes in the Wood" murders: two bodies found in
Wild Park Wild Park is a Local Nature Reserve in Brighton in East Sussex. It is owned and managed by Brighton and Hove City Council. It includes Hollingbury Castle, an Iron Age hillfort which is a Scheduled Monument In the United Kingdom, a schedule ...
, Brighton, are identified as those of the two girls reported missing yesterday and a murder investigation is launched; a conviction would not be obtained until 2018. *12 October –
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
and The Duke of Edinburgh visit the
People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, the first ever visit to the country by a British monarch. *14 October – The MetroCentre, a shopping complex built on the
Tyneside Tyneside is a built-up area across the banks of the River Tyne in northern England. Residents of the area are commonly referred to as Geordies. The whole area is surrounded by the North East Green Belt. The population of Tyneside as published i ...
Enterprise Zone, is opened. It is similar in concept to the
Merry Hill Shopping Centre Merry Hill (formerly Westfield Merry Hill and The Merry Hill Shopping Centre) is a large shopping complex in Brierley Hill near Dudley, England. It was developed between 1985 and 1990, with several subsequent expansion and renovation projects ...
that is being developed near
Dudley Dudley is a large market town and administrative centre in the county of West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically an exclave of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the ...
in the
West Midlands West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...
. The MetroCentre is officially the largest shopping complex in Europe. Among the MetroCentre's tenants is
Marks & Spencer Marks and Spencer Group plc (commonly abbreviated to M&S and colloquially known as Marks's or Marks & Sparks) is a major British multinational retailer with headquarters in Paddington, London that specialises in selling clothing, beauty, home ...
, whose department store there is its first out of town outlet. *24 October – The UK breaks off diplomatic relations with
Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
over links to the
Hindawi Affair The Hindawi affair was a failed attempt to bomb El Al Flight 016, from London to Tel Aviv in April 1986 by Nezar Nawwaf al-Mansur al-Hindawi ( ar, نزار نواف منصور الهنداوي, born 1954), a Jordanian citizen. On the morning of ...
. *26 October **
Bus deregulation Bus deregulation in Great Britain was the abolition of Road Service Licensing outside of Greater London for bus services. This began in 1980 with the abolition of Road Service Licensing for long-distance bus services and was extended into local ...
begins in the United Kingdom, except Greater London and Northern Ireland. **
Jeffrey Archer Jeffrey Howard Archer, Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare (born 15 April 1940) is an English novelist, life peer, convicted criminal, and former politician. Before becoming an author, Archer was a Member of Parliament (1969–1974), but did not ...
resigns as Deputy Chairman of the
Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...
over allegations concerning prostitutes. *27 October **" Big Bang Day":
London Stock Exchange London Stock Exchange (LSE) is a stock exchange in the City of London, England, United Kingdom. , the total market value of all companies trading on LSE was £3.9 trillion. Its current premises are situated in Paternoster Square close to St Pau ...
is computerised, and opens to foreign companies. **The
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
n TV soap ''
Neighbours ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera, which has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons an ...
'' is launched on
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
, more than a year after debuting in its native country. *28 October –
Jeremy Bamber Jeremy Nevill Bamber (born Jeremy Paul Marsham; 13 January 1961) is a British convicted murderer. He was convicted of the 1985 White House Farm murders in Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Essex, in which the victims included Bamber's adoptive parents, Nev ...
is found guilty of the 1985 "
White House Farm murders The White House Farm murders took place near the village of Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Essex, England, United Kingdom, during the night of 6–7 August 1985. Nevill and June Bamber were shot and killed inside their farmhouse at White House Farm along ...
" of his parents, sister and twin nephews in Essex, and is sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommended minimum of 25 years and as of 2021 will still be in prison. *29 October –
Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. S ...
opens the completed
M25 London Orbital Motorway The M25 or London Orbital Motorway is a major road encircling most of Greater London. The motorway is one of the most important roads in the UK and one of the busiest. Margaret Thatcher opened the final section in 1986, making the M25 the lon ...
, the first section of which opened in 1975. It covers a distance of 122 miles and features 31 junctions, although there are no service stations yet.


November

* November **First
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
s in the U.K. designated:
Giant's Causeway The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles (5 km) northeast of ...
and the Causeway Coast (Northern Ireland);
Durham Castle Durham Castle is a Norman castle in the city of Durham, England, which has been occupied since 1837 by University College, Durham after its previous role as the residence of the Bishops of Durham. Designated since 1986 as a cultural World Herit ...
and
Cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
;
Ironbridge Gorge The Ironbridge Gorge is a deep gorge, containing the River Severn in Shropshire, England. It was first formed by a glacial overflow from the long drained away Lake Lapworth, at the end of the last ice age. The deep exposure of the rocks cut t ...
;
Studley Royal Park Studley Royal Park including the ruins of Fountains Abbey is a designated World Heritage Site in North Yorkshire, England. The site, which has an area of features an 18th-century landscaped garden, some of the largest Cistercian ruins in Europe ...
(including the ruins of
Fountains Abbey Fountains Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved ruined Cistercian monasteries in England. It is located approximately south-west of Ripon in North Yorkshire, near to the village of Aldfield. Founded in 1132, the abbey operated for 40 ...
);
Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS) in Wiltshire, England. The WHS covers two large areas of land separated by about , rather than a specific monument or building. The sites were inscribed as co-listi ...
; and
Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd The Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd is a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site located in Gwynedd, Wales. It includes the castles of Beaumaris and Harlech and the castles and town walls of Caernarfon and Conwy. UNESCO considers t ...
(Wales). ** Launch of the second generation
Vauxhall Carlton The Vauxhall Carlton is a series of large family car/executive car sold in two distinct generations by the Vauxhall division of GM Europe between 1978 and 1994. The Carlton was based on the Opel Rekord E (Mk.1) and Omega A (Mk.2). With the e ...
, largest model in the
Vauxhall Vauxhall ( ) is a district in South West London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. Vauxhall was part of Surrey until 1889 when the County of London was created. Named after a medieval manor, "Fox Hall", it became well known for ...
range. It will be sold as the
Opel Omega The Opel Omega is an executive car engineered and manufactured by German automaker Opel between 1986 and 2004. The first generation, the Omega A (1986–1993), superseded the Opel Rekord. It was voted European Car of the Year for 1987, and was ...
on the continent, and all European versions of the car will be built in
West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
. *3 November – The Conservatives top a
MORI Mori is a Japanese and Italian surname, and also a Persian pet name for Morteza. It is also the name of two clans in Japan, and one clan in India. Italian surname *Barbara Mori, Uruguayan-Mexican actress *Camilo Mori, Chilean painter * Cesare ...
poll for the first time this year, coming one point ahead of Labour with 40% of the vote. Liberal/SDP Alliance support has slumped to 18%. *6 November ** 45 people are killed in the
1986 British International Helicopters Chinook crash On 6 November 1986, a Boeing-Vertol Model 234LR Chinook helicopter returning workers from the Brent oilfield crashed on approach to land at Sumburgh Airport in the Shetland Islands. At from the runway the helicopter had a catastrophic forw ...
. ** Chancellor
Nigel Lawson Nigel Lawson, Baron Lawson of Blaby, (born 11 March 1932) is a British Conservative Party politician and journalist. He was a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Blaby from 1974 to 1992, and served in the cabinet of Margaret ...
announces a £4.6 billion rise in public spending. **
Alex Ferguson Sir Alexander Chapman Ferguson (born 31 December 1941) is a Scottish former football manager and player, best known for managing Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football managers of all time ...
is appointed manager of
Manchester United 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 City of Salford, Salford to ...
football club following the dismissal of
Ron Atkinson Ronald Frederick Atkinson (born 18 March 1939), commonly known as "Big Ron" or "Mr. Bojangles", is an English former football player and manager. In the 1990s and early 2000s, he was regarded as one of Britain's best-known football pundits. Nick ...
after more than five years in charge. United won two
FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
s under the management of Atkinson but have not won the league title since 1967 and are now second from bottom in the
Football League First Division The Football League First Division was a division of the Football League in England from 1888 until 2004. It was the top division in the English football league system from the season 1888–89 until 1991–92, a century in which the First ...
. *7 November –
Sir James Goldsmith Sir James Michael Goldsmith (26 February 1933 – 18 July 1997) was a French-British financier, tycoon''Billionaire: The Life and Times of Sir James Goldsmith'' by Ivan Fallon and politician who was a member of the Goldsmith family. His contr ...
's £5 billion bid for the
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is an American multinational tire manufacturing company founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling and based in Akron, Ohio. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, motorcycles, S ...
is rejected. *13 November – It is announced that unemployment fell by 96,000 in October. *18 November –
Ian Brady The Moors murders were carried out by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley between July 1963 and October 1965, in and around Manchester, England. The victims were five children—Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey, and Edward E ...
and
Myra Hindley The Moors murders were carried out by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley between July 1963 and October 1965, in and around Manchester, England. The victims were five children—Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey, and Edward E ...
, who are both still in prison 20 years after their
Moors Murders The Moors murders were carried out by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley between July 1963 and October 1965, in and around Manchester, England. The victims were five children—Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey, and Edward E ...
convictions, confess to the murders of two missing children - Pauline Reade, who vanished in July 1963 at the age of 16, and Keith Bennett, who was last seen in June 1964 at the age of 12. *20 November –
Greater Manchester Police Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester in North West England. , Greater Manchester Police employed 6,866 police officers, 3,524 memb ...
begin their search for the two newly identified Moors Murders victims. *21 November – The Government launches a £20 million campaign to warn members of the public about the dangers of AIDS.


December

*December – The first case of
bovine spongiform encephalopathy Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, is an incurable and invariably fatal neurodegenerative disease of cattle. Symptoms include abnormal behavior, trouble walking, and weight loss. Later in the course of t ...
is diagnosed in British cattle. *1 December – The government launches an inquiry into financial irregularities at
Guinness Guinness () is an Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin, Ireland, in 1759. It is one of the most successful alcohol brands worldwide, brewed in almost 50 countries, and available in ove ...
. *3 December – 4 million people apply for shares in
British Gas British Gas (trading as Scottish Gas in Scotland) is an energy and home services provider in the United Kingdom. It is the trading name of British Gas Services Limited and British Gas New Heating Limited, both subsidiaries of Centrica. Serving ...
in anticipation of flotation next week. *4 December – 20-year-old roofer Russell Bishop is charged with the "Babes in the Wood" murders in Brighton two months ago but will not be convicted until a second trial in 2018. *8 December –
British Gas British Gas (trading as Scottish Gas in Scotland) is an energy and home services provider in the United Kingdom. It is the trading name of British Gas Services Limited and British Gas New Heating Limited, both subsidiaries of Centrica. Serving ...
shares are floated on the Stock Exchange. The initial public offering of 135p per share values the company at £9 billion, the highest equity offering ever at this time. *17 December – The world's first heart, lung and liver transplant is carried out at
Papworth Hospital Royal Papworth Hospital is a specialist heart and lung hospital, located on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in Cambridgeshire, England. The Hospital is run by Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The hospital is a world-leading cardiot ...
in Cambridgeshire. *18 December – It is announced that unemployment fell to a four-year low of less than 3,100,000 in November. On 15 January 1987 it is announced that unemployment has fallen in December 1986 for the fifth month in succession. *22 December –
David Penhaligon David Charles Penhaligon (6 June 1944 – 22 December 1986) was a British politician from Cornwall who was Liberal Member of Parliament for the constituency of Truro from 1974–86. He was a popular figure in all parties and had potential to ...
, a leading
Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...
MP, dies in a car crash near
Truro Truro (; kw, Truru) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Cornwall, England. It is Cornwall's county town, sole city and centre for administration, leisure and retail trading. Its ...
in
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 ...
at the age of 42. *25 December – The highest audience of all time for a British television drama is attracted by the Christmas Day episode of ''
EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...
'', the
BBC 1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
soap opera, in which
Den Watts Dennis "Den" Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by actor Leslie Grantham. He became well known for his tabloid nickname, "Dirty Den". Den was the original landlord of The Queen Victoria public house ...
(
Leslie Grantham Leslie Michael Grantham (30 April 1947 – 15 June 2018) was an English actor, best known for his role as "Dirty" Den Watts in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. He was a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a West Germ ...
) serves the divorce papers on his wife Angie Watts, Angie (Anita Dobson) after discovering that she had feigned a terminal illness to try to stop him from leaving her in an episode aired in October this year. More than 30 million viewers tune in for the episode of the TV series which first went on air in February 1985. *29 December – Harold Macmillan, Earl of Stockton and former Prime Minister, dies at the age of 92 at his home, Birch Grove in East Sussex.


Undated

*Inflation reaches a 19-year low of 3.4%. *Introduction of Working tax credit, Family credit, a tax credit for poorer families. *Bank of England withdraws its guidance on Mortgage loan, mortgage lending. *Establishment of National Museums Liverpool, National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside group of institutions, funded through national government. *Mathematician Simon Donaldson wins a Fields Medal. * Children and young people's counselling charity, Childline, founded.


Publications

*Janet and Allan Ahlberg's children's book ''The Jolly Postman''. *Kingsley Amis's novel ''The Old Devils''. *
Jeffrey Archer Jeffrey Howard Archer, Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare (born 15 April 1940) is an English novelist, life peer, convicted criminal, and former politician. Before becoming an author, Archer was a Member of Parliament (1969–1974), but did not ...
's novel ''A Matter of Honour''. *Iain Banks' novel ''The Bridge (novel), The Bridge''. *John le Carré's novel ''A Perfect Spy''. *Richard Dawkins' book ''The Blind Watchmaker''. *Brian Jacques' children's fantasy novel ''Redwall (novel), Redwall'', first in the eponymous series. *Terry Pratchett's Discworld novel ''The Light Fantastic''.


Births


January

* 1 January ** Anna Brewster, actress and model ** James Cottriall, English-born Austrian singer and musician ** Colin Morgan, actor * 2 January – Rob Beckett, comedian, narrator, and presenter * 3 January – Liam Treadwell, National Hunt jockey (died 2020) * 4 January – James Milner, footballer * 6 January – Alex Turner (musician), Alex Turner, musician * 7 January – Liam Fontaine, footballer * 8 January – Emika, electronic musician * 9 January – Craig Davies (footballer), Craig Davies, footballer * 10 January – Abbey Clancy, model and television personality * 11 January ** Kamara Bacchus, actress and radio personality ** Kelly Chambers (footballer), Kelly Chambers, footballer ** Liam Coleman, footballer ** Terry Etim, mixed martial artist ** Rachel Riley, television presenter * 12 January ** Edward Drake (skier), Edward Drake, Olympic skier ** Chris Evangelou, actor and boxer ** Kieron Richardson, actor * 13 January – Rosalind Canter, equestrian * 17 January ** Nicholas D. Cooper, actor ** Lucy Evangelista, model and pageant winner * 18 January – John Farnworth, football freestyler, entertainer, actor, and Guinness World Records, World Record holder * 20 January – Hannah Daniel, actress * 22 January – Ella Edmondson, singer/songwriter * 23 January – Anne Foy, children's television presenter * 24 January ** Mischa Barton, British-born American actress ** Oliver Brennand, rugby player ** Montell Douglas, Olympic sprinter and bobsleigher * 26 January ** Luke Bowen, speedway rider ** Danny Crow, footballer * 28 January ** Jessica Ennis-Hill, Olympic heptathlete ** Ashley Lilley, actress and singer * 29 January – Mark Howard (footballer, born January 1986), Mark Howard, footballer


February

* 1 February ** Kerry Blewett, lifeguard and canoe sprinter ** Joe Connor (footballer, born 1986), Joe Connor, footballer ** Tom Deacon (comedian), Tom Deacon, comedian * 2 February – Gemma Arterton, actress * 3 February ** Donald Barrell, rugby player ** James DeGale, boxer ** David Edwards (footballer, born 1986), David Edwards, footballer * 4 February – Lewis Chalmers, footballer * 5 February – Billy Sharp, footballer * 6 February – Jon-Allan Butterworth, Paralympic cyclist * 7 February – Ben Batt, actor * 8 February – James Collins (rugby union), James Collins, rugby player * 11 February ** Bim Afolami, politician ** Tom Bartram, cricketer ** Mark Coulson, footballer * 19 February ** Duncan Bradshaw, cricketer ** Ophelia Lovibond, actress * 21 February – Charlotte Church, singer/songwriter * 23 February ** Darren Cheesman, hockey player ** Laura Coleman, model, social media influencer, and actress * 25 February ** Andrew Dick (footballer), Andrew Dick, footballer ** James and Oliver Phelps, identical twin actors * 27 February – Adam Bartlett, footballer * 28 February – Kingsley Ben-Adir, actor


March

* 1 March ** Joanna Blair, javelin thrower ** Aaron Bramwell, rugby player ** Alec Utgoff, Ukrainian-born actor * 2 March ** James Ashmore (footballer), James Ashmore, footballer ** Jay Conroy, footballer * 3 March ** Iwan Brown, rugby player ** Tom Curle, footballer * 5 March – Matty Fryatt, footballer and coach * 6 March ** Danny Jones (rugby league), Danny Jones, rugby league footballer (died 2015) ** Charlie Mulgrew, footballer * 7 March – Geraint Davies (rugby league), Geraint Davies, rugby player * 8 March – Emma Cousin, artist * 11 March ** Peter Bissell, cyclist ** Tom Clarke (musician), Tom Clarke, musician and frontman for The Enemy (English rock band), The Enemy ** Will Dobson, cricketer * 12 March ** Mat Bailey, footballer ** Danny Jones, musician, singer/songwriter, vocalist and guitarist for McFly * 13 March ** Hannah Claydon, model ** Kat Driscoll, Olympic trampoline gymnast * 14 March – Jamie Bell, actor * 16 March ** Dave Coupland, golfer ** Joe Denly, cricketer * 19 March – Kane Ashcroft, footballer (died 2015) * 20 March – Kirsty Blackman, politician * 21 March **Samantha Bowen, Iraqi War veteran and Paralympic sitting volleyball player **Sam Nixon, singer and TV presenter * 22 March ** Tom Cheeseman, footballer ** Eddie Dennis, wrestler * 24 March ** Tom Davies (rugby union, born 1986), Tom Davies, rugby player * 25 March ** Ashleigh Ball (field hockey), Ashleigh Ball, hockey player ** Bob Davidson (footballer), Bob Davidson, footballer * 26 March – Luc Bernard, video game designer and artist * 28 March ** Jay Curtis, television & radio broadcaster and actor ** Bolu Fagborun, Nigerian-born rugby player * 29 March – Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, footballer * 31 March ** Scott Baker (darts player), Scott Baker, darts player ** Matthew Collins (Welsh footballer), Matty Collins, footballer


April

* 1 April – Fardad Farahzad, Iranian-born journalist * 3 April – Coleen Rooney, Media Personality * 6 April – David Avery, actor * 7 April – Andi Fraggs, singer/songwriter and music producer * 8 April – Liam Scarlett, choreographer (died 2021) * 9 April ** Doctor P, dubstep producer and DJ ** Leilani Franco, contortionist * 10 April ** Sam Attwater, actor ** Adam Connolly, footballer ** Martin Drury, footballer and coach * 12 April – Nick Crumpton, zoologist and children's author * 13 April – Michael Bingham, Olympic track-and-field athlete * 14 April – Matt Derbyshire, footballer * 15 April ** Chris Dagnall, footballer ** Tom Heaton, footballer * 16 April ** Darren Campbell (footballer), Darren Campbell, footballer ** Paul Di Resta, racing driver * 17 April – Brett Ferres, rugby player * 18 April ** Jordan Brookes, comedian ** Gavin Cadwallader, footballer ** James Dabill, motorcycle trials rider ** Gareth Evans (weightlifter), Gareth Evans, Olympic weightlifter * 21 April – Blair Cowan (rugby union), Blair Cowan, rugby player * 22 April – Stuart Anderson (Scottish footballer), Stuart Anderson, footballer * 23 April – Stuart Fleetwood, footballer * 25 April – Daniel Sharman, actor * 27 April – Jenna Coleman, actress * 29 April – Donna Etiebet, rower * 30 April – Michael Collins (footballer, born 1986), Michael Collins, footballer


May

* 3 May ** Kell Brook, boxer ** Poppy Delevingne, model ** Jon-Lewis Dickinson, boxer * 5 May – Brett Domino, musician and comedian * 6 May – David Buchanan (footballer, born 1986), David Buchanan, footballer * 7 May – Jamie Day (footballer, born 1986), Jamie Day, footballer * 10 May – Liam Davies, rugby player * 11 May – Marc Fitzpatrick, footballer * 12 May – Luke Douglas, Australian-born rugby player * 13 May ** Mark Bott, cricketer ** Robert Pattinson, actor * 14 May – Richard Huckle, convicted sex offender (died 2019) * 15 May – Tom Champion, footballer * 16 May – Charlie Fink, songwriter, producer and filmmaker * 17 May – Jodie Taylor, footballer * 19 May – Christian Begg, cricketer * 20 May ** Dexter Blackstock, footballer ** Robert Emms, actor * 23 May – Matthew Crampton, cyclist * 24 May – Charlie Casely-Hayford, fashion designer * 25 May – Lauren Crace, actress and radio presenter * 26 May ** Fern Brady, comedian and writer ** James Cockle (speedway rider), James Cockle, speedway rider ** Martin Paul Eve, academic, writer, and disability rights campaigner * 27 May – Conor Cummins, motorcycle racer * 28 May – Laura Dockrill, author and performance poet * 29 May ** Anthony Barry (footballer), Anthony Barry, footballer ** Danny Fox, footballer * 31 May – Chris Brooker, rugby player


June

* 1 June – Skream, DJ and producer * 3 June ** Jordan Crane (rugby union), Jordan Crane, rugby player ** Mike Dodds (football coach), Mike Dodds, football coach * 4 June ** Scott Boyd, footballer ** Oona Chaplin, Spanish-born actress and dancer ** Nicole Emmanuel, footballer ** Shelly Woods, Paralympic wheelchair racer * 5 June – Charlotte Dobson, Olympic sailor * 8 June – Michelle Cooper, bowler * 9 June – Luis Felber, British-born Peruvian musician * 10 June – Zara Dampney, Olympic beach volleyball player * 12 June ** Gary Buckland, boxer ** Scott Flinders, footballer ** Luke Youngblood, actor * 13 June – Mark D. Ferguson, film director, screenwriter and camera operator * 14 June – Jonathan Clare, cricketer * 15 June ** Jordan Andrews, composer, musician and producer ** Dean Bowditch, footballer * 17 June ** Steven Davies, cricketer ** Helen Glover (rower), Helen Glover, rower * 18 June ** Kevin Bradley (Scottish footballer), Kevin Bradley, footballer ** Gareth Duke, Paralympic swimmer ** Ian Field, cyclo-cross cyclist ** Richard Madden, actor * 20 June – Alex Davies (rugby union), Alex Davies, rugby player * 21 June – Stuart Abbot, footballer * 23 June – Colin Ryan (actor), Colin Ryan, actor * 24 June – Stuart Broad, cricketer * 25 June ** Megan Burns, musician and actress ** Sean Crombie, rugby player * 26 June – Paddy Coupar, rugby player * 27 June – Sam Claflin, actor


July

* 3 July – Chris Bush (playwright), Chris Bush, playwright and artistic director * 4 July ** Marvin Bartley, footballer ** Julia Beckett, Olympic swimmer * 10 July ** Tom Richards (squash player), Tom Richards, squash player ** Scott Westgarth, boxer (died 2018) * 11 July ** Derek Carcary, footballer ** Ian Cathro, football coach * 14 July – Dan Smith (singer), Dan Smith, singer * 16 July – James Drury, English-born Virgin Islands footballer * 17 July – William Easton (footballer), William Easton, footballer * 21 July ** Michael Collins (rugby union, born 1986), Michael Collins, rugby player ** Rebecca Ferguson (singer), Rebecca Ferguson, soul singer/songwriter * 22 July – Robert Campbell (footballer, born 1986), Robert Campbell, footballer * 24 July – Alissa Firsova, Russian-born classical composer, pianist, and conductor * 25 July ** Kate Butters, basketball player ** Alan Clyne, squash player * 26 July – Mathew Birley, footballer * 29 July – FuntCase, DJ and dubstep producer * 31 July – Charlie Clemmow, actress


August

* 1 August ** Damien Allen, footballer ** Daisy May Cooper, actress and writer * 3 August – Rebekah Cook, motorcycle trials rider * 4 August – Leon Camier, motorcycle racer * 5 August – Jamie Baker (tennis), Jamie Baker, tennis player * 6 August – Nick Brodie, coxswain * 9 August ** Robert Adcock, badminton player ** Aled Brew, rugby player * 10 August – Ross Burkinshaw, boxer * 15 August ** Teddy Sinclair, singer/songwriter * 16 August ** Danny Ayres, speedway racer (died 2020) ** Niki Birrell, Paralympic sailor * 19 August ** Rachael Burford, rugby player ** Zuby, rapper * 20 August ** Grant Anderson (footballer), Grant Anderson, footballer ** Kerry Barr, curler ** Steven Campbell (footballer), Steven Campbell, footballer ** Andrew Surman, footballer * 22 August ** James Frost, guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist for The Automatic ** Bobby Cole Norris, television personality ** Benjamin Satterley, wrestler * 24 August ** Jonny Cocker, racing driver ** Jamie Cox (boxer), Jamie Cox, boxer * 27 August – Laura Bates, feminist writer * 28 August ** Stuart Bithell, Olympic sailor ** Paul Crook (rugby league, born 1986), Paul Crook, rugby player ** Florence Welch, English singer/songwriter * 30 August – Theo Hutchcraft, pop musician


September

* 6 September ** Daniel Dillon (footballer), Daniel Dillon, footballer ** Phil Doughty, footballer * 7 September ** Charlie Daniels (footballer), Charlie Daniels, footballer ** Jodie Turner-Smith, actress and model * 11 September – Adam Dixon (field hockey), Adam Dixon, hockey player * 12 September ** Alfie Allen, actor ** Akwasi Fobi-Edusei, footballer ** Dawn Foster, journalist, broadcaster, and author (died 2021) * 13 September – Darren Daniel, rugby player * 14 September ** Paul Brannigan, actor ** Joel Byrom, footballer * 15 September – Jenna McCorkell, figure skater * 16 September – Hasib Hussain, Islamic terrorist, murders 13 people during 7 July 2005 London bombings (suicide 2005) * 17 September ** Jack Adams (rugby union), Jack Adams, rugby union player (died 2021) ** Rob Elvins, footballer ** Ashley Foyle, footballer ** Sophie (musician), Sophie, Scottish songwriter and record producer (died 2021) * 18 September ** Cammy Bell, footballer and coach ** Keeley Hazell, model * 22 September ** CASisDEAD, rapper and MC ** Ryan Dicker, footballer ** Steven Findlay, rugby player * 23 September – Lisa Farnell, Canadian-born curler * 25 September – Josh Bateman, rugby player * 26 September – Martin Cranie, footballer * 27 September ** Efe Echanomi, Nigerian-born footballer ** Greg Fleming, footballer * 29 September – Cerith Flinn, actor


October

* 1 October ** Paul Edwards (boxer), Paul Edwards, boxer ** Carl Finnigan, footballer ** Danny Francis (footballer, born 1986), Danny Francis, footballer * 2 October – Tom Hudson (English actor), Tom Hudson, actor * 3 October ** Alex Ball (cricketer), Alex Ball, cricketer ** Calum Forrester, rugby player * 4 October – Gary Boyd (golfer), Gary Boyd, golfer * 6 October – Michael Eilberg, dressage rider * 8 October ** Louis Dodds, footballer ** George Flanagan, rugby player * 9 October – Sam Ashton, footballer * 10 October ** Jamie Conlan, boxer ** Matty Dale, rugby player ** Lucy Griffiths (actress, born 1986), Lucy Griffiths, actress * 13 October ** Gabby Agbonlahor, footballer ** Beth Croft, Christian musician * 14 October ** Matt Bulman, footballer ** Tom Craddock, footballer * 15 October – Tommy Forecast, footballer * 16 October – Craig Pickering, sprinter * 17 October – Sam Foley, footballer * 18 October – Aidan Collins, footballer * 19 October – Anthony England, rugby player * 20 October ** Charlie Brown (singer), Charlie Brown, singer/songwriter ** Charlie Duffell, cricketer ** Ryan Esders, rugby player * 21 October – Keith Barker, cricketer * 22 October ** John Boyle (footballer, born 1986), John Boyle, footballer ** Phil Burleigh, rugby player ** Dale Roberts (footballer, born 1986), Dale Roberts, footballer (died 2010) * 23 October ** Emilia Clarke, actress ** Lee Costello, motorcycle racer * 24 October ** Will Bragg, cricketer ** John Ruddy, footballer


November

* 2 November – Cherrelle Fennell, Olympic gymnast * 3 November – Scott Armstrong (rugby union), Scott Armstrong, rugby player * 4 November – Seve Benson, golfer * 6 November ** Nick Aldis, wrestler ** Craig Bryson, footballer * 8 November ** Draft (musician), Draft, electronic music producer, DJ and songwriter ** Jamie Roberts, rugby player * 10 November – Travis Binnion, English-born Irish footballer and cricketer * 13 November ** Kevin Bridges, stand-up comedian ** Adam Cox, gymnast * 14 November ** Richard Buck, sprinter ** Matt Cook (rugby league), Matt Cook, rugby player ** Ashley Fuller, footballer * 15 November ** Jamie Chestney, bowler ** Jared Hodgkiss, footballer * 16 November ** Anthony Crolla, boxer ** Ayden Duffy, footballer * 17 November ** Matt Barron, rugby player ** Greg Rutherford, Olympic track-and-field athlete * 19 November – Sam Betty, rugby player * 20 November – Oliver Sykes, vocalist and frontman for Bring Me the Horizon * 21 November ** Tom Cahill (footballer, born 1986), Tom Cahill, footballer ** Sam Palladio, actor and musician * 22 November ** Jack Blumenau, actor ** Paul Dixon (footballer, born 1986), Paul Dixon, footballer * 23 November – Liam Davis (footballer, born 1986), Liam Davis, footballer * 25 November – Louise Alder, lyric soprano * 26 November – Nathan Craze, hockey player * 27 November ** Sammy Dobson, actress ** George Eaton (journalist), George Eaton, journalist * 28 November ** Dan Carden, politician ** Helen Wood (TV personality), Helen Wood, TV personality * 29 November – Joe Colbeck, footballer


December

* 1 December ** Michael Bakare, footballer ** Natasha O'Keeffe, actress ** Andrew Tate, internet personality * 2 December – Adam Le Fondre, footballer * 5 December – Leigh Alderson, ballet dancer * 6 December – Sean Edwards (racing driver), Sean Edwards, racing driver (died 2013) * 8 December ** Lara Carroll, English-born Australian Olympic swimmer ** Amir Khan (boxer), Amir Khan, boxer * 9 December – Dale Appleby, cyclist * 10 December – Matthew Bates, footballer * 11 December ** Gary Carr (actor), Gary Carr, actor, dancer, and musician ** Kris Doolan, footballer ** Lee Peltier, footballer * 12 December ** Sean Clohessy, footballer ** Ayden Faal, rugby player ** Jo Fraser, painter * 13 December – Ben Evans (golfer), Ben Evans, golfer * 14 December ** Phil Boulton, rugby player ** Ryan Dickson, footballer * 18 December ** Eku Edewor, actress, television presenter, and model ** Harry Fry (racehorse trainer), Harry Fry, racehorse trainer * 19 December – Calvin Andrew, footballer * 20 December ** Ian Bibby, cyclist ** Benjamin Brierley (rugby union), Benjamin Brierley, English-born German rugby player ** Chris Cornes, footballer * 23 December – Ben and Tom Birchall, Tom Birchall, motorcycle-with-sidecar racer * 26 December ** Josh Beech, English-born American singer/songwriter ** Nichola Burley, actress ** Emily Fleeshman, actress ** Kit Harrington, actor * 27 December – Liam Craig, footballer * 28 December – Hannah Elsy, rower * 30 December ** Nikki Brammeier, cyclist ** Ellie Goulding, singer ** Faye Marsay, actress


Date Unknown

* Alice Birch, playwright and screenwriter * Caroline Bird, poet, playwright, and author * Brian Blackwell, convicted murderer * Joe Borg (screenwriter), Joe Borg, screenwriter * Millie Brown (performance artist), Millie Brown, performance artist * Hugh Brunt, music conductor * Jen Calleja, writer and literary translator * Poppy Corbett, playwright * Thomas Crowther (ecologist), Thomas Crowther, professor of ecology at ETH Zurich and co-chair of the advisory board for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration * Deckscar, DJ and music producer * Ryan Edgar, footballer * Laura Evans (snooker player), Laura Evans, snooker player * Martin Paul Eve, academic, writer, and disability rights campaigner * Floating Points, electronic music producer, DJ, and musician * Katrina Forrester, political theorist and historian * Danny Fox (artist), Danny Fox, artist


Deaths

*3 January – Dustin Gee, comedian (born 1942) *4 January **Christopher Isherwood, novelist (born 1904) **Phil Lynott, Irish singer, ''Thin Lizzy'' frontman (born 1949) *1 February – Dick James, singer and record producer (born 1920) *10 February – Brian Aherne, actor (born 1902) *14 February – Edmund Rubbra, composer (born 1901) *28 February – Sir Thomas Williams (Warrington MP), Thomas Williams, Labour MP (born 1915) *10 March – Ray Milland, actor (born 1907) *17 March – John Bagot Glubb, Sir John Bagot Glubb, general and author, leader of the Arab Legion (1939–1956) (born 1897) *3 April – Peter Pears, tenor (born 1910) *11 April – Lady Penelope Chetwode, Penelope Betjeman, travel writer and wife of Sir John Betjeman (born 1910) *23 April – Jim Laker, cricketer (born 1922) *24 April – Wallis, Duchess of Windsor (born 1896) *1 May – Hylda Baker, actress (born 1905) *8 May – Manny Shinwell, Baron Shinwell, trade union official and Labour MP (born 1884) *3 June – Dame Anna Neagle, actress (born 1904) *23 June **Sir Moses Finley, classical scholar (born 1912 in the United States) **Nigel Stock (actor), Nigel Stock, actor (born 1919) *25 June – Laurie Fishlock, cricketer and footballer (born 1907) *16 July – Robert Boothby, Baron Boothby, Conservative MP (born 1900) *18 July – Sir Stanley Rous, president of FIFA and former secretary of the Football Association (born 1894) *27 July – Osbert Lancaster, cartoonist (born 1908) *3 August – Beryl Markham, British-born Kenyan pilot and author (born 1902) *31 August – Henry Moore, sculptor (born 1898) *17 September – Pat Phoenix, actress (born 1923) *5 October ** Mairin Mitchell, journalist, author and translator (born 1895)Mairin Mitchell - a Memory of Ambleside
/ref> ** James H. Wilkinson, mathematician (born 1919) *16 October – Ted Sagar, footballer (born 1910) *28 October **John Braine, novelist (born 1922) **Ian Marter, actor and writer (born 1944) *22 December –
David Penhaligon David Charles Penhaligon (6 June 1944 – 22 December 1986) was a British politician from Cornwall who was Liberal Member of Parliament for the constituency of Truro from 1974–86. He was a popular figure in all parties and had potential to ...
, Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Member of Parliament, MP (car accident) (born 1944) *29 December – Harold Macmillan, former
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 is not ...
(born 1894) *31 December – Geoffrey John Audley Miles, senior Royal Navy admiral and veteran of both world wars (born 1890)


See also

* 1986 in British music * 1986 in British television * List of British films of 1986


References

{{Year in Europe, 1986 1986 in the United Kingdom, Years of the 20th century in the United Kingdom 1986 by country, United Kingdom