2008 in the United Kingdom
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Events from the year
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
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 ...
.


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 ...
Gordon Brown James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. He previously served as Chance ...
(
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
) *
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 ...
54th


Events


January

* 10 January – Michael Kirsop is born in
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
. * 17 January – The number of people affected by
norovirus Norovirus, sometimes referred to as the winter vomiting disease, is the most common cause of gastroenteritis. Infection is characterized by non-bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Fever or headaches may also occur. Symptoms usually deve ...
stomach bug in the UK reaches an estimated 3 million. * 18 January – Last working of
Tower Colliery Tower Colliery ( Welsh: Glofa'r Tŵr) was the oldest continuously working deep-coal mine in the United Kingdom, and possibly the world, until its closure in 2008. It was the last mine of its kind to remain in the South Wales Valleys. It was loca ...
, the last deep mine in the South Wales Valleys. The official closure is on 25 January. * 24 January –
Peter Hain Peter Gerald Hain, Baron Hain (born 16 February 1950), is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 2005 to 2007, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from 2007 to 2008 and twice as Secretary of State ...
resigns as
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions The secretary of state for work and pensions, also referred to as the work and pensions secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the business of the Department for Work and P ...
over irregular donations. * 31 January **
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 ...
MP
Derek Conway Derek Leslie Conway TD (born 15 February 1953) is an English politician and television presenter. A member of the Conservative Party, Conway served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Shrewsbury and Atcham from 1983 to 1997, ...
is suspended from 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. ...
for 10 days over payments made to his son from his parliamentary allowances. ** Four men are jailed for 15 years each for their part in the 2006 Securitas raid, the UK's biggest cash robbery.


February

* 18 February – Mohammed Al Fayed tells the inquest into the
death of Diana, Princess of Wales In the early hours of 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales died from injuries sustained earlier that day in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, France. Dodi Fayed, Diana's partner, and Henri Paul, their chauffeur, were found d ...
that she and his son Dodi Fayed were both murdered in a conspiracy arranged by the
Royal Family A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/ rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term ...
,
Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...
,
MI5 The Security Service, also known as MI5 ( Military Intelligence, Section 5), is the United Kingdom's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), Go ...
,
MI6 The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 ( Military Intelligence, Section 6), is the foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of human intelligenc ...
and the British ambassador to France. He claims that Diana knew that
The Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers o ...
and The Duke of Edinburgh were "trying to get rid of her". * 19 February ** Shannon Matthews, 9, from
Dewsbury Dewsbury is a minster and market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Calder and on an arm of the Calder and Hebble Navigation waterway. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Hudder ...
, West Yorkshire, is reported missing. ** The inquest into the
death of Diana, Princess of Wales In the early hours of 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales died from injuries sustained earlier that day in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, France. Dodi Fayed, Diana's partner, and Henri Paul, their chauffeur, were found d ...
hears from Dodi Fayed's former assistant Melissa Henning that
Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
voiced fears shortly before her death that someone was going to make an attempt on her and Fayed's life in a conspiracy that would be made to look like an accident. * 21 February – A jury at
Ipswich Crown Court Ipswich Crown Court is a Crown Court venue which deals with criminal cases at Russell Road, Ipswich, England. It was completed in 2004. History Until the early 21st century, crown court hearings were held in the Civic Centre complex in Crown ...
finds Steve Wright, 49, guilty of murdering five prostitutes during late 2006. * 22 February **
Nationalisation of Northern Rock In 2008 the Northern Rock bank was Nationalization, nationalised by the Government of the United Kingdom, British government, due to financial problems caused by the subprime mortgage crisis. In 2010 the bank was split into two parts (Northern Ro ...
:
Northern Rock Northern Rock, formerly the Northern Rock Building Society, was a British bank. Based at Regent Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, Northern Rock was originally a building society. It demutualised and became Northern Rock bank in ...
bank is nationalised by the British government. ** Steve Wright is 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 ...
with a recommendation that he should never be released. **
Mark Dixie Mark Philip Dixie (born 24 September 1970) is a British people, British serial rapist and a murderer who was convicted on 22 February 2008 of Murder in English law, murdering 18-year-old singer and Model (person), model Sally Anne Bowman on 25 ...
, 37, is found guilty of the September 2005 murder of
Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
model
Sally Anne Bowman Sally Anne Bowman (11 September 1987 – 25 September 2005) was an English hairdresser and model who was murdered in the early hours of 25 September 2005 in Croydon, London. Eighteen-year-old Bowman, had been robbed, raped and repeatedly ...
, 18. He is sentenced to life imprisonment at the
Old Bailey The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, commonly referred to as the Old Bailey after the street on which it stands, is a criminal court building in central London, one of several that house the Crown Court of England and Wales. The s ...
, where the trial judge recommends that he serve at least 34 years before parole can be considered. * 26 February **
Levi Bellfield Levi Bellfield (born Levi Rabbetts; 17 May 1968) is an English serial killer, sex offender, rapist, kidnapper, and burglar. He was found guilty on 25 February 2008 of the murders of Marsha McDonnell and Amélie Delagrange and the attempted murde ...
, 38, is found guilty of murdering two women in London in sexually motivated attacks; the first in 2001, the second in 2004. He receives a life sentence with a recommendation that he should never be released. ** The inquest into the
death of Diana, Princess of Wales In the early hours of 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales died from injuries sustained earlier that day in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, France. Dodi Fayed, Diana's partner, and Henri Paul, their chauffeur, were found d ...
finds that
MI6 The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 ( Military Intelligence, Section 6), is the foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of human intelligenc ...
did not keep files on Diana or
Dodi Fayed Emad El-Din Mohamed Abdel Mena'em Fayed (; arz, عماد الدين محمد عبد المنعم الفايد, ʿImād ed-Dīn Muḥammad ʿAbd el-Munʿim el-Fāyid , 17 April 1955 – 31 August 1997), better known as Dodi Fayed ( ar, دودى ...
, contradicting claims in conspiracy theories that the deaths were the result of an MI6 conspiracy. * 27 February –
2008 Lincolnshire earthquake On 27 February 2008 at 00:56:47.8s GMT an earthquake occurred at Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. According to the British Geological Survey the earthquake registered a reading of 5.2 on the Richter scale, with its epicentre 2.5 miles (4&n ...
: An earthquake with an
epicentre The epicenter, epicentre () or epicentrum in seismology is the point on the Earth's surface directly above a hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or an underground explosion originates. Surface damage Before the instrumental pe ...
in Lincolnshire is felt across most of Britain, with several buildings suffering substantial damage.


March

* 7 March – The coroner at the inquest into the
death of Diana, Princess of Wales In the early hours of 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales died from injuries sustained earlier that day in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, France. Dodi Fayed, Diana's partner, and Henri Paul, their chauffeur, were found d ...
announces that The Duke of Edinburgh will not be called into court to give evidence over the deaths that Mohammed Al Fayed is accusing him of ordering. * 12 March – The 2008 budget is unveiled by
Alistair Darling Alistair Maclean Darling, Baron Darling of Roulanish, (born 28 November 1953) is a British politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer under Prime Minister Gordon Brown from 2007 to 2010. A member of the Labour Party, he was a Member ...
as his first in the position of
Chancellor of the Exchequer The chancellor of the Exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and head of His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, the Chancellor is ...
. * 14 March – Michael Donovan, 39, from Batley Carr,
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 ...
, is arrested for the kidnap of 9-year-old Shannon Matthews. * 28 March –
London Heathrow Terminal 5 Heathrow Terminal 5 is an airport terminal at Heathrow Airport, the main airport serving London. Opened in 2008, the main building in the complex is the largest free-standing structure in the United Kingdom. Terminal 5 is currently used exclusi ...
opens at
Heathrow Airport Heathrow Airport (), called ''London Airport'' until 1966 and now known as London Heathrow , is a major international airport in London, England. It is the largest of the six international airports in the London airport system (the others be ...
to
British Airways British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a populati ...
with many problems with the IT system, coupled with insufficient testing and staff training, which causes over 500 flights to be cancelled. * 30 March – 2008 Farnborough plane crash: A plane crashes into a row of houses in
Farnborough, Hampshire Farnborough is a town in northeast Hampshire, England, part of the borough of Rushmoor and the Farnborough/Aldershot Built-up Area. Farnborough was founded in Anglo-Saxons, Saxon times and is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name is ...
, killing two pilots and three passengers. * 31 March – The inquest into the
death of Diana, Princess of Wales In the early hours of 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales died from injuries sustained earlier that day in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, France. Dodi Fayed, Diana's partner, and Henri Paul, their chauffeur, were found d ...
hears that there is "not a shred of evidence" that The Duke of Edinburgh or MI6 ordered her death.


April

* 2 April – An
embryo An embryo is an initial stage of development of a multicellular organism. In organisms that reproduce sexually, embryonic development is the part of the life cycle that begins just after fertilization of the female egg cell by the male spe ...
that was a cross between a human and a cow survives a third straight day after being fertilised at
Newcastle University Newcastle University (legally the University of Newcastle upon Tyne) is a UK public university, public research university based in Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England. It has overseas campuses in Singapore and Malaysia. The university is ...
. A director for
embryonic stem cell Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are pluripotent stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, an early-stage pre- implantation embryo. Human embryos reach the blastocyst stage 4–5 days post fertilization, at which time they consi ...
laboratories at the
Australian Stem Cell Centre The Australian Stem Cell Centre is an Australian medical research and development centre which focuses on regenerative medicine through the use of stem cells. Founded in 2003, the Centre is the National Biotechnology Centre of Excellence and ha ...
says that the "99 per cent human" embryo could improve research within the field of human diseases. The
Catholic Church of England and Wales The Catholic Church in England and Wales ( la, Ecclesia Catholica in Anglia et Cambria; cy, Yr Eglwys Gatholig yng Nghymru a Lloegr) is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See. Its origins date from the 6th c ...
however said that the creation was "monstrous" and that the later destruction of it was unethical. * 6 April – The
Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 (c. 19) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that seeks to broaden the law on corporate manslaughter in the United Kingdom. The Act created a new offence respectively named ...
comes into force. * 7 April – The inquest into the
death of Diana, Princess of Wales In the early hours of 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales died from injuries sustained earlier that day in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, France. Dodi Fayed, Diana's partner, and Henri Paul, their chauffeur, were found d ...
records a verdict of accidental death, caused by the heavy drinking, drug abuse and speeding of her chauffeur
Henri Paul In the early hours of 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales died from injuries sustained earlier that day in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, France. Dodi Fayed, Diana's partner, and Henri Paul, their chauffeur, were found ...
, who died in the crash along with Diana and Dodi Fayed. * 8 April –
Karen Matthews Karen may refer to: * Karen (name), a given name and surname * Karen (slang), a term and meme for a demanding woman displaying certain behaviors People * Karen people, an ethnic group in Myanmar and Thailand ** Karen languages or Karenic ...
, the mother of kidnapped 9-year-old girl Shannon Matthews, is arrested for organising her daughter's kidnap.


May

* 1 May ** The
2008 London mayoral election The 2008 London mayoral election for the office of Mayor of London, England, was held on 1 May 2008. Conservative Party (UK), Conservative candidate Boris Johnson defeated incumbent Labour Party (UK), Labour Mayor Ken Livingstone. It was the th ...
is held. The
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 ...
candidate,
Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...
, defeats the incumbent
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
mayor
Ken Livingstone Kenneth Robert Livingstone (born 17 June 1945) is an English politician who served as the Leader of the Greater London Council (GLC) from 1981 until the council was abolished in 1986, and as Mayor of London from the creation of the office i ...
. ** The
2008 London Assembly election An election to the Assembly of London took place on 1 May 2008, along with the 2008 London mayoral election. The Conservatives gained 2 seats, Labour gained one seat, the Liberal Democrats lost two seats, and UKIP were wiped out. Notably, a ca ...
also takes place, with
Brent and Harrow Brent and Harrow is a constituency represented in the London Assembly. It consists of the combined area of the London Borough of Brent and the London Borough of Harrow. After the 2010 general election, the London Borough of Brent had two Lab ...
being the only constituency to change hands. Meanwhile, the
British National Party The British National Party (BNP) is a far-right, fascist political party in the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in Wigton, Cumbria, and its leader is Adam Walker. A minor party, it has no elected representatives at any level of UK gover ...
gain a seat, their first outside local councils. **
Local elections In many parts of the world, local elections take place to select office-holders in local government, such as mayors and councillors. Elections to positions within a city or town are often known as "municipal elections". Their form and conduct vary ...
are held in England and Wales. The governing Labour Party fall to third place in the popular vote on 24%, behind the Conservatives on 44% and the Liberal Democrats on 25%. * 11 May – Manchester United secure their tenth
Premier League The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
title in 16 years with a 2–0 win at
Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic Football Club () is an English professional association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The team competes in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1932, ...
on the final day of the league season.
Ryan Giggs Ryan Joseph Giggs (né Wilson; 29 November 1973) is a Welsh association football, football coach and former player. Regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation, Giggs played his List of one-club men in association football, entir ...
, who scored one of United's goals, becomes the first player to win 10 English league titles. * 15 May –
Halifax Town A.F.C. Halifax Town Association Football Club was an English football club based in Halifax, West Yorkshire. They played in the Football League from 1921–1993 and 1998–2002. The club was dissolved in 2008, but reformed that July under the name ...
, a former
Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...
side, are expelled from the
Conference National The National League, known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, is the highest level of the National League System and fifth-highest of the overall English football league system. It is the highest league that is semi-profes ...
with multimillion-pound debts. * 17 May – The
FA Cup Final The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the FA Cup, Football Association Challenge Cup. It has regularly been one of the List of sports attendance figures, most attended domestic football ev ...
takes place at
Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 200 ...
between
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 ...
and
Cardiff City Cardiff City Football Club ( cy, Clwb Pêl-droed Dinas Caerdydd) is a professional association football club based in Cardiff, Wales. It competes in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1899 as R ...
with Portsmouth winning 1–0. * 20 May –
Joey Barton Joseph Anthony Barton (born 2 September 1982) is an English professional football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He made 269 appearances in the Premier League, including 130 for Manchester City. He is currently the man ...
, a player for
Newcastle United Football Club Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, that plays in the Premier League – the top flight of English football. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End ...
, is sentenced to six months in prison after being convicted of assault and
affray In many legal jurisdictions related to English common law, affray is a public order offence consisting of the fighting of one or more persons in a public place to the terror (in french: à l'effroi) of ordinary people. Depending on their act ...
. * 21 May – The first all-English
European Cup The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL, or sometimes, UEFA CL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competit ...
final sees
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 ...
beat
Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
on penalties after a 1–1 draw in Moscow's
Luzhniki Stadium Luzhniki Stadium ( rus, стадион «Лужники», p=stədʲɪˈon lʊʐnʲɪˈkʲi, ''Stadion Luzhniki'') is the national stadium of Russia, located in its capital city, Moscow. The full name of the stadium is Grand Sports Arena of the ...
. * 22 May – Construction work begins on the
Olympic Stadium ''Olympic Stadium'' is the name usually given to the main stadium of an Olympic Games. An Olympic stadium is the site of the opening and closing ceremonies. Many, though not all, of these venues actually contain the words ''Olympic Stadium'' as ...
being built for the 2012 games in London.


June

* 4 June –
Gretna F.C. Gretna Football Club was a Scottish professional football club based in the town of Gretna, Dumfries and Galloway, close to the border between England and Scotland, that last competed in the Scottish Premier League, the then top flight of Sco ...
, just relegated from the
Scottish Premier League The Scottish Premier League (SPL) was the top level league competition for professional football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football' ...
, goes out of business with debts of £4 million. * 12 June –
Halifax Town FC Halifax Town is a professional association football club based in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. They currently compete in and play at the Shay. They replaced Halifax Town A.F.C., which went into administration in the 2007–08 season. ...
, who were in the Blue Square Premier League until their recent expulsion due to financial problems, go out of business after 97 years. They were members of the
Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...
for most of their history until 2002. * 13 June –
Shadow Home Secretary In British politics, the Shadow Home Secretary (formally known as the Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department) is the person within the shadow cabinet who shadows the Home Secretary; this effectively means scrutinising government polic ...
David Davis resigns as an MP over the government's plans to detain terror suspects for up to 42 days. He will re-contest his seat in a
by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...
.


July

* July – Further bad news for the economy shows that it contracted by 0.1% in the second quarter of this year – ending 16 years of unbroken economic growth. * 11 July –
2008 Haltemprice and Howden by-election The 2008 Haltemprice and Howden by-election was a by-election held in the United Kingdom on 10 July 2008 to elect a new Member of Parliament (MP) for constituency of Haltemprice and Howden. The by-election was triggered by the surprise and contr ...
: Former Shadow Home Secretary David Davis retains his seat with a 71.6% vote share. A record 26 candidates contest the by-election. * 18 July – The surge in
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 ...
support continues as the latest MORI poll puts them 20 points ahead of Labour on 47%. With an election due within the next two years and possibly next year,
David Cameron David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016. He previously served as Leader o ...
is well on course to become the next prime minister of the United Kingdom. With an economic crisis beginning and fears of a recession and mass unemployment rising, it is widely expected that his popularity will continue to grow. * 22 July – The
London Motor Show London Motor Show, formerly the London Motorfair, is a motor show in England. It was held biannually at Earls Court Exhibition Centre, from 1977 to 1999. When the event won the support of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and P&O Ev ...
is held, a highlight being Vauxhall's launch of its new
Insignia An insignia () is a sign or mark distinguishing a group, grade, rank, or function. It can be a symbol of personal power or that of an official group or governing body. On its own, an insignia is a sign of a specific or general authority and is ...
that will replace the Vectra. The Insignia is due on sale later in the year.


August

* 1 August –
Barry George Barry Michael George (born 15 April 1960) is an Englishman who was found guilty of the murder of English television presenter Jill Dando and whose conviction was overturned on appeal. Dando's profile and popularity ensured high public interes ...
is acquitted of the murder of
Jill Dando Jill Wendy Dando (9 November 1961 – 26 April 1999) was an English journalist, television presenter and newsreader. She spent most of her career at the BBC and was the corporation's Personality of the Year in 1997. At the time of her death, her ...
. * 3 August – British motorcyclist Craig Jones is involved in a serious accident during the
2008 Supersport World Championship The 2008 Supersport World Championship was the tenth FIM Supersport World Championship season—the twelfth taking into account the two held under the name of Supersport World Series. The season started on 23 February at Losail and finished on 2 ...
at
Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit in West Kingsdown, Kent, England, United Kingdom. Originally used as a grasstrack motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently host ...
, dying of his injuries the following day. * 8–24 August –
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
compete at the
Olympics The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...
in Beijing. The team win 19 gold, 13 silver and 15 bronze medals and finish fourth in the
medal table The Olympic medal table is a method of sorting the medal placements of countries in the modern-day Olympics and Paralympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not officially recognize a ranking of participating countries at the Olympic ...
, the best performance for the Great Britain team in a century. *17 August – A light aircraft approaching Coventry collides with a microlight, all five people on board the two aircraft are killed. *19 August – Following legal depositions at
Birmingham Crown Court The Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts is a Crown Court venue, which deals with criminal cases, in Dalton Street, Birmingham, England. History Until the mid-1980s, all Crown Court cases were heard in the Victoria Law Courts in Corporation Street. ...
, Judge Frank Chapman rules that Anthony Hall, charged with the 1961
murder of Jacqueline Thomas Jacqueline Mary Thomas (1945 – 18 August 1961) was an English 15-year-old biscuit factory worker from Alum Rock, Birmingham, who was sexually assaulted and strangled after disappearing on 18 August 1961. Her body was discovered a week later ...
should not stand trial for the crime, and that the charge should be stayed because it was "just too long ago", and Hall would not receive a fair and balanced trial. *21 August – The Home Office announces that an investigation will be launched after a consultancy firm lost the data of 84,000 prisoners and 43,000 criminals.


September

* 6 September – Eight people are killed when storms hit the UK causing flash flooding in many areas. * 6–17 September –
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
compete at the
Paralympics The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaired ...
in Beijing. * 12 September – Labour MP
Siobhain McDonagh Siobhain Ann McDonagh (born 20 February 1960) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Mitcham and Morden since the 1997 general election. She served as an Assistant Whip in the Labour Government, b ...
is dismissed from her role as an assistant government whip after publicly announcing that she had written to Labour's General Secretary calling for a leadership contest at the forthcoming party conference. * 14 September – Amid the financial crisis, rise in unemployment and threat of recession, the Labour government's popularity is reported to have fallen dramatically. In January, they had a lead of up to 10 points over the Conservatives in the opinion polls, but the latest
Ipsos MORI Ipsos MORI was the name of a market research company based in London, England which is now known as Ipsos and still continues as the UK arm of the global Ipsos group. It was formed by a merger of Ipsos UK and MORI in October 2005. The company i ...
poll puts them 16 points behind the Conservative Party, who now have a 45% approval rating. *16 September – Minister of State for Scotland David Cairns resigns after writing to Prime Minister Gordon Brown requesting a leadership debate. * 24 September – Labour's Secretary of State for Transport
Ruth Kelly Ruth Maria Kelly (born 9 May 1968) is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolton West from 1997 until she stood down in 2010. Previously, she served as the Secretary of State for Transport, ...
resigns stating the need to spend more time with her family.


October

* October **
St Hilda's College, Oxford St Hilda's College is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college is named after the Anglo-Saxon Saint, Hilda of Whitby and was founded in 1893 as a hall for women; it ...
, ceases to be the last single-sex full college of the University of Oxford by admitting men. **
Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...
launch another
Avensis The is a mid-size/ large family car built in Derbyshire, United Kingdom by the Japanese automaker Toyota from October 1997 to August 2018. It was the direct successor to the European Carina E and was available as a four-door saloon, five-door ...
at the
2008 Paris Motor Show The 2008 Paris Motor Show took place from 4 October to 19 October 2008, in Paris expo Porte de Versailles. This edition of the Paris Motor Show featured a high number of hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs), that led a blogger with ''The New York Ti ...
to be built at TMUK. * 2 October – Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair announces his resignation with effect from 1 December 2008, citing a lack of support from new Mayor of London
Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...
. * 3 October – Peter Mandelson returns to the Westminster cabinet as Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform as part of a reshuffle following Ruth Kelly's resignation. * 6 October – Footballer Luke McCormick, a former goalkeeper for
Plymouth Argyle Plymouth Argyle Football Club is a professional football club based in the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. As of the 2021–22 season, the team are competing in League One, the third tier of English football. They have played at Home Park, ...
, is sentenced to seven years in prison for causing death by dangerous driving. * 8 October – The government announce a bank rescue package worth some £500 billion as a response to the ongoing financial crisis. * 13 October – The House of Lords vote against a measure in the Counter-Terrorism Bill that would have enabled the government to detain suspects for up to 42 days without charge. * 14 October –
Key Stage 3 Key Stage 3 (commonly abbreviated as KS3) is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, when pupils are aged between 11 and 14. In Northern Ireland the ...
SATs tests are scrapped. The national curriculum tests for 13–14-year-olds were first introduced in 1991. * 18 October – ''The Russell Brand Show'' prank calls row: An episode of '' The Russell Brand Show'' airs on BBC radio, featuring a series of prank telephone calls to the actor
Andrew Sachs Andreas Siegfried Sachs (7 April 1930 – 23 November 2016), known professionally as Andrew Sachs, was a German-born British actor and writer. He made his name on British television and found his greatest fame for his portrayal of the comical Sp ...
by comedians
Russell Brand Russell Edward Brand (born 4 June 1975) is an English comedian and actor known for his flamboyant, loquacious style and manner. Brand has received three British Comedy Awards: Best Newcomer (2006), Best Live Stand-Up (2008), and the award for ...
and
Jonathan Ross Jonathan Stephen Ross (born 17 November 1960) is an English broadcaster, film critic, comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He presented the BBC One chat show ''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross'' during the 2000s, hosted his own radio show on ...
, leading to large numbers of complaints, chiefly after an article in ''
The Mail on Sunday ''The Mail on Sunday'' is a British conservative newspaper, published in a tabloid format. It is the biggest-selling Sunday newspaper in the UK and was launched in 1982 by Lord Rothermere. Its sister paper, the '' Daily Mail'', was first pu ...
'' the following week. * 21 October – Nathaniel Rothschild accuses Conservative Shadow Chancellor
George Osborne George Gideon Oliver Osborne (born Gideon Oliver Osborne; 23 May 1971) is a former British politician and newspaper editor who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2010 to 2016 and as First Secretary of State from 2015 to 2016 in the ...
of soliciting to party funds a donation from Russian Oligarch
Oleg Deripaska Oleg Vladimirovich Deripaska (russian: Олег Владимирович Дерипаска; born 2 January 1968) is a Russian billionaire and an industrialist. Deripaska enriched himself on previously state-owned assets that were privatized in ...
when they were both guests of Mr Rothschild in Corfu in August 2008. The allegations appear in a letter written by Mr Rothschild to ''The Times'' newspaper and are denied by
George Osborne George Gideon Oliver Osborne (born Gideon Oliver Osborne; 23 May 1971) is a former British politician and newspaper editor who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2010 to 2016 and as First Secretary of State from 2015 to 2016 in the ...
. * 24 October – The
Office for National Statistics The Office for National Statistics (ONS; cy, Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol) is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the UK Parliament. Overview The ONS is responsible for th ...
reveal that Britain's economy shrunk by 0.5% in the quarter from July to September – the first quarterly detraction since 1992. * 26 October ** A severe storm in the
Lake District The Lake District, also known as the Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous for its lakes, forests, and mountains (or ''fells''), and its associations with William Wordswor ...
causes extensive flooding while 2,500 runners were taking part in a fell race, but all participants are later accounted for. ** A weak earthquake hits Hereford and Worcestershire, measuring 3.6 on the Richter scale. * 27 October –
Employment and Support Allowance Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation A corporation is an organization—usually a group o ...
(ESA) replaces new claims for
Incapacity Benefit Incapacity Benefit was a British social security benefit that was paid to people facing extra barriers to work because of their long-term illness or their disability. It replaced Invalidity Benefit in 1995. The government began to phase out Inc ...
and
Income Support Income Support is an income-related benefit in the United Kingdom for some people who are on a low income, but have a reason for not actively seeking work. Claimants of Income Support may be entitled to certain other benefits, for example, Housi ...
on the basis of incapacity to work for most claimants.


November

* 2 November –
Lewis Hamilton Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born 7 January 1985) is a British racing driver currently competing in Formula One for Mercedes. In Formula One, Hamilton has won a joint-record seven World Drivers' Championship titles (tied with Mich ...
becomes the youngest ever
Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
World Champion in motor racing. * 6 November – 2008 Glenrothes by-election: the Labour Party hold the seat. * 18 November – The names and contact details of more than 12,000 members of the far-right
British National Party The British National Party (BNP) is a far-right, fascist political party in the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in Wigton, Cumbria, and its leader is Adam Walker. A minor party, it has no elected representatives at any level of UK gover ...
are published online by a disgruntled activist, breaching data protection laws. * 26 November –
Planning Act 2008 The Planning Act 2008 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom intended to speed up the process for approving major new infrastructure projects such as airports, roads, harbours, energy facilities such as nuclear power and waste facilit ...
is approved, creating an
Infrastructure Planning Commission The Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) was a non-departmental public body responsible for the examining and in certain circumstances the decision making body for proposed nationally significant infrastructure projects in England and Wales. Cre ...
and the concept of
nationally significant infrastructure project Nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIP) are major infrastructure developments in England and Wales that bypass normal local planning requirements. These include proposals for power plants, large renewable energy projects, new airp ...
s. * 25 November –
Forced marriage Forced marriage is a marriage in which one or more of the parties is married without their consent or against their will. A marriage can also become a forced marriage even if both parties enter with full consent if one or both are later force ...
protection orders become available in England, Wales and
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
under the terms of the
Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 (c 20) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It seeks to assist victims of forced marriage, or those threatened with forced marriage, by providing civil remedies. It extends to England ...
. * 27 November – Conservative Shadow Immigration Minister Damien Green is arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit
misconduct in public office Malfeasance in office is often grounds for a just cause removal of an elected official by statute or recall election. Malfeasance in office contrasts with "misfeasance in office", which is the commission of a ''lawful'' act, done in an officia ...
. He is released on bail after questioning.


December

* 4 December **
Karen Matthews Karen may refer to: * Karen (name), a given name and surname * Karen (slang), a term and meme for a demanding woman displaying certain behaviors People * Karen people, an ethnic group in Myanmar and Thailand ** Karen languages or Karenic ...
, 32, is convicted of the kidnapping her 9-year-old daughter, Shannon, in
Dewsbury Dewsbury is a minster and market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Calder and on an arm of the Calder and Hebble Navigation waterway. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Hudder ...
, West Yorkshire, on 19 February. ** Lapland New Forest, a Christmas themed park in
Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...
closes after scores of complaints about the poor quality of its attractions. * 16 December – Sean Mercer, 18, is found guilty of murdering 11-year-old Rhys Jones who was shot dead in
Croxteth Croxteth is a suburb of Liverpool, Merseyside, England, and a Liverpool City Council Ward. Although housing in the area is predominantly modern, the suburb has some notable history. At the United Kingdom 2011 Census it had a population of 14,561. ...
, Liverpool, in August last year. Mercer is 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 ...
as the trial judge recommends that he serve at least 22 years before parole can be considered. * 18 December ** Woolworths announce their 807 UK stores will close by 5 January 2009, putting some 27,000 people out of work. ** Robert Napper pleads guilty to killing Rachel Nickell, who was stabbed to death on
Wimbledon Common Wimbledon Common is a large open space in Wimbledon, southwest London. There are three named areas: Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath, and Putney Lower Common, which together are managed under the name Wimbledon and Putney Commons totalling 460 ...
on 15 July 1992. * 19 December – MFI cease trading, closing all 111 of its furniture stores and leaving its 1,400 workforce redundant. The furniture retailer had been in business since 1964, and had used the MFI name since 1971. * 27 December – The first wave of Woolworths store closures sees 200 stores shut their doors, with the closure to be completed in the new year unless a buyer for the company can be found in the next few days.


Undated

* January – VirtualGym TV is established. * Backbone Connect, internet service provider is founded. *''
Replica A 1:1 replica is an exact copy of an object, made out of the same raw materials, whether a molecule, a work of art, or a commercial product. The term is also used for copies that closely resemble the original, without claiming to be identical. Al ...
'', an online magazine is founded. * Sales of new cars in Britain defy the deteriorating economic conditions, with well over 2.5 million sales this year compared to barely 2.4 million last year. The
Ford Focus The Ford Focus is a compact car (C-segment in Europe) manufactured by Ford Motor Company since 1998. It was created under Alexander Trotman's Ford 2000 plan, which aimed to globalize model development and sell one compact vehicle worldwide. The ...
enjoys its tenth successive year as Britain's best selling new car.


Publications

* Iain M. Banks' novel ''
Matter In classical physics and general chemistry, matter is any substance that has mass and takes up space by having volume. All everyday objects that can be touched are ultimately composed of atoms, which are made up of interacting subatomic partic ...
''. *
Sebastian Faulks Sebastian Charles Faulks (born 20 April 1953) is a British novelist, journalist and broadcaster. He is best known for his historical novels set in France – '' The Girl at the Lion d'Or'', ''Birdsong'' and '' Charlotte Gray''. He has also pub ...
'
James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
novel '' Devil May Care''. *
Ted Hughes Edward James "Ted" Hughes (17 August 1930 – 28 October 1998) was an English poet, translator, and children's writer. Critics frequently rank him as one of the best poets of his generation and one of the twentieth century's greatest wri ...
' poetry collection ''
Birthday Letters ''Birthday Letters'' is a 1998 poetry collection by English poet and children's writer Ted Hughes. Released only months before Hughes's death, the collection won multiple prestigious literary awards. This collection of eighty-eight poems is widel ...
''. * Jacqueline Walker's part family
memoir A memoir (; , ) is any nonfiction narrative writing based in the author's personal memories. The assertions made in the work are thus understood to be factual. While memoir has historically been defined as a subcategory of biography or autobi ...
, part
novelisation A novelization (or novelisation) is a derivative novel that adapts the story of a work created for another medium, such as a film, TV series, stage play, comic book or video game. Film novelizations were particularly popular before the advent of ...
, '' Pilgrim State''.


Births

* 10 January – Michael Kirsop, YouTuber * 11 February –
Frankel Frankel is the surname of: * Benjamin Frankel (1906–1973), British composer * Bethenny Frankel (born 1970), American chef and reality television personality * Charles Frankel (1917–1975), American philosopher, known for Charles Frankel Prize * ...
, racehorse * 7 July –
Sky Brown is a British-Japanese professional skateboarder and surfer who competes for Great Britain. She is the youngest professional skateboarder in the world, and has also won the American TV programme '' Dancing with the Stars: Juniors''. She repres ...
, Olympic park skateboarder (in Japan)


Deaths


January

* 2 January –
George MacDonald Fraser George MacDonald Fraser (2 April 1925 – 2 January 2008) was a British author and screenwriter. He is best known for a series of works that featured the character Flashman. Biography Fraser was born to Scottish parents in Carlisle, England, ...
, author (born 1925) * 3 January **
Natasha Collins Natasha Louise Collins (7 July 1976 – 3 January 2008) was an English actress and model. Following a car crash that curtailed her career, she fatally overdosed on cocaine, which Mark Speight, her fiancé, was initially suspected of supplying, b ...
, actress and model (overdose) (born 1976) **
Jimmy Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality h ...
, racing driver (born 1931) * 4 January –
Graham Percy Graham Percy (7 June 1938 – 4 January 2008) was a New Zealand-born artist, designer and illustrator. His work was the subject of ''The Imaginative Life and Times of Graham Percy'', a major posthumous exhibition of his work which was shown at ga ...
, artist (born 1938 in New Zealand) * 7 January –
Raffaello de Banfield Raffaello de Banfield (2 June 1922 – 7 January 2008), also known as Raphael Douglas, Baron von Banfield Tripcovich, was a British-born Italian composer. Family Raffaello de Banfield was the son of Austro-Hungarian flying ace Gottfried von ...
, composer (born 1922) * 9 January –
John Harvey-Jones Sir John Harvey-Jones MBE (16 April 1924 – 9 January 2008) was an English businessman. He was the chairman of Imperial Chemical Industries from 1982 to 1987. He was best known by the public for his BBC television show, '' Troubleshooter' ...
, businessman (born 1924) * 15 January ** John D. Lawson, scientist (born 1923) **
Jason MacIntyre Jason MacIntyre (20 September 1973 – 15 January 2008) was a Scottish racing cyclist. He was a triple British and Scottish champion time trial cyclist and broke Graeme Obree's time trial Scottish record in 2007. He was killed after a collisi ...
, racing cyclist (road accident) (born 1973) * 17 January ** Tony Dean, racing driver (born 1932) ** Carole Lynne, actress (born 1918) * 18 January – Bertram James, World War II airman, survivor of The Great Escape (born 1915) * 19 January –
Morris Maddocks Morris Henry St John Maddocks (28 April 1928 – 19 January 2008) was a bishop in the Church of England. He was a leading proponent of healing ministry and an assistant bishop in the Diocese of Chichester from 1987. He died on 19 January 200 ...
, bishop (born 1928) * 21 January – Billy Elliott, footballer (born 1925) * 22 January –
Kevin Stoney Kevin Stoney (22 January 1921 – 22 January 2008) was an English actor. He was best known for his television roles, in which he became familiar for his "portrayal of establishment types". During the Second World War, Stoney served with the Ro ...
, actor (born 1921) * 25 January –
Evelyn Barbirolli Evelyn, Lady Barbirolli OBE (24 January 191125 January 2008) was an English oboist, and the wife of the eminent conductor Sir John Barbirolli. She was born Evelyn Rothwell, and was known professionally by that name until after she was widowed, ...
, oboist, wife of Sir
John Barbirolli Sir John Barbirolli ( Giovanni Battista Barbirolli; 2 December 189929 July 1970) was a British conductor and cellist. He is remembered above all as conductor of the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, which he helped save from dissolution in 194 ...
(born 1911) * 26 January –
Bryan Jennett William Bryan Jennett (1 March 1926 – 26 January 2008) was a British neurosurgeon, a faculty member at the University of Glasgow Medical School, and the first full-time chair of neurosurgery in Scotland. He was the co-developer of the assess ...
, neurosurgeon (born 1926) * 30 January **
Jeremy Beadle Jeremy James Anthony Gibson-Beadle MBE (12 April 1948 – 30 January 2008) was an English television presenter, radio presenter, writer and producer. During the 1980s he was a regular face on British television, and in two years appeared i ...
, television presenter, writer and producer (born 1948) **
Miles Kington Miles Beresford Kington (13 May 1941 – 30 January 2008) was a British journalist, musician (a double bass player for Instant Sunshine and other groups) and broadcaster. He is also credited with the invention of Franglais, a fictional language, ...
, journalist and humorist (born 1941)


February

* 2 February – Edward Wilson, actor (born 1947) * 4 February **
Rose Hacker Rose Hacker (3 March 1906 – 4 February 2008) was a British socialist, writer, sex educator and campaigner for social justice. At her death, aged 101, she was the world's oldest newspaper columnist. Life Hacker was born in central London. Her pa ...
, writer and activist (born 1906) **
Peter Thomas, Baron Thomas of Gwydir Peter John Mitchell Thomas, Baron Thomas of Gwydir, (31 July 1920 – 4 February 2008) was a British Conservative politician. He was the first Welshman to become Chairman of the Conservative Party, serving from 1970 to 1972, and the first Cons ...
, politician (born 1920) * 6 February **
Oliver Foot Oliver Isaac Foot (19 September 1946 – 6 February 2008) was a British actor, philanthropist and charity worker. Early life Oliver Foot was born on 19 September 1946, the son of Hugh Foot, (later Baron Caradon, Jamaica's last British Coloni ...
, actor (born 1946) **
Tony Rolt Major Anthony Peter Roylance Rolt, MC & Bar, (16 October 1918 – 6 February 2008) was a British racing driver, soldier and engineer. A war hero, Rolt maintained a long connection with the sport, albeit behind the scenes. The Ferguson 4WD p ...
, racing driver and soldier, last surviving participant of the world's first World Championship Grand Prix (born 1918) * 7 February **
Andrew Bertie Andrew Willoughby Ninian Bertie (15 May 1929 – 7 February 2008) was Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from 1988 until his death in 2008. On 20 February 2015 a formal inquiry for the cause of his beatificat ...
, Grand Master of the
Sovereign Military Order of Malta The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta ( it, Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme, di Rodi e di Malta; ...
(born 1929) **
Tamara Desni Tamara Desni (22 October 19137 February 2008) was a German-born British actress She appeared in films in the 1930s and 1940s. Biography Desni was born in Berlin as Tamara Brodsky,
, German-born actress (born 1913) * 8 February – Jane Lumb, model and actress (born 1942) * 10 February –
Chris Townson Chris Townson (24 July 1947 – 10 February 2008) was an English musician, illustrator and social worker. He was a founding member of the 1960s rock group John's Children, and a member of several other bands, including Jook, Jet and Radio Star ...
, musician (
John's Children John's Children were a 1960s Mod (subculture), mod rock band from Leatherhead, England that briefly featured future T. Rex (band), T. Rex frontman Marc Bolan. John's Children were known for their outrageous live performances and were booted off ...
) (born 1947) * 12 February –
Geoffrey Lewis Geoffrey Lewis may refer to: * Geoffrey Lewis (actor) (1935–2015), American character actor * Geoffrey Lewis (scholar) (1920–2008), British professor of Turkish * Geoffrey Lewis (philatelist), Australian philatelist * Geoffrey W. Lewis (died ...
, professor of Turkish at the University of Oxford (born 1920) * 18 February – Jack Lyons, financier and philanthropist (born 1916) * 19 February **
Mary Barclay Mary Barclay (20 July 1916 – 19 February 2008) was an English film, television and theatre actress. She was best known for playing Stella Dane in the ''Crossroads'' television series, as well as her role in the 1973 film, '' A Touch of Class''. ...
, actress (born 1916) ** Emily Perry, actress (born 1907) ** David Watkin, cinematographer (born 1925) * 21 February ** Archie Hind, novelist (born 1928) **
Sunny Lowry Ethel "Sunny" Lowry MBE (2 January 1911, in Longsight, Manchester, Lancashire – 21 February 2008) was claimed to be the first British woman to swim the English Channel in 1933. (An earlier claim was successfully made by Mercedes Gleit ...
, Channel swimmer (born 1911) * 22 February – Steve Whitaker, artist (born 1955) * 24 February – Pearl Witherington, World War II secret agent (born 1914) * 28 February – Mike Smith (Dave Clark Five), Mike Smith, pop singer (The Dave Clark Five) (born 1943)


March

* 2 March – Paul Raymond (publisher), Paul Raymond, publisher and property developer (born 1925) * 3 March – Norman Smith (record producer), Norman Smith, singer and record producer (The Beatles, Pink Floyd) (born 1923) * 7 March ** Leon Greenman, anti-fascist campaigner and author, only British survivor of Auschwitz concentration camp, Auschwitz (born 1910) ** Francis Pym, politician (born 1922) * 8 March – Carol Barnes, newsreader (born 1944) * 11 March ** Alun Hoddinott, Welsh composer (born 1929) ** Michael J. Todd, police officer, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police (born 1957) * 12 March – Tom Tuohy, chemist, averted potential disaster at Sellafield, Windscale (born 1917) * 16 March – John Hewer, actor (born 1922) * 18 March ** Andrew Britton, novelist (born 1981) ** Anthony Minghella, film director (born 1954) * 19 March ** Sir Arthur C. Clarke, science fiction author and inventor (born 1917) ** Philip Jones Griffiths, photojournalist (born 1936) ** Paul Scofield, actor (born 1922) * 20 March ** Eric Ashton, rugby player and coach (born 1935) ** Brian Wilde, actor (born 1927) * 21 March – Denis Cosgrove, geographer (born 1948) * 23 March – Neil Aspinall, record producer and business executive (born 1941) * 25 March – Tony Church, actor (born 1930) * 28 March – Michael Podro, art historian (born 1931) * 29 March – Allan Ganley, jazz drummer (born 1931)


April

* 1 April – Jim Finney, football referee (born 1924) * 2 April – Paul Arden, author (born 1940) * 3 April – Andrew Crozier, poet (born 1943) * 7 April – Mark Speight, television presenter (suicide) (born 1965) * 8 April ** Tim Beaumont, Tim Beaumont, Baron Beaumont of Whitley, politician and clergyman (born 1928) ** Graham Higman, mathematician (born 1917) * 10 April ** Francis Coleman, orchestral conductor (born 1924, Canada) ** Dickson Mabon, politician (born 1925) * 11 April ** Willoughby Goddard, actor (born 1926) ** Joan Hunter Dunn, Joan Jackson (née Hunter Dunn), muse of poet John Betjeman (born 1915) * 12 April – Cecilia Colledge, Olympic figure skater (born 1920) * 15 April ** Hazel Court, actress (born 1926) ** Brian Davison (drummer), Brian Davison, drummer (The Nice) (born 1942) * 17 April ** Richard Chopping, illustrator (''
James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
'') (born 1917) ** Gwyneth Dunwoody, politician (born 1930) * 18 April – Michael de Larrabeiti, author (born 1934) * 24 April – Tristram Cary, composer (born 1925) * 25 April – Humphrey Lyttelton, jazz musician and broadcaster (born 1921) * 28 April ** Diana Barnato Walker, aviator, first British woman to break the sound barrier (born 1918) ** Sir Derek Higgs, banker and businessman (born 1944) * 29 April – Sir Anthony Kershaw, politician (born 1915)


May

* 1 May ** Bernard Archard, actor (born 1916) ** Mary Berry (conductor), Mary Berry, musicologist and nun (born 1917) * 10 May – John Barraclough (RAF officer), John Barraclough, air marshal (born 1918) * 13 May – Jill Adams, actress (born 1930) * 14 May ** Frith Banbury, actor and theatre director (born 1912) ** Derek Goodwin, ornithologist (born 1920) ** John Forbes-Robertson (actor), John Forbes-Robertson, actor (born 1928) * 15 May – Robert Dunlop, motorcycle racer (accident during practice) (born 1960) * 16 May ** David Mitton, producer and director (born 1939) ** Peter Rolfe Vaughan, engineer (born 1935) * 17 May ** Jolyon Brettingham Smith, composer and radio presenter (born 1949) ** Wilfrid Mellers, composer and music critic (born 1914) * 18 May – Tom Burlison, Tom Burlison, Baron Burlison, footballer and trade unionist (born 1936) * 22 May – Paul Patrick, gay rights campaigner (born 1950) * 23 May – Nigel Anderson, soldier, landowner and politician (born 1920, Australia) * 24 May – Rob Knox, actor (born 1989) * 27 May – David Butler (screenwriter), David Butler, screenwriter (born 1927) * 28 May ** Beryl Cook, artist (born 1926) ** Elinor Lyon, children's writer (born 1921) * 30 May ** Rodney Gordon, architect (born 1933) ** Nat Temple, bandleader (born 1913)


June

* 1 June – Al Jones (English musician), Al Jones, folk singer-songwriter (born 1945) * 4 June – Jonathan Routh, co-star of ''Candid Camera'' (born 1927) * 5 June – Frank Blackmore, traffic engineer, inventor of the Roundabout#Mini-roundabouts, mini-roundabout (born 1916) * 6 June – TVR#History, Trevor Wilkinson, sports car manufacturer, founder of TVR (born 1923) * 10 June – David Brierly, actor (born 1935) * 13 June ** Bruce Lester, actor (born 1912, South Africa) ** John Malcolm (actor), John Malcolm, actor (born 1936) ** Dennis Weatherstone, businessman and banker (born 1930) * 17 June – Henry Chadwick (theologian), Henry Chadwick, theologian (born 1920) * 19 June ** David Caminer, computer pioneer (born 1915) ** Bomber Wells, cricketer (born 1930) * 21 June – Freddie Williams (businessman), Freddie Williams, businessman (born 1942) * 26 June – Tony Melody, actor (born 1922)


July

* 1 July ** Mel Galley, guitarist (born 1948) ** Robert Harling (typographer), Robert Harling, typographer (born 1910) * 2 July – Elizabeth Spriggs, actress (born 1929) * 3 July ** Ernie Cooksey, footballer (born 1980) ** Clive Hornby, actor (born 1944) * 4 July – Charles Wheeler (journalist), Charles Wheeler, journalist (born 1923) * 7 July – Fred Yates, painter (born 1922) * 13 July – John Raymond Hobbs, pathologist (born 1929) * 14 July ** Bryan Cowgill, television executive (born 1927) ** Hugh Lloyd, actor (born 1923) * 17 July – John Hunt, Baron Hunt of Tanworth, civil servant (born 1919) * 19 July ** Sarah Conlon, Northern Irish campaigner on behalf of Guildford Four and Maguire Seven (born 1926) ** Ann Lambton, historian (born 1912) ** Dave Pearson (painter), Dave Pearson, painter (born 1937) * 21 July – Donald Stokes, Baron Stokes, industrialist, chief executive of British Leyland (1968–1975) (born 1914) * 26 July – Chas Messenger, cyclist (born 1914) * 27 July ** Graeme Crallan, heavy metal drummer (White Spirit (band), White Spirit) (fall) (born 1958) ** Russell Johnston, politician (born 1932) * 29 July – Eric Varley, politician (born 1932) * 30 July – Peter Coke, actor (born 1913)


August

* 1 August – Pauline Baynes, artist (born 1922) * 3 August – Roger Dean (guitar player), Roger Dean, guitarist (born 1943) * 4 August – Craig Jones, motorcycle racer (accident) (born 1985) * 6 August – Simon Gray, playwright (born 1936) * 9 August ** Peter Coe, athletics coach, father of Sebastian Coe (born 1919) ** Archie Elliott, Lord Elliott, judge (born 1922) * 10 August – Terence Rigby, actor (born 1937) * 11 August – Sir Bill Cotton, producer (born 1928) * 12 August – Michael Baxandall, art historian (born 1933) * 13 August – John MacDougall (British politician), John MacDougall, politician (born 1947) * 14 August ** Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, Baron Bruce-Lockhart, politician (born 1942) ** Lita Roza, singer (born 1926) * 18 August – Bob Humphrys, broadcaster, brother of John Humphrys (born 1952) * 19 August – Leo Abse, lawyer and politician (born 1917) * 20 August – Eric Longworth, actor (born 1918) * 25 August – John Thoday, geneticist (born 1916) * 29 August – Geoffrey Perkins, comedy producer, writer and performer (born 1953) * 31 August – Ken Campbell, actor and raconteur (born 1941)


September

* 1 September – Ian Edward Fraser, World War II sailor and Victoria Cross, VC recipient (born 1920) * 2 September ** Dame Alison Munro, civil servant and headmistress (born 1914) ** Julia Pirie, spy (born 1918) ** Denis Rooke, engineer (born 1924) * 7 September – Peter Glossop, opera singer (born 1928) * 9 September ** Nina Lawson, wig-maker for the Metropolitan Opera (born 1926) ** Bheki Mseleku, jazz musician (born 1955, South Africa) * 10 September ** David Chipp, journalist (born 1927) ** Vernon Handley, orchestral conductor (born 1930) ** Gary O'Donnell (British Army soldier), Gary O'Donnell, soldier (killed in Afghanistan) (born 1968) * 12 September – Marjorie Thomas, opera singer (born 1923) * 14 September – Ralph Russell, scholar (born 1918) * 15 September – Richard Wright (musician), Richard Wright, pianist (Pink Floyd) and songwriter (born 1943) * 16 September – John Fancy, World War II airman (born 1913) * 19 September ** David Jones (director), David Jones, film director (born 1934) ** Dave Needham (boxer), Dave Needham, boxer (born 1951) * 20 September – William Fox (actor), William Fox, actor (born 1911, Philippines) * 21 September – Brian Pippard, physicist (born 1920) * 23 September – William Woodruff, historian (born 1916) * 25 September – Jimmy Sirrel, footballer and football manager (Notts County F.C., Notts County) (born 1922) * 29 September – Jock Wilson (British Army soldier), Jock Wilson, World War II soldier and D-Day veteran (born 1903)


October

* 3 October – George Thomson, Baron Thomson of Monifieth, journalist and politician (born 1921) * 4 October ** Ted Briggs, World War II sailor, last survivor of the sinking of HMS Hood, HMS ''Hood'' (born 1923) ** Peter Vansittart, writer (born 1920) * 6 October – Peter Avery, scholar (born 1923) * 7 October – Peter Copley, actor (born 1915) * 8 October – Bob Friend (newscaster), Bob Friend, newscaster (born 1938) * 11 October – Russ Hamilton (singer), Russ Hamilton, singer (born 1932) * 13 October – Christopher Wicking, screenwriter (born 1943) * 14 October ** Barrington J. Bayley, science fiction writer (born 1937) ** Ray Lowry, cartoonist (born 1944) ** Pat Moss, racing driver, daughter of Alfred Moss (born 1934) * 20 October ** Pat Kavanagh (agent), Pat Kavanagh, literary agent (born 1940, South Africa) ** John Ringham, actor and playwright (born 1928) * 23 October ** Derek Brewer, mediaevalist (born 1923) ** Kevin Finnegan, boxer (born 1948) ** F. W. Walbank, scholar of Greek history (born 1909) * 25 October ** Ian McColl, footballer and football manager (born 1927) ** Maurice Stonefrost, civil servant (born 1927) * 27 October ** Chris Bryant (writer), Chris Bryant, screenwriter and actor (born 1936) ** Roy Stewart, actor (born 1925, Jamaica) * 31 October – John Pearse, guitarist (born 1939)


November

* 3 November ** John Adams (Royal Navy officer), John Adams, World War II naval officer (born 1918) ** Brooks Mileson, businessman (born 1947) * 4 November – Syd Lucas, World War I survivor (born 1900) * 5 November – Sir Paul Greening, naval officer and courtier (born 1928) * 11 November – Jack Scott (meteorologist), Jack Scott, television weather forecaster (born 1923) * 12 November ** Mitch Mitchell, drummer (born 1947) ** Margaret Moncrieff, cellist (born 1921) * 14 November – Sir Bernard Feilden, conservation architect (born 1919) * 16 November – Reg Varney, actor (born 1916) * 17 November – James Baddiley, microbiologist (born 1918) * 23 November – Richard Hickox, orchestral conductor (born 1948) * 25 November ** Leonard Goodwin, pharmacologist (born 1915) ** Michael Lee (musician), Michael Lee, rock drummer (born 1969) ** Brian Pearce, Marxist historian and translator (born 1915) ** Dudley Savage, radio presenter (born 1920) * 26 November – Andreas Liveras, businessman (murdered in India) (born 1935, Cyprus) * 28 November – Hugh Laddie, judge (born 1946) * 29 November – Robert Wade (chess player), Robert Wade, chess player (born 1921, New Zealand) * 30 November – Naomi Datta, geneticist (born 1922)


December

* 1 December ** James Bree (actor), James Bree, actor (born 1923) ** John Wall (judge), John Wall, lawyer and blind rights campaigner (born 1930) * 2 December – Patrick Maitland, 17th Earl of Lauderdale, peer (born 1911) * 3 December – Derek Wadsworth, jazz trombonist and composer (born 1939) * 4 December – Richard Van Allan, opera singer (born 1935) * 6 December – Sir Curtis Keeble, diplomat, Ambassador to the Soviet Union (1978–1982) (born 1922) * 7 December – John Ellis Williams, Welsh author (born 1924) * 8 December ** Oliver Postgate, animator, puppeteer and writer (born 1925) ** Bob Spiers, television director (born 1945) * 13 December – Kathy Staff, actress (born 1928) * 15 December – Davey Graham, guitarist (born 1950) * 16 December – Richard Coleman, actor (born 1930) * 18 December ** Peter Malam Brothers, World War II pilot (born 1917) ** Jack Douglas (actor), Jack Douglas, actor (Carry On (franchise), ''Carry On'' films) (born 1927) ** Hannah Frank, sculptor (born 1908) * 19 December – Bernard Crick, Sir Bernard Crick, political theorist (born 1929) * 20 December – Adrian Mitchell, poet and novelist (born 1932) * 23 December – Eric Charles Twelves Wilson, Eric Wilson, lieutenant-colonel, last British Army recipient of the Victoria Cross from the Second World War (born 1912) * 24 December – Harold Pinter, playwright (born 1930) * 25 December – Colin White (historian), Colin White, military historian (born 1951) * 27 December – Patricia Kneale, actress (born 1925) * 28 December – Michael Levey, Sir Michael Levey, art historian (born 1927)


See also

* 2008 in British music * 2008 in British television * List of British films of 2008


References

{{Year in Europe, 2008 2008 in the United Kingdom, Years of the 21st century in the United Kingdom 2008 by country, United Kingdom