2021 in the United Kingdom

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Events from the year 2021 in the United Kingdom.

2021 in the United Kingdom
Other years
2019 | 2020 | 2021 (2021) | 2022 | 2023
Countries of the United Kingdom
England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Popular culture

Incumbents

[edit]

Events

[edit]

January

[edit]
  • 2 January – COVID-19 in the UK: A record high daily positive test figure is reported at 57,725, as the new strain of the virus continues to spread.[1]
  • 4 January
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • In a televised address, Boris Johnson announces a new, third COVID-19 lockdown for England, with people ordered to stay at home, and all schools and colleges to switch to remote learning from 5 January. This is expected to last until at least mid-February.[2]
      • A new record high daily positive test figure is reported at 58,784.[3]
      • The UK's second vaccine against COVID-19, developed by Oxford–AstraZeneca, begins to be rolled out.[4][5]
      • Most of England's primary schools reopen after the Christmas break, amid concerns over whether pupils should be returning during the current level of COVID infections. Most schools close again the following day.[6]
      • The Joint Biosecurity Centre recommends that the COVID-19 alert level is moved from 4 to 5, indicating a "material risk of healthcare services being overwhelmed".[7]
      • Nicola Sturgeon announces tougher restrictions for mainland Scotland to contain the new strain of the virus, implementing a stay-at-home order from midnight and delaying the return to school for pupils until February.[8]
    • The extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from the UK to the US is blocked by a court in London, due to concerns over his mental health.[9]
  • 5 January – COVID-19 in the UK: The number of new daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the UK surpasses 60,000 for the first time since the pandemic began, at 60,916.[10]
  • 6 January
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announces that GCSE and A-Level exams in England this summer will be replaced by teacher assessments, telling MPs he would "trust in teachers rather than algorithms".[11]
      • Another record daily case figure is reported, with 62,322 new infections. The daily number of deaths from the virus exceeds 1,000 for the first time since April 2020.[12]
  • 7 January – COVID-19 in the UK: Two anti-inflammatory medications, tocilizumab and sarilumab, are found to cut deaths by a quarter in patients who are sickest with COVID-19.[13]
  • 8 January
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • A third vaccine is approved for public use, made by US company Moderna and offering 94% protection from the virus.[14]
      • A major incident is declared in London by mayor Sadiq Khan, stating that the spread of the virus is "out of control" in the capital.[15]
      • The highest number of daily deaths since the pandemic began is recorded at 1,325. A new record high daily positive test figure is reported at 68,053.[16]
  • 9 January – COVID-19 in the UK: Buckingham Palace say that the Queen and Prince Philip have both received the first doses of their COVID-19 vaccinations at Windsor Castle.[17]
  • 10 January
  • 11 January – Khairi Saadallah is sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of three men and the attempted murder of three others during a stabbing in Forbury Gardens in Reading in June 2020.[20]
  • 13 January – COVID-19 in the UK: The highest daily death toll since the pandemic began is recorded, at 1,564.[21]
  • 14 January – COVID-19 in the UK: The government bans travel from South America and Portugal over concerns of a new Brazilian variant of COVID-19.[22]
  • 15 January – COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson announces that the UK is to close all travel corridors from 18 January to "protect against the risk of as yet unidentified new strains" of COVID-19, forcing all passengers travelling to the UK to produce a negative test result.[23]
  • 18 January – COVID-19 in the UK: Figures compiled by Our World in Data (OWID) show that the seven-day average for this week in the UK is the highest death rate per million population from COVID-19 of any country in the world after an average of 935 daily deaths were recorded, the equivalent of more than 16 people in every million dying each day from the virus.[24]
  • 19 January
  • 20 January
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • The highest daily death toll since the pandemic began is recorded, at 1,820.[29]
      • A record daily high of 363,508 people are given a COVID-19 vaccination, bringing the total number of first doses so far to 4,973,248 and 464,036 second doses.[30]
  • 21 January
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • Glastonbury Festival is cancelled for the second year running as a result of the pandemic.[31]
      • Arlene Foster announces that the lockdown in Northern Ireland will be extended to at least 5 March, adding that restrictions may have to remain in place until after the Easter holidays in April.[32]
    • Storm Christoph: Five "danger to life" flood warnings are put in place across North West England and Wales after hundreds of homes are evacuated overnight due to widespread flooding caused by heavy rain and snow.[33]
  • 22 January
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • The R number is reported to have fallen to between 0.8 and 1 for the first time since the beginning of December 2020.[34]
      • The latest analysis of UK data suggests that the new viral strain may be up to 30% deadlier.[35]
    • Four men are jailed for the manslaughter of 39 Vietnamese migrants after they were found dead in a lorry container in Essex in October 2019.[36]
  • 25 January – Online retailer Boohoo acquires the Debenhams brand and website for £55m after the department store went into administration in April 2020, but it does not retain any of its stores, putting up to 12,000 jobs at risk.[37]
  • 26 January – COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson says he is "deeply sorry for every life that has been lost" as the number of deaths from COVID-19 in the UK exceeds 100,000.[38]
  • 27 January
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • Boris Johnson confirms that schools in England will not be able to reopen to all pupils after the February half-term as planned, but could do so from 8 March "at the earliest".[39] He adds that he hopes a "gradual and phased" relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions can begin in early March.[40]
      • Home Secretary Priti Patel announces that people travelling from "red list" countries considered to be COVID-19 hotspots will be required to quarantine in government hotels, while anyone wishing to travel abroad will need to prove that they are making an essential trip.[41]
  • 28 January – COVID-19 in the UK: A third vaccine, Novavax, which will be manufactured in Stockton-on-Tees, is shown to be 89.3% effective against the virus in a two-dose regimen, following large-scale UK trials. 60 million doses are secured by the government.[42]
  • 29 January – COVID-19 in the UK: A fourth vaccine, Ad26.COV2.S, is shown to be 66% effective against the virus in a one-dose regimen. With 30 million doses ordered, Matt Hancock tells reporters that it could "significantly bolster" the UK's vaccine programme if approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).[43]
  • 30 January – COVID-19 in the UK: A record daily high of 598,389 people are given a coronavirus vaccination, bringing the total so far to 8,977,329.[44]
  • 31 January – Flu cases are reported to have fallen by more than 95%, reaching the lowest levels seen in 130 years, believed to be due to the COVID-19 lockdown and new health habits.[45]

February

[edit]
  • 1 February
  • 2 February
  • 3 February – COVID-19 in the UK: The number of people receiving a vaccine dose in the UK exceeds 10 million.[53]
  • 4 February – Three people are killed, including an alleged assailant in a road crash, after an attack at the University Hospital Crosshouse and a related stabbing nearby in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland.[54] Police Scotland say the incidents are thought to be connected but not terror-related.[55]
  • 5 February
  • 7 February
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • A not yet peer-reviewed study by the University of Oxford suggests the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine offers minimal protection against mild disease from the South African variant of the virus but does protect against severe disease.[59] Oxford lead vaccine developer, Professor Sarah Gilbert, says a modified version of the vaccine capable of tackling the South African variant should be ready by the autumn, and that "efforts are underway to develop a new generation of vaccines that will allow protection to be redirected to emerging variants as booster jabs".[60]
      • The number of people receiving a vaccine dose in the UK exceeds 12 million.[61]
  • 8–10 February – Snow and ice causes travel disruption across much of the country. A temperature of −17.1 °C is recorded in Altnaharra, Scotland, the lowest reading in the UK since December 2010.[62][63]
  • 9 February
    • COVID-19 in the UK: The government announces tough new measures for travellers. UK and Irish residents returning from 33 red list countries will be charged £1,750 to quarantine in a government-sanctioned hotel for 10 days, with fines of up to £10,000 for those who fail to do so. A prison sentence of up to 10 years is to be introduced for those who lie on their passenger locator forms about visiting a red list country.[64]
    • Cumbria County Council suspends plans for Woodhouse Colliery, the UK's first deep coal mine since 1987, following strong criticism over its environmental damage and carbon emissions.[65]
  • 10 February – David Wilson is sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for 96 sex offences against 51 boys, which he committed between May 2016 and April 2020.[66]
  • 11 February
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • A study finds that the arthritis drug tocilizumab can reduce deaths from COVID-19, enough to save the lives of one in 25 patients admitted to hospital, and can reduce the need for a mechanical ventilator.[67][68]
      • The number of people receiving a vaccine dose in the UK exceeds 14 million.[69]
    • The Met Office reports an overnight temperature of −22.9 °C in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, the coldest weather in the UK since 1995.[70]
  • 12 February
  • 14 February – COVID-19 in the UK: The number of people receiving a vaccine dose in the UK exceeds 15 million.[75]
  • 15 February – COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson hails the vaccine rollout as an "unprecedented national achievement" and urges the public to remain "optimistic but patient" over the relaxation of restrictions, adding that an approach to exiting lockdown should be "cautious but irreversible".[76]
  • 18 February – COVID-19 in the UK: Figures from Imperial College London's React study suggests that COVID-19 infections have dropped by two-thirds across England since lockdown began in January, with an 80% fall in London.[77]
  • 19 February
    • The Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirm they will not return as working members of the Royal Family.[78]
    • The Supreme Court rules that Uber drivers must be treated as workers, rather than self-employed, and should therefore be entitled to minimum wage and holiday pay.[79]
    • The High Court rules that Matt Hancock "acted unlawfully by failing to comply with the Transparency Policy" and "breached his legal obligation to publish Contract Award Notices within 30 days" when awarding contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic.[80] Hancock explained the delay in publishing the contracts as being on average "just after a fortnight late", and reasoned it was "because my team were working seven days a week, often 18 hours a day, to get hold of the equipment that was saving lives".[81]
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson pledges to donate most of the UK's surplus vaccine supply to poorer countries.[82]
  • 20 February – COVID-19 in the UK: As the number of people receiving their first vaccine dose exceeds 17 million, Boris Johnson announces he wants the programme to "go further and faster" by offering every adult in the UK their first jab by 31 July.[83]
  • 22 February – COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson unveils a four-step plan for ending lockdown restrictions in England by 21 June.[84] Subject to four tests on vaccines, hospitalisations and deaths, infection rates and new variants being met – the plan's first step will see the reopening of schools and colleges from 8 March.[85]
  • 24 February – COVID-19 in the UK: Nicola Sturgeon unveils the Scottish Government's "cautious" approach to ending lockdown restrictions in Scotland, which includes a phased return for primary and secondary school pupils from 15 March.[86]
  • 25 February – COVID-19 in the UK: The Joint Biosecurity Centre advises that the COVID-19 alert level is downgraded from 5 to 4, indicating that the threat of the NHS being overwhelmed is receding.[87]
  • 26 February – Begum v Home Secretary: The Supreme Court unanimously rules that Shamima Begum, who left the UK for Syria to join the Islamic State terrorist group and has been stripped of her British citizenship, can lawfully be prevented on security grounds from returning to the UK to appeal her case.[88][89]
  • 28 February

March

[edit]

April

[edit]

May

[edit]
  • 2 May
  • 3 May
  • 6 May
  • 8 May – Angela Rayner is removed from her roles as the Labour Party's chair and national campaign coordinator by Keir Starmer, following the local election results.[168]
  • 9 May – Prince Michael of Kent is accused of using his royal status to sell access to Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime, following an investigation by Channel 4 News and The Sunday Times. The Prince denies the allegations.[169]
  • 13 May – 2021 Airdrie and Shotts by-election: SNP retain the seat with an increased vote share.
  • 14 May – COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson and Chris Whitty provide an update on the 'Indian' variant, warning that its spread in the UK could potentially delay the government's planned easing of lockdown restrictions on 21 June.[170]
  • 15 May
    • The final Debenhams store is closed, after more than 240 years in business. The company continues to trade online.[171]
    • Leicester City wins the FA Cup for the first time, defeating Chelsea 1–0 in the final at Wembley.[172] 21,000 supporters watch the game in the stadium, the most at any English professional match since March 2020.[172]
    • COVID-19 in the UK: The number of people having received their second dose of a vaccine exceeds 20 million.[173]
  • 17 May – Stage three of the government's conditional lockdown easing goes ahead, enabling larger numbers of people to gather together, including at indoor venues.[174]
  • 20 May
  • 22 May
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • The vaccine rollout opens to those aged 32 and 33 in England.[177]
      • The total number of vaccines administered in England exceeds 50 million.[178]
    • The UK scores zero points in the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest with James Newman's entry "Embers", marking the first time the contest has seen an entry that did not score any points since the new voting system was introduced in 2016.[179]
  • 26 May
    • Dominic Cummings, former chief adviser to Boris Johnson, provides evidence to a joint session of the Commons Health, Science and Technology committees. He makes a series of allegations regarding the Government's handling of the pandemic.[180][181]
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • The vaccine rollout opens to those aged 30 and 31 in England.[182]
      • The number of new daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the UK is reported as 3,180, the highest figure since 12 April.[183]
  • 27 May – A self-driving bus begins trials in Cambridge, the first service of its kind, running autonomously for 24 hours a day.[184]
  • 28 May
    • COVID-19 in the UK: A fourth vaccine, and the first requiring only a single jab, is approved for use. Made by US pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson, it has an efficacy of 66% in preventing moderate-to-severe COVID-19, 85% efficacy in preventing severe disease, and 100% efficacy against hospitalisation and death.[185]
    • 2019 London Bridge stabbing: A jury rules that failings by MI5 and the police contributed to the deaths of Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt, two young graduates who were unlawfully killed by a convicted terrorist.[186]
  • 31 May
    • COVID-19 in the UK: In an interview with BBC Radio 4, Professor Ravi Gupta from the University of Cambridge warns that the UK is entering a third wave of coronavirus infections, fuelled by the Indian variant, and that the ending of lockdown restrictions on 21 June should be postponed.[187]
    • The UK experiences its hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures of almost 25 °C.[188]

June

[edit]
  • 1 June
  • 2 June – COVID-19 in the UK: 75% of the adult population are reported to have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.[191]
  • 3 June – COVID-19 in the UK: 50% of the adult population are reported to have received their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.[192]
  • 4 June – COVID-19 in the UK: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approves the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children aged 12–15.[193]
  • 6 June
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Health Secretary Matt Hancock tells Sky News that the new Delta variant from India is 40% more transmissible and that the Government is open to delaying the 21 June ending of lockdown restrictions. However, he also confirms that two vaccine doses work just as effectively against it as previous variants.[194]
    • The four cooling towers at Rugeley B power station in Staffordshire are demolished.[195]
  • 7 June – The Parole Board confirms that double child killer Colin Pitchfork is suitable for release after 33 years in prison. A number of MPs announce they will oppose the decision.[196]
  • 8 June – COVID-19 in the UK: The vaccine rollout opens to those aged 25 to 29 in England.[197]
  • 9 June – The High Court rules that the government acted unlawfully by awarding a £560,000 contract to a company run by friends of Dominic Cummings.[198][199]
  • 10 June
    • Matt Hancock defends the government's handling of the pandemic during four hours of questioning from MPs. He tells them the Delta variant first identified in India now comprises over 90% of new coronavirus cases in the UK.[200]
    • Boris Johnson meets U.S. President Joe Biden in Cornwall, ahead of the G7 Summit.[201]
  • 13 June – GB News, a new TV channel aimed at right-leaning viewers, is launched on Freeview, Freesat, Sky, YouView and Virgin Media.[202]
  • 14 June
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Johnson confirms a four-week delay to the final easing of coronavirus restrictions in England, due to the rapid increase in Delta variant cases, but says he is "confident" no delay beyond 19 July will be needed.[203]
    • Changes allowing gay and bisexual men to donate blood take effect.[204]
  • 15 June – COVID-19 in the UK: The vaccine rollout opens to those aged 23 and 24 in England.[205]
  • 16 June – COVID-19 in the UK: The vaccine rollout opens to those aged 21 and 22 in England.[206]
  • 17 June
  • 18 June – COVID-19 in the UK: The vaccine rollout opens to those aged 18 to 20 in England.[214]
  • 19 June – John Bercow, former Tory MP and Speaker of the House of Commons, defects to Labour, calling his former party "reactionary, populist, nationalistic and sometimes even xenophobic".[215]
  • 23 June
    • A new £50 polymer banknote enters circulation. Featuring the face of computer pioneer and codebreaker Alan Turing, it joins the updated and more secure £5, £10 and £20 notes that were introduced in 2016, 2017 and 2020 respectively.[216]
    • PC Benjamin Monk is found guilty of the manslaughter of former Aston Villa striker, Dalian Atkinson, who died after being tasered for six times longer than the legally recommended limit, and then kicked twice in the head. Monk becomes the first police officer since the 1980s to be found guilty over a death in custody in England and Wales.[217]
    • Double murderer Gary Allen is sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 37 years following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court in which he was convicted of the murders of two women 21 years apart.[218]
  • 25 June – Health Secretary Matt Hancock apologises for breaking social distancing rules after pictures of him kissing an aide, Gina Coladangelo, are published in The Sun newspaper.[219]
  • 26 June
    • Matt Hancock resigns as health secretary, following the previous day's revelations. Sajid Javid is selected as his successor.[220]
    • A limited-edition £5 coin commemorating the life of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is unveiled.[221]
    • Three men are charged with murdering 18-year-old Kimani Martin, who was shot while sitting in a taxi.[222]
  • 27 June
    • Nine anti-lockdown and climate change protesters are arrested after a day of demonstrations in London.[223]
    • Classified Ministry of Defence documents are found at bus stop in Kent.[224]
  • 28 June – Six people are injured in a major fire at Elephant & Castle railway station in south London.[225]
  • 29 June
  • 30 June – COVID-19 in the UK: The UK records 26,068 new coronavirus cases, the highest number since 29 January.[231]

July

[edit]
  • 1 July
  • 3 July – UEFA Euro 2020: England beat Ukraine 4–0 in Rome to reach the semi-final of the Euros for the first time in 25 years.[237]
  • 5 July
    • COVID-19 in the UK: In a televised address, the prime minister, Boris Johnson says he expects that the final lifting of restrictions in England will proceed from 19 July, but this will be confirmed on 12 July after a review of the latest data.[238]
    • The House of Commons passes the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill by 365 votes to 265.[239]
  • 7 July – UEFA Euro 2020: England defeat Denmark 2–1 after extra time at Wembley in the semi-final. This marks the first time England have reached the final of a major international tournament since 1966.[240] Almost 24 million people are reported to have watched the match on ITV and ITV+1, with a peak of 25.7 million during the last five minutes.[241]
  • 8 July – UEFA Euro 2020: UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) charges England following match incidents the previous night. In one, a laser pointer was allegedly shone in the face of Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel as he prepared for a penalty. UEFA also notes a "disturbance" during Denmark's national anthem and fireworks being set off.[242]
  • 9 July – Southern Water is fined a record £90m for illegally dumping an estimated 16 to 21 billion tons of raw sewage between 2010 and 2015.[243]
    Supporters at the UEFA Euro 2020 final
  • 11 July – UEFA Euro 2020: England lose 2–3 on penalties to Italy, following a 1–1 draw after extra time, in the UEFA European Championship final at Wembley Stadium.[244] The game, broadcast live on both BBC One and ITV, has an estimated peak TV audience of almost 31 million, making it the most-watched UK event since the funeral of Princess Diana in 1997.[245]
  • 12 July
    • Home Secretary Priti Patel announces that white supremacist hate group The Base will be the fifth extreme right-wing group to be proscribed in the UK under anti-terror laws.[246]
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Johnson confirms that the fourth and final stage of the government's conditional lockdown easing will proceed as planned on 19 July.[247]
    • Unforeseen floods cause travel chaos in parts of London.[248]
  • 13 July – The House of Commons votes by 333 to 298 (a majority of 35) to keep the budget for international development at 0.5% of national income, below the previous commitment of 0.7%.[249]
  • 14 July
    • John Lewis and Waitrose announce that they plan to cut one thousand jobs.[250]
    • The Health and Care Bill passes its second reading in the House of Commons.[251]
  • 15 July
    • Europe's largest battery storage project, a 100-megawatt system delivered by Shell-owned Limejump, begins operations at Minety in Wiltshire.[252]
    • Five people are arrested after England footballers were racially abused online following their Euro 2020 final defeat.[253]
    • The selection process for eight new hospitals in England is launched.[254]
  • 16 July – COVID-19 in the UK: The daily infection count from the virus exceeds 50,000 for the first time since mid-January, with 51,870 new cases reported.[255]
  • 17 July
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • Health Secretary Sajid Javid tests positive for the virus.[256]
      • Welsh lockdown rules ease further, allowing six people to meet in private homes and holiday accommodation, while organised indoor events can include 1,000 seated and up to 200 standing. Ice rinks are also allowed to reopen.[257]
    • Four people are arrested as a protest by Animal Rebellion continues outside one of McDonald's main UK suppliers.[258][259]
    • Northern Ireland experiences its hottest day on record, reaching 31.2 °C in County Down, above the previous high of 30.8 °C set in the summers of 1976 and 1983.[260]
  • 19 July
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • Most remaining legal restrictions on social contact in England are removed.[261]
      • Restrictions are further relaxed in Scotland with changes including 15 people from different households being allowed to meet outdoors, 8 adults indoors and 10 at a pub or restaurant. Booking restrictions at catering facilities are also relaxed and soft play centres can reopen.[262]
      • The COVID-19 vaccine roll out is expanded to many more under 18s in the UK. Based on scientific advice, the minimum age for vaccinating vulnerable adolescents or those who live with adults that are in a high risk group is reduced from 16 to 12. All young people will now also be eligible for their first dose three months before their 18th birthday.[263]
    • The Met Office issues its first ever "Amber Extreme Heat Warning", as temperatures exceed 30 °C across large swathes of the UK, with conditions expected to continue for several days.[264][265]
    • The FTSE 100 falls by 150 points, dropping below the 7000 mark and to its lowest level for several months, as part of a global sell-off.[266][267]
    • Thousands of racehorses are killed in slaughterhouses.[268]
    • Iceland and Greene King shut sites due to staff being forced to isolate by the NHS COVID-19 app.[269]
  • 21 July
    • Liverpool is stripped of its UNESCO World Heritage status after developments along the city's waterfront.[270]
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Retail industry leaders warn of supermarkets being under increasing pressure to keep shelves fully stocked, due to thousands of shop workers having to self-isolate.[271]
  • 22 July
  • 25 July
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Health Secretary Sajid Javid is criticised for using the word "cower" when he tweeted "Please – if you haven’t yet – get your jab, as we learn to live with, rather than cower from, this virus".[274] He later deletes the tweet and issues a public apology.
    • 2021 European floods: Torrential rain causes flooding in many parts of London. East London's Whipps Cross and Newham hospitals declare major incidents, and tell patients to use other A&Es for urgent care, while ambulances are redirected.[275]
  • 27 July – COVID-19 in the UK: The daily number of new infections falls for the seventh day in a row, roughly halving from the previous week to 23,511. However, 131 deaths are reported, the highest figure since March.[276]
  • 28 July
  • 29 July
  • 30 July – The High Court of England and Wales rules that the approval of the Stonehenge road tunnel was unlawful[284]

August

[edit]
  • 1 August – Four of the eight cooling towers at Eggborough power station, a former coal power plant in Yorkshire, are demolished.[285]
  • 4 August – COVID-19 in the UK: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommends that all 16 and 17-year-olds should be offered a first vaccine dose, meaning 1.4 million teenagers would be eligible.[286] The rollout begins two days later.[287]
  • 7 August – COVID-19 in the UK: With some exceptions, such as compulsory mask wearing in certain settings, most remaining pandemic related restrictions conclude in Wales.[288]
  • 9 August
    • COVID-19 in the UK: The bulk of pandemic related restrictions are removed in Scotland. Rules that remain include compulsory mask wearing in some locations and restrictions surrounding the administration of schools in the early part of the new academic year.[289]
    • The UK imposes a new package of trade, financial and aviation sanctions on Belarus, in response to continued human rights violations and the undermining of democracy by the Lukashenko regime.[290]
  • 10 August
  • 12 August – Six people, including the suspected gunman, are killed in a shooting in Plymouth. It is the first fatal mass shooting in the UK since 2010.[294]
  • 13 August – Boris Johnson chairs a COBRA meeting to discuss the Taliban offensive in Afghanistan.[295]
  • 16 August – Well known stand-up comedian and 8 Out of 10 Cats team captain Sean Lock dies aged 58 from advanced lung cancer having been diagnosed with the disease a few years prior to his death
  • 17 August
  • 18 August
    • Parliament is recalled from its summer recess to discuss the situation in Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban.[298]
    • The government announces a citizens' resettlement scheme for 5,000 Afghan nationals who are at risk due to the current crisis, which could be expanded to 20,000 in the longer term.[299]
  • 19 August – COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: Health Secretary Sajid Javid announces a vaccine booster scheme, with adults over 50 likely to be offered a third dose, beginning in September with the most vulnerable groups.[300]
  • 20 August
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Ronapreve, a monoclonal antibody treatment to prevent and treat COVID-19, is approved by the MHRA. It is shown to lower hospitalisation or mortality by 70% and to shorten the duration of symptoms by four days.[301]
    • The SNP and Scottish Greens announce a new power sharing arrangement, which includes a commitment to hold a referendum on Scottish independence after the Covid pandemic has passed and within the next five years.[302]
  • 22 August – The two chimney stacks, the main boiler house and bunker bay are demolished in a controlled demolition at Ferrybridge Power Station in Knottingley, West Yorkshire.
  • 23 August – COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The government agrees a contract for 35 million more doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, to be administered in 2022.[303][304]
  • 27 August – The last evacuation flight for British nationals and Afghans who are eligible for resettlement in the UK leaves Hamid Karzai International Airport.[305] The UK government later confirms that all British soldiers, diplomats and other officials have been removed from Afghanistan by the following day.[306]
  • 31 August – BBC journalist Sarah Rainsford returns to the UK after being permanently expelled from Russia for "the protection of the security of Russia".[307]

September

[edit]

October

[edit]
  • 5 October – Flooding hits parts of London following torrential rain overnight, with Knightsbridge and Kensington particularly badly affected.[334]
  • 6 October
    • The £20 weekly increase to Universal Credit is withdrawn, 18 months after its introduction.[335]
    • Amazon opens its first non-food store in the UK, at Bluewater Shopping Centre near Dartford.[336]
    • Boris Johnson delivers his speech to the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, his first in-person address to Tory members since the COVID-19 pandemic.[337]
    • The natural gas trading price rises to its highest ever level, increasing by 37% in the morning, recovering later in the day to finish 9% down on the day's starting price.[338][339]
  • 7 October – After an agreement fell through in 2020 with owner Mike Ashley, Saudi-led consortium Public Investment Fund buys 80% of Newcastle United's shares worth £300m, making Newcastle the richest British football club, surpassing Manchester City.[340]
  • 9 October – COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The number of people receiving a third vaccine dose exceeds 2 million.[341]
  • 10 October – The four remaining cooling towers at Eggborough Power Station are demolished with explosives.
  • 11 October – A question on sexual activities in areas with widespread HIV transmission will be removed following recommendations to make blood donation inclusive.[342]
  • 12 October – COVID-19 in the UK: A joint report from the Health & Social Care and Science and Technology Select Committee describes the decisions on lockdowns and social distancing during the early weeks of the pandemic, and the advice that led to them, as "one of the most important public health failures the UK has ever experienced", and the vaccination approach, including its research, development, and rollout as "one of the most effective initiatives in UK history".[343]
  • 14 October
    • In a BBC interview about the Earthshot Prize, Prince William talks about "climate anxiety" among younger generations, and suggests that rich entrepreneurs should be "trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live".[344]
    • North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott resigns following comments surrounding the murder of Sarah Everard.[345]
  • 15 October
    • Conservative MP Sir David Amess dies after being stabbed multiple times during his constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea.[346] Police arrest a 25-year-old male British national, and treat the killing as an act of terror.[347]
    • COVID-19 in the UK: NHS Test and Trace suspends testing provided by a private laboratory in Wolverhampton amid fears up to 43,000 people were given the wrong result for COVID-19 tests. The Health Security Agency announces it will hold a 'serious incident investigation' into the matter.[348]
    • The contactless payment limit is increased from £45 to £100.[349]
  • 18 October – A minute's silence is held for Sir David Amess in the House of Commons. Boris Johnson pays tribute to Amess and announces that Southend-on-Sea will become a city, a status which the murdered MP had long campaigned for.[350]
  • 19 October
    • Tesco opens its first checkout-free store, known as GetGo, similar in format to the automated Amazon Go stores.[351]
    • The government announces grants of £5,000 to replace old gas boilers with heat pumps and other low-carbon technology, as part of its plan to phase out the sale of new gas boilers by 2035. Experts criticise the plans as unambitious, given that only 90,000 heat pumps will be installed over three years, out of 25 million homes with gas boilers.[352]
  • 20 October – COVID-19 in the UK: In a Downing Street press conference, Sajid Javid announces the securing of two new antiviral drug deals for the UK. He warns that daily case numbers could reach 100,000 and urges the public to remain cautious.[353]
  • 21 October
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • With daily infections above 40,000 for eight consecutive days, the British Medical Association accuses the government of being "wilfully negligent" for not reimposing rules such as mandatory face masks.[354]
      • The number of daily infections exceeds 50,000 for the first time since July.[355]
  • 24 October – COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The number of people receiving a third vaccine dose exceeds 5 million. The NHS reports 325,000 booster jabs administered on Saturday, a new record number.[356]
  • 25 October – London's Ultra Low Emission Zone is expanded by 18 times, to include the area within the North and South Circular Roads.[357]
  • 26 October – Following a recent overnight stay in hospital, Buckingham Palace confirms that the Queen will be unable to attend the upcoming COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow.[358]
  • 27 October
    • Police make 31 arrests as members of Insulate Britain glue themselves to roads around London and Kent.[359]
    • The Budget: Chancellor Rishi Sunak presents his autumn statement, designed to help the UK emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes a £150bn increase in departmental spending, an increase in the National Living Wage from £8.91 to £9.50, a cut in the Universal Credit taper rate from 63% to 55%, and the biggest cut to business rates in over 30 years.[360][361]
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Labour leader Keir Starmer goes into self-isolation after testing positive for coronavirus. Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves takes his place at the despatch box in the House of Commons.[362]
  • 28 October
    • At the Old Bailey, Danyal Hussein is sentenced to a minimum of 35 years in prison for the murders of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman, two sisters he stabbed to death at random in Wembley Park.[363][364]
    • Sidney Cooke, 94, one of the UK's most notorious paedophiles and serial killers, is denied parole for the tenth time. Cooke was jailed for life with a minimum five-year term in 1999 for the abuse of two brothers.[365]
  • 31 October

November

[edit]
  • 3 November – After the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards found that Conservative MP Owen Paterson breached lobbying rules, with a recommended 30-day suspension, the House of Commons votes by 250 to 232 to postpone the decision whilst a review of the investigating watchdog is undertaken.[371][372]
  • 4 November
    • Owen Paterson steps down as an MP after 24 years in politics, calling the past two years "an indescribable nightmare for my family and me".[373]
    • Former Labour MP Claudia Webbe is given a 10-week sentence, suspended for two years, after being convicted of harassment.[374]
    • Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg, announces that the planned overhaul of the standards system will not, in fact, go ahead without cross-party support.[375][376]
    • COVID-19 in the UK: The UK becomes the first country in the world to approve molnupiravir, an oral antiviral pill for COVID-19 that cuts the risk of hospitalisation or death by half.[377]
  • 7 November – COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The number of people receiving a third vaccine dose exceeds 10 million.[378]
  • 9 November – Footballer Marcus Rashford is awarded an MBE for his campaigning to help vulnerable children.[379]
  • 11 November – A record daily number of migrant crossings between France and the UK is reported, with around 1,000 people intercepted by border patrols. The cumulative total of 23,000 for the year is far higher than previous years.[380]
  • 14 November
    • The Queen expresses her "great regret" at missing the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph in London after spraining her back.[381]
    • COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The number of children aged between 12 and 15 having received a first vaccine dose exceeds one million.[382]
    • COP26: Following the conclusion of the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Boris Johnson appears at No 10 for a press conference with Alok Sharma. He describes the deal secured by world leaders as a "game-changing agreement" which sounds "the death knell for coal power".[383]
    • Three men are arrested under the Terrorism Act after a car explodes outside Liverpool Women's Hospital, killing one man and injuring another.[384]
  • 15 November
    • The UK terror threat level is raised from substantial to severe, meaning an attack is "highly likely", after the Liverpool Women's Hospital bombing.[385]
    • COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The JCVI announces that the booster jab programme should be extended to those aged 40 to 49. It also recommends that 16 and 17 year olds, who were initially offered only a single dose, should now get a second.[386]
  • 16 November – Ex-Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq tells the Culture and Sport Committee he was treated in an "inhuman" way by his club when his unborn son died, as he gives evidence to MPs about racism, saying it is "institutional in cricket".[387]
  • 17 November – The UK inflation rate hits 4.2%, its highest level for 10 years and more than double the Bank of England's target, driven mainly by higher fuel and energy prices.[388]
  • 18 November – High Speed 2: The government announces that the HS2 sections to Leeds from both the East Midlands and Manchester will be scrapped in favour of an earlier upgrade to the existing route between Manchester and Leeds. The transport secretary, Grant Shapps says the plan is "ambitious and unparalleled" and that it reduces journey times from Manchester to Leeds from 55 to 33 minutes, and from Birmingham to Nottingham by more than an hour to 26 minutes. The £96bn plans are criticised by shadow transport secretary, Jim McMahon, who says in the Commons that the government has broken its promise and "completely sold out" the north.[389]
  • 24 November – November 2021 English Channel disaster: An inflatable dinghy carrying 30 migrants capsizes while attempting to reach the UK from France, resulting in 27 deaths and one missing. The victims include a pregnant woman and three children. The incident is the deadliest of its kind on record.[390]
  • 25 November
  • 26 November
    • Hamas is proscribed in its entirety as a terrorist organisation.[393]
    • A feasibility study into the proposed Irish Sea Bridge concludes that such a route is technically possible, but would cost up to £335bn and require 30 years to construct. A tunnel option is put at £209bn.[394][395]
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Amid international concerns over B.1.1.529, a highly mutated variant of COVID-19 that appears more infectious than Delta, six countries in Southern Africa are placed on the UK's travel red list. The government confirms that no cases have yet been detected in the UK.[396][397]
    • Two people are killed as Storm Arwen hits the British Isles. Widespread damage and travel disruption is reported in Scotland and North East England, with 100,000 people losing power.[398]
  • 27 November – COVID-19 in the UK: Two cases of B.1.1.529, now designated by the WHO as the Omicron variant, are reported in the UK.[399] Johnson holds a press conference at Downing Street with Sir Patrick Vallance and Professor Chris Whitty, in which the public are told that all international arrivals entering England must take a PCR test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result, while all contacts of suspected Omicron cases must self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status. It is also announced that face coverings will become compulsory on public transport and in shops (excluding hospitality) from 30 November.[400]
  • 30 November – The Queen congratulates Barbados as it becomes a republic, meaning she is no longer its head of state. The country remains part of the Commonwealth of Nations.[401]

December

[edit]
  • 1 December – The British Armed Forces announces that it will now allow those with HIV and taking antiretrovirals to serve, with those diagnosed to be allowed without restrictions from spring 2022, ending a barrier for such individuals. Medications will also be freely available for such personnel.[402][403]
  • 2 December – COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The government orders 114 million more doses, 60 million of the Moderna vaccine and 54 million of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, to use in 2022 and 2023.[404]
  • 3 December
    • Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes are jailed over the torture and killing of Hughes' six-year-old son, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. Hughes, found guilty of his manslaughter, is jailed for 21 years. His partner Tustin, found guilty of murdering the boy, receives a minimum of 29 years.[405]
    • COVID-19 in the UK: The number of confirmed cases of Omicron in the UK exceeds 100. The Health Security Agency publishes a risk assessment of the new variant.[406]
  • 4 December – The Attorney-General announces a review of the sentences given to Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes to "determine whether they were too low".[407]
  • 5 December – Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng visits North East England where thousands of homes remain without power more than a week after Storm Arwen. The Army and Royal Marines continue to deliver supplies to affected residents, as power firms work to repair the last outages.[408]
  • 6 December – COVID-19 in the UK: Sajid Javid confirms that community transmission of the Omicron variant, i.e. not linked to international travel, is occurring across multiple regions.[409]
  • 7 December – Severe weather warnings are issued for most of the UK as Storm Barra makes landfall.[410]
  • 8 December
    • COVID-19 in the UK: "Plan B" is announced by Boris Johnson, which introduces further restrictions on social gatherings. This includes a requirement to work from home wherever possible, the use of face coverings extended to include more venues, and the NHS Covid Pass or a negative lateral flow test for entry to crowded events (subject to parliamentary approval).[411]
    • COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The booster jab program opens to over-40s, meaning an extra seven million people can get a third vaccine dose.[412]
    • Former Downing Street Press Secretary Allegra Stratton resigns as government spokesperson for COP26, after footage emerges of her and colleagues during a mock press conference on 22 December 2020, making joking references to an alleged Christmas gathering in 10 Downing Street four days earlier. Boris Johnson apologises for the video in the House of Commons during Prime Minister's Questions, with opposition parties criticising him.[413] An investigation is launched by Simon Case.[414]
  • 9 December
    • The Conservative Party is fined £17,800 by the Electoral Commission after failing to accurately report a donation that paid for Johnson's flat refurbishment, and for failing to keep a proper accounting record.[415][416]
    • The official investigation into government staff parties, alleged to have taken place during lockdown in late 2020, is widened to include a total of three events. Labour calls for Johnson to resign if he is found to have misled Parliament on the issue.[417]
    • Longannet power station, the last remaining coal-fired power station in Scotland, is demolished.[418]
  • 10 December
    • The High Court rules that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can be extradited from the UK to the US.[419]
    • COVID-19 in the UK: The daily infection number reaches the highest level since January, at 58,194.[420]
  • 12 December
    • The Daily Mirror publishes a leaked photo of Johnson at a virtual Christmas quiz in Downing Street on 15 December 2020, sitting in-person with two colleagues, when London was under COVID-19 lockdown rules that prohibited household mixing.[421][422]
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • The COVID alert level is increased to four, meaning transmission is "high or rising exponentially", due to a rapid increase in Omicron cases.[423] An additional 1,239 Omicron cases are reported, marking the biggest daily rise to date and bringing the total confirmed number in the UK to 3,137.[424]
      • In a televised address, Johnson warns of "a tidal wave of Omicron coming" as he brings forward a target to give all over-18s a booster jab by one month to the end of December. This will mean the booster jab rollout needing to increase to a million a day, he explains, nearly doubling the current 530,000 daily figure.[425]
  • 13 December
  • 14 December – COVID-19 in the UK: Passes for entry to large venues like nightclubs in England win the backing of MPs by 369 votes to 126, despite a rebellion by Conservative backbenchers.[429]
  • 15 December
    • Inflation reaches 5.1%, up from 4.2% the previous month and its highest level in 10 years.[430]
    • A leaked photo emerges of former London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey and 23 colleagues holding a gathering at the Conservative headquarters in London, during the COVID-19 restrictions of December 2020, provoking allegations that the restrictions had been broken.[431][432] However, on 11 November 2022, the police clear Bailey, and all others in attendance at the gathering, of any wrongdoing.[433]
    • COVID-19 in the UK: The UK records its highest number of daily cases since the pandemic began, at 78,610.[434]
  • 16 December
  • 17 December – Simon Case recuses himself from his role of leading an inquiry into alleged government staff parties during lockdown, after it is reported that a similar event was also held in his own office.[438]
  • 18 December
  • 19 December
    • Piers Corbyn is arrested by the Metropolitan Police after a video emerges of him urging people to "hammer to death those scum, those scum who have decided to go ahead with introducing new fascism", as well as suggesting that the offices of MPs who had voted for COVID-19 restrictions should be burned down.[441]
    • The Guardian publishes a photo of Boris Johnson, his wife, and 17 staff members in the Downing Street garden with cheese and wine in May 2020, at a time when large social gatherings were prohibited due to COVID-19. Johnson's spokesman tells the newspaper that the photo shows a work meeting, not a social event.[442][443]
  • 20 December
  • 22 December
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • Another record high of 106,122 new infections is reported, the first time the daily case number has exceeded 100,000.[445]
      • Preliminary studies of the Omicron variant suggest that it could be milder than Delta, with a 30% to 70% reduction in those needing hospital treatment; however, the increased transmissibility may still overwhelm hospitals, through the sheer number of cases.[446]
  • 23 December – COVID-19 in the UK: Another record high of 119,789 new infections is reported.[447]
  • 28 December – COVID-19 in the UK: Another record high of 129,471 new infections is reported.[448]
  • 30 December
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Another record high of 189,213 new infections is reported, which includes a five-day Christmas backlog for Northern Ireland, and a two-day backlog for Wales.[449]
    • A 16-year-old boy dies after being stabbed in Hillingdon, West London, making him the 30th teenage homicide in the capital during 2021, surpassing the previous record high of 29 in 2008.[450]
  • 31 December
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
    • The warmest New Year's Eve on record is reported, with temperatures of 15.8 °C (60.4 °F) in western England.[455]
    • The newly restored clock face of Big Ben is revealed in time for the new year, following a renovation that began in 2017.[456]

Undated

[edit]
  • A majority (51.3%) of babies born this year are to mothers who are not married or in a civil partnership at the date of birth for the first time since UK registration began in 1845, continuing a long-term trend.[457]

Births

[edit]

Deaths

[edit]
Further information: Category:2021 deaths and Deaths in 2021
Deaths
January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December

January

[edit]
Main article: Deaths in January 2021
Sir Brian Urquhart in 2006
Gerry Marsden in 2011
Colin Bell in 1969
John Richardson in the film L'anatra all'arancia in 1975
Michael Apted in 2013
Eve Branson in 2013
Tosh Chamberlain
Storm Constantine in 2016
Andy Gray
Gordon McVie
John Russell in 2010
Robert Rowland in 2019
Hilton Valentine
Sophie

February

[edit]
Main article: Deaths in February 2021
Captain Sir Tom Moore
Harry Fielder
Andrew Fraser, Baron Fraser of Corriegarth in 2018

March

[edit]
Main article: Deaths in March 2021
Ian St John in 1966
Chris Barber in 2010
Murray Walker in 2009

April

[edit]
Main article: Deaths in April 2021
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Shirley Williams in 2014
Helen McCrory in 2015

May

[edit]
Main article: Deaths in May 2021
Sir Leslie Marr in 2019
Kenneth Mayhew in 2011
Ron Hill in 1975
Max Mosley in 1969

June

[edit]
Main article: Deaths in June 2021
Gordon Dunne
John McAfee in 2016

July

[edit]
Main article: Deaths in July 2021
Paul Mariner in 2010
Carmel Budiardjo in 1973

August

[edit]
Main article: Deaths in August 2021
Abdalqadir as-Sufi in 2007
Pat Hitchcock in 1996
Una Stubbs in 2015
Sean Lock in 2008
Sir Peter Harding in 1993
Dame Elizabeth Blackadder in 2012
Charlie Watts in 2008

September

[edit]
Main article: Deaths in September 2021
Sarah Harding in 2012
Matthew Strachan in 2016
Sir Clive Sinclair in 1992
John Challis in 2013
Jimmy Greaves in 2007
Roger Hunt in 1966

October

[edit]
Main article: Deaths in October 2021
James Brokenshire in 2020
Sir David Amess in 2020
George Butler in 2004
Christopher Wenner in 2019
Dorothy Manley in 1950

November

[edit]
Main article: Deaths in November 2021
Lionel Blair in 2010
Jack Vitty

December

[edit]
Main article: Deaths in December 2021
Alan Clive Roberts
Bill McKenzie, Baron McKenzie of Luton in 2020

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
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