Events from the year 2007 in the United Kingdom.
Incumbents Monarch – Elizabeth II Prime Minister Tony Blair (Labour) (until 27 June) Gordon Brown (Labour) (from 27 June)
Events
January 1 January – Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures airs on CBBC television starring Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith. 3 January National Express coach accident: A National Express coach from London Heathrow Airport to Aberdeen, Scotland crashes on a slip road between the M4 and the M25, killing two people and injuring thirty-six others.Two dead after M-way coach crash, BBC News On 4 January, in response, National Express withdraw all 12 of their Neoplan Skyliner double-decker coaches as a precaution.Coach crash firm withdraw buses, BBC News Celebrity Big Brother 5 is launched on Channel 4, with celebrities such as Jermaine Jackson, Dirk Benedict and Leo Sayer.Big Brother launch watched by 7m, BBC News 5 January The England cricket team loses the fifth Ashes test in Sydney, Australia by 10 wickets, resulting in a 5–0 series whitewash, the first time this has occurred since the 1920–1921 Ashes Tour.Australia complete series whitewash, BBC Sport Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy: Umran Javed, a British Muslim, is found guilty at the Old Bailey, London, of inciting racial hatred at a London rally in February 2006 protesting against the publication of a cartoon in a Danish newspaper depicting Muhammad.Cartoons protester found guilty, BBC News 7 January Bristol International Airport closes its runway due to concerns by various airlines (including easyJet and BA Connect) over the safety of landing in wet weather. This follows two days of nine airlines refusing to use the runway.Bristol runway shut in safety row, BBC News Laura Pearce becomes the first contestant on Channel 4 television show Deal or No Deal to win the top prize of £250,000 since the start of the show on 31 October 2005. It has taken until the 351st attempt for the top prize to be won.First Deal or No Deal jackpot won, BBC News 9 January – New rules outlawing businesses from discriminating against homosexuals are held in the House of Lords, after a failed challenge by Lord Morrow of the Democratic Unionist Party.Gay rights laws challenge fails, BBC News 10–28 January – John Reid faces mounting problems continuing from those of his predecessors including further prisoner escapes especially from open prisons and also absconding of those under Control Orders 10 January – Two military helicopters collide in mid-air near Market Drayton, Shropshire, killing one person and injuring three others.One dead as helicopters collide, BBC News 11 January – In an unexpected move, the Bank of England raises interest rates to 5.25%, an increase of 0.25%. This is the third rise in five months, after a year of stability. 16 January – At the 64th Golden Globe Awards, Helen Mirren wins an award for her portrayal of Elizabeth II in The Queen and Sacha Baron Cohen for his role in Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Other British winners are Hugh Laurie in House and Jeremy Irons in Elizabeth I. 17 January It is announced that methamphetamine – otherwise known as crystal meth – will be reclassified to a Class A drug, to avert widespread use of the drug. Protests are held in India and the UK against the British series of Celebrity Big Brother after Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd and Jo O'Meara are alleged to be racially abusive to Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty. 18 January – The UK is hit by torrential rain and gale-force winds, part of European storm Kyrill, resulting in the deaths of at least nine people and causing havoc to public transport and electricity supplies. 20 January – The British-registered container ship MSC Napoli, abandoned in storm Kyrill, is deliberately grounded to prevent it sinking, leading to concern about environmental damage to Branscombe beach in Devon. 26 January – News International phone hacking scandal: The News of the World's royal editor Clive Goodman is jailed for four months having pleaded guilty to phone message interception charges. 27 January – The final edition of Grandstand, the flagship BBC sports programme, is aired after nearly 50 years on television screens.
February 1 February Defence Secretary Des Browne announces that the UK forces in Southern Afghanistan will be boosted by 800. Passenger duty for flights from the UK double."Air tax increase comes into force" BBC News Downing Street officials reveal that Tony Blair has been interviewed as a witness by police on 26 January in connection with the Cash-for-honours allegations. 3 February – The presence of the H5N1 virus in the avian flu outbreak at the Holton turkey plant in Suffolk is confirmed.Timeline: Bird flu in the UK BBC News 3 February 2007 11 February The British Academy Film Awards are held; winners include Helen Mirren for Best Actress."Mirren adds Bafta to awards haul" The England cricket team defeat Australia to win their first overseas One-Day International trophy since 1997.Commonwealth Bank Series BBC Sport 11 February 2007 23 February – Grayrigg rail crash: A Virgin Trains Pendolino train derails in Cumbria, killing one person and injuring dozens more.One dead in Cumbria train crash BBC News 23 February 2007
March 2 March – The Attorney General for England and Wales, Lord Goldsmith, obtains an injunction from the High Court preventing the BBC from broadcasting an item about investigations into the alleged cash for honours political scandal."Attorney general halts BBC probe", BBC News) 4 March – Two British soldiers serving with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan are killed in Helmand Province during clashes with Taliban forces."UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan", BBC News 5 March Al-Qaeda threatens to kidnap or kill Prince Harry during his upcoming tour of duty in Iraq.Wikinews A search party in Ethiopia finds the vehicles belonging to five Britons kidnapped in the country."Kidnapped Britons' vehicles found", BBC News 7 March 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election: The DUP and Sinn Féin make gains, while their respective more moderate counterparts, the UUP and the SDLP, suffer falls in support. The election is conducted using the single transferable vote applied to six seater constituencies, each of which corresponds to a UK parliamentary seat."Northern Ireland politics ", BBC News Reform of the House of Lords: A majority of MPs express support for a fully elected House of Lords in a House of Commons vote. A smaller majority support an 80% elected, 20% appointed chamber. Other options with a lower elected component are rejected. The proposals were put forward by Leader of the House of Commons Jack Straw, who describes the votes as "a historic step forward"."MPs back all-elected Lords plan", BBC News Jonathan Evans is announced as the next Director General of MI5. Evans is currently Deputy Director-General and will take over in April following the retirement of Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller."MI5 deputy to take over as head", BBC News 9 March – Results from the Northern Ireland Assembly election showed the DUP and Sinn Féin making gains, and ensuring that in order for direct rule to cease both parties must agree to co-operate in a powersharing Executive."Time 'critical' for NI devolution", BBC News 11 March – The Ariane 5 rocket carrying the new generation Skynet 5 military satellite system is launched successfully from Kourou in French Guiana at 22:03 GMT."British Skynet satellite launched", BBC News 12 March Nigel Griffiths resigns as the Deputy Leader of the House of Commons over the proposed expansion of the Trident missile program."Griffiths quits over Trident", The Scotsman The BBC's correspondent in the Gaza Strip, Alan Johnston, who is the only foreign reporter from a major media organisation based in Gaza, is kidnapped. All the main Palestinian militant groups call for his release."Fears for BBC Gaza correspondent", BBC News 13 March Five British Embassy workers who were kidnapped in Ethiopia twelve days ago are set free in neighbouring Eritrea. A draft Climate Change Bill is published, outlining a framework for achieving a mandatory 60% cut in carbon emissions by 2050."'Binding' carbon targets proposed", BBC News 14 March – The government wins the support of the House of Commons to update the Trident missile system. There is a significant revolt within the Labour Party with two PPSs Stephen Pound and Chris Ruane resigning."Labour rebels vote against Blair on Trident", UK Telegraph 15 March – Sally Clark, the woman who spent four years in prison before being released in 2003 when the High Court cleared her of killing her two baby sons (victims of cot death), dies at the age of 42. On 7 November an inquest in Essex hears that she died of "acute alcohol intoxication". 16 March – Coroner Andrew Walker finds the death of soldier Matty Hull in the 190th Fighter Squadron, Blues and Royals friendly fire incident to have been "unlawful and criminal"."'Friendly fire' killing unlawful", BBC News The US Department of State rejects this ruling."US rejects ruling on UK soldier", BBC News 17 March Pop four piece Scooch controversially wins the right to represent the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki, Finland. The Making Your Mind Up selection show is marred by co-host Terry Wogan announcing French songstress Cyndi Almouzni as the winner, whereas Fearne Cotton announces Scooch as winning. The final results show Scooch having received 53% compared to Cyndi's 47%. The rebuilt Wembley Stadium opens, more than six years after its predecessor was closed. 19 March – The children's pre-school television series In the Night Garden... premieres on BBC Two. 21 March Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown announces the 2007 budget. Major points include a cut in the basic income tax rate from 22p to 20p, the abolition of the lower 10p income tax rate, and a 2p cut in corporation tax. Two British sailors die and a third is injured as a result of an accident on the nuclear submarine in the Arctic Ocean. 23 March – 2007 Iranian arrest of Royal Navy personnel: fifteen Royal Navy servicemen operating in disputed waters are seized by Iranian authorities after inspecting a ship suspected of smuggling. 26 March – Northern Ireland peace process: Members of the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin, led by Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams, meet face-to face for the first time, and agree a timetable for implementing the St Andrews Agreement."NI deal struck in historic talks", BBC News 30 March – Network Rail, the replacement for Railtrack, is fined £4 million for health and safety breaches leading to the 1999 Ladbroke Grove rail crash, in which 31 people died."Network Rail fined £4m for Paddington crash", Guardian Mr. Bean's Holiday is released to theatres.
April 2 April – A smoking ban comes into effect in all enclosed public places in Wales. 4 April President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announces that the 15 British sailors held by Iran are to be freed as a "gift" to the United Kingdom. 2007 AS Roma–Manchester United F.C. conflict: violence erupts during a UEFA Champions League game between Manchester United and AS Roma."Fans in hospital after violence", BBC News 5 April – Four British soldiers are killed in a bomb blast near the Iraqi city of Basra."Four UK soldiers killed in Iraq", BBC News 12 April – The anchor handling tug supply vessel Bourbon Dolphin capsizes in the North Sea. Three people die and four are missing."Three dead after vessel capsizes", BBC News 15 April – Two UK military helicopters collide near the town of Taji near Baghdad, killing two soldiers."Dozens dead, wounded in bombings across Iraq" AP/CNN