1993 in the United Kingdom
Events from the year 1993 in the United Kingdom.
Incumbents
Events
January
- January - The economy grew in the final quarter of last year - the second successive quarter of economic growth - but the recovery was still too weak for the end of the recession to be declared.[1]
- 1 January - Teletext Ltd. launches a new Teletext service on ITV and Channel 4, replacing the 14-year-old ORACLE teletext service.[2]
- 8 January - Ford unveils its new Mondeo, a range of large hatchbacks, saloons and estates which will reach showrooms on 22 March as replacement for the long-running Sierra.
- 10 January - British newspapers carry reports that Princess Diana wants a divorce from Prince Charles, despite the announcement of their separation last month stating that there were no plans for a divorce.
- 11 January - British Airways admits liability and apologises "unreservedly" for an alleged "dirty tricks" campaign against Virgin Atlantic.[3]
- 13 January - Wayne Edwards, a 26-year-old Lance Corporal, becomes the first British fatality in the conflict in Bosnia, former Yugoslavia.[4]
- 17 January - Bookmakers cut their odds on the monarchy being abolished by the year 2000 from 100 to 1 to 50 to 1.
- 21 January - Unemployment has increased for the 31st month running, but is still just short of the 3,000,000 total that was last seen nearly six years ago. Economists warn that it could hit a new high of more than 3,500,000 by the end of this year. However, the Conservatives have still managed to cut Labour's lead in the opinion polls from 13 points to eight points, according to the latest MORI poll.[3]
- 26 January - The Bank of England lowers interest rates to 6% - the lowest since 1978.
February
- 1 February - Economists warn that unemployment could reach a new high of 3,400,000 this year.
- 14 February - Unemployment is reported to be increasing quicker in Tory seats than in Labour ones.
- 15 February - The number of unfit homes in Britain is reported to have increased from 900,000 to more than 1,300,000 between 1986 and 1991.
- 17 February - Shadow chancellor Gordon Brown claims that a Labour government could reduce taxatation - a dramatic turn for a party known for high taxation.
- 18 February - Unemployment has reached 3,000,000 (and a rate of 10.6%) for the first time in six years.
- 19 February - Judith Chaplin, Conservative MP for Newbury in Berkshire, dies suddenly at the age of 53 after less than a year in parliament.
- 20 February - Economists are now warning that unemployment could rise as high at 3,500,000 within the next year.
- 25 February - A MORI poll shows that 80% of Britons are dissatisfied with the way that John Major is running the country, and nearly 50% believe that the economy will get worse during this year.
March
- 16 March - Chancellor Norman Lamont unveils a budget plan which is centred on economic recovery, together with phased introduction of Value Added Tax on domestic fuel bills (8% for 1994). This will be the last Spring budget.
- 19 March - Unemployment has fallen for the first time since May 1990, now standing at 2,970,000, sparking hopes that the recession is nearly over.
- 20 March - Warrington bomb attacks: An IRA bomb on Warrington, Cheshire, claims the life of three-year-old Jonathan Ball and injures more than 50 other people.[5]
- 25 March - The IRA attack on Warrington claims its second victim when 12-year-old Timothy Parry dies in hospital from his injuries.[5]
April
May
- 7 May - The Conservatives lose a 12,357 majority in the Newbury by-election, with the Liberal Democrats gaining the seat by 22,055 votes under new MP David Rendel. The Tory majority now stands at 19 seats.
- 13 May - Robert Adley, Conservative MP for Christchurch in Dorset, dies from a heart attack aged 58.
- 14 May - The economic recovery continues as business failures are reported to have fallen for the second quarter running.
- 20 May - The latest MORI poll shows that the Conservative government has yet to benefit from bringing the economy out of recession, as they trail Labour (who have 44% of the vote) by 16 points.[5]
- 22 May - Inflation reaches a 29-year low of 1.3%.
- 27 May - Kenneth Clarke succeeds Norman Lamont as Chancellor.
June
- 17 June - Unemployment now stands at less than 2,900,000 after the fourth successive monthly fall.
- 20 June - A high speed train makes the first journey from France to England via the Channel Tunnel, which will open to the public next year.
- 21 June - Andrew Wiles announces a proof to Fermat's Last Theorem at the Isaac Newton Institute. The proof is slightly flawed, but Wiles announces a revised proof the following year.
- 24 June
- Northern Ireland Minister Michael Mates resigns over links with fugitive tycoon Asil Nadir.[9]
- Despite the recent end of the recession, support for the Conservative government has failed to recover, with the latest MORI poll showing that Labour has an 18-point lead over them with 46% of the vote.[6]
- 30 June - Michael Hunt, former deputy chairman of Nissan UK, is jailed for eight years for his involvement in Britain's worst case of tax fraud.
July
August
- 11 August - The Department of Health reveals that the number of people on hospital waiting lists has reached 1,000,000 for the first time.
September
- 3 September - The UK Independence Party, which supports breakaway from the European Union, is formed.[13]
- 16 September - Unemployment has risen for the second month running, now standing at 2,922,100 (10.4% of the workforce), sparking fears that the economic recovery could be stalling and the economy could soon slide back into recession just months after coming out of it.
- 17 September - The British National Party wins its first council seat on Tower Hamlets.[14]
- 19 September - Production of the Ford Orion compact saloon ends.
- 30 September - The Queen approves an honorary knighthood for General Colin Powell, who retired yesterday as chief of American armed forces.
October
November
December
- 3 December - Diana, Princess of Wales, announces her withdrawal from public life.[16]
- 9 December - Despite the steady economic recovery, the Conservative government is now 18 points behind Labour (who have 47% of the vote) in the latest MORI poll. The Liberal Democrats have also eaten into their support and now have 20% of the vote.[7]
- 10 December - Richard J. Roberts wins the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly with Phillip Allen Sharp "for their discoveries of split genes".[17]
- 14 December - Yasser Arafat makes his first official visit to Britain.
- 15 December - The Downing Street Declaration signed between the UK and Irish governments on the future of Northern Ireland.[18]
- 25 December - The Queen speaks of her hopes for peace in Northern Ireland in her Christmas Day speech.
- 29 December - The IRA vows to fight on against the British presence in Northern Ireland.
Undated
Publications
Births
Deaths
- 17 January - Albert Hourani, historian (born 1915)
- 20 January - Audrey Hepburn, actress (born 1929)
- 18 February - Jacqueline Hill, actress (born 1929)
- 24 February - Bobby Moore, footballer (born 1941)
- 3 March - Tony Bland, man injured at Hillsborough disaster in 1989 who was allowed to die after a landmark legal challenge by his family (born 1970)
- 9 March - C. Northcote Parkinson, historian (born 1909)
- 17 March - Charlotte Hughes, longest-lived person ever documented in the United Kingdom (born 1877)
- 15 April - Robert Westall, author (born 1929)
- 18 April - Dame Elisabeth Frink, sculptor (born 1930)
- 30 April - Tommy Caton, footballer (born 1962)
- 30 May - Mel Rees, footballer (born 1968)
- 10 June - Les Dawson, comedian (born 1931)
- 19 June - William Golding, writer, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1911)
- 20 August - Tony Barton, former footballer, football coach and football manager (born 1937)
- 5 October - Jim Holton, footballer (born 1951)
- 22 November - Anthony Burgess, author (born 1917)
- 9 December - Danny Blanchflower, former footballer, football manager and writer (born 1926)
See also
References