1995 in the United Kingdom

Events from the year 1995 in the United Kingdom.

Incumbents

*Monarch - HM Queen Elizabeth II
*Prime Minister - John Major, Conservative

Events

* 1 January - Fred West is found hanged in his cell at Winson Green Prison in Birmingham. The 53-year-old had been on remand since February last year, having allegedly murdered 12 people whose bodies were found at three locations in and around Gloucester. The crimes are believed to have been committed between 1967 and 1987. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/1/newsid_2460000/2460563.stm|title="1995: Serial killer West found hanged", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
* 25 January - Manchester United footballer, Eric Cantona, launches a kung-fu style kick on Crystal Palace supporter Matthew Simmons after being sent off in a game at Selhurst Park.
* 27 January - Manchester United fine Eric Cantona £20,000 and suspend him until the end of the season for his kung-fu attack on a Crystal Palace supporter. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/27/newsid_2506000/2506237.stm|title="1995: Cantona banned over attack on fan", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
* 1 February - Animal rights campaigner Jill Phipps, 31, dies after being hit by a lorry during protesting at Coventry Airport.
* 26 February - Barings Bank, the UK's oldest merchant bank collapses following $1.4 billion of losses by rogue trader, Nick Leeson.
* 28 February - "The Diary of Bridget Jones" column first published in "The Independent".cite book|title=Penguin Pocket On This Day|publisher=Penguin Reference Library|isbn=0-141-02715-0|year=2006]
* 9 March - The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visit Northern Ireland for the first time since the IRA and Loyalist ceasefires which came into force last year. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/9/newsid_2516000/2516659.stm|title="1995: Queen marks peace in Belfast", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
* 23 March - Eric Cantona is found guilty of common assault at Croydon Crown Court. The trial judge sentences him to 14 days in prison, but grants him bail pending an appeal against the sentence. The Football Association has since extended his ban from football until 30 September this year and fined him a further £20,000.
* 31 March - Eric Cantona's prison sentence is quashed on appeal and replaced with a 120-hour community service order.
* June - Rover Group launches the first MG sports car in 15 years with its new MG F, which is due on sale later this year. It also announces two new family car ranges - the Rover 200 and Rover 400.
* 13 May - mountain climber Alison Hargreaves becomes the first woman to ascend Mount Everest without oxygen or sherpas.
* 9 June - A British legal precedent is made when 26-year-old serial sex offender Andrew Richards of West Glamorgan becomes the first person to be convicted of male rape under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/9/newsid_2500000/2500803.stm|title="1995: First man jailed for male rape", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
* 22 June - John Major resigns as leader of the Conservative Party triggering a leadership election.
* 4 July - John Major wins the Conservative Party leadership election, gaining 218 votes to John Redwood's 89. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/4/newsid_2493000/2493037.stm|title="1995: Major wins Conservative leadership", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
* 23 July - War in Bosnia and Herzegovina: British forces sent to Sarajevo to help relieve the Siege of Sarajevo. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/23/newsid_2518000/2518249.stm|title="1995: British forces sent to Sarajevo", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
* 30 July - Police in North Wales launch a murder inquiry after the body of seven-year-old Sophie Hook is found on a beach near Llandudno. She had gone missing from a nearby house during the night, and her body was found on the beach by a man walking his dog.
* 6 August - Howard Hughes, a 30-year-old Colwyn Bay man, is charged with the murder of Sophie Hook.
* 11 August - An inquest records a verdict of accidental death on Jill Phipps, the animal rights campaigner who was knocked down and killed by a lorry during protests at Coventry Airport.
* 2 September - Boxer Frank Bruno wins the WBC world heavyweight championship.
* 1 October - Eric Cantona returns from his suspension after eight months and scores a late equaliser for Manchester United in their Premier League fixture against Liverpool.
* 20 October - Vauxhall unveils its new Vectra range of large hatchbacks and saloons. The Vectra, which replaces the Cavalier, will be built in Luton and from next year will also be sold as an estate.
* 25 October - Singer Cliff Richard receives a knighthood.
* 16 November
** The Queen Mother has a hip replacement operation. At 95, she is believed to be the oldest patient to undergo such surgery. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/16/newsid_2519000/2519247.stm|title="1995: Queen mum hip op 'successful'", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
** Essex student Leah Betts, 18, dies in hospital three days after taking ecstasy at her home in Latchingdon. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/13/newsid_2516000/2516593.stm|title="1995: Ecstasy pill puts party girl in coma", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
* 20 November - The Princess of Wales gives a revealing television interview to Martin Bashir on the "Panorama" show on BBC One. The Princess openly discussed her adultery, depression and bulimia, her children, the media and the future of the monarchy in candid detail. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/20/newsid_4341000/4341436.stm|title="1995: Diana admits adultery in TV interview", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
* 22 November - Rosemary West sentenced to life imprisonment for her part in 10 murders which were committed in conjunction with her late husband Fred between 1970 and 1987. The trial judge at Winchester Crown Court recommends that 42-year-old West should never be released from prison. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/22/newsid_2549000/2549073.stm|title="1995: Life sentence for Rosemary West", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
* 30 November - President of the United States, Bill Clinton visits Northern Ireland. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/30/newsid_4459000/4459860.stm|title="1995: Clinton kindles hope in Northern Ireland", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
* 2 December - "Rogue trader" Nick Leeson is jailed for six-and-a-half years in Singapore on a double fraud charge relating to the recent financial collapse of Barings Bank. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/2/newsid_2518000/2518423.stm|title="1995: Rogue trader jailed for six years", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
* 8 December
** Headteacher Philip Lawrence is stabbed to death outside his school, St George's Roman Catholic Secondary School in West London. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/8/newsid_2536000/2536661.stm|title="1995: Youth gang stabs head teacher to death", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
** Three drug dealers, part of the notorious "Essex Boys" gang, are found shot dead in the back of a Range Rover on an isolated country road.
* 10 December - Joseph Rotblat wins the Nobel Peace Prize. [cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1995/|title=The Nobel Peace Prize 1995|accessdate=2008-01-30]
* 13 December - Riots in Brixton. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/13/newsid_2559000/2559341.stm|title="1995: Riots break out in Brixton", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
* 20 December - The Queen writes to the Prince and Princess of Wales urging them to divorce as soon as possible. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/20/newsid_2538000/2538985.stm|title="1995: 'Divorce': Queen to Charles and Diana", BBC On This Day|accessdate=2008-01-30]
* 30 December, Altnaharra matches the lowest temperature UK Weather Record at -27.2^oC.

Publications

* Martin Amis's novel "The Information".
* Iain Banks' novel "Whit".
* Pat Barker's novel "The Ghost Road".
* Nick Hornby's novel "High Fidelity".
* Terry Pratchett's Discworld novel "Maskerade".
* Philip Pullman's novel "Northern Lights".

Births

* 12 July - Georgie Henley, actress
* 24 August - Lady Amelia Windsor daughter of George, Earl of St. Andrews

Deaths

* 1 January - Fred West, serial killer (born 1941)
* 7 January - Larry Grayson, comedian and gameshow host (born 1923)
* 14 January - Alexander Gibson, conductor (born 1926)
* 30 January - Gerald Durrell, naturalist, zookeeper, author and television presenter (born 1925)
* 2 February
** Fred Perry, tennis player (born 1909)
** Donald Pleasence,actor (born 1919)
* 12 February - Robert Bolt, writer (born 1924)
* 23 February - James Herriot, veterinary surgeon and writer (born 1916)
* 17 March - Ronnie Kray, crime leader (born 1933)
* 7 April - Nicholas Ingram, first British citizen to be executed by the electric chair in the United States (born c. 1964)
* 2 May - Michael Hordern, actor (born 1911)
* 15 May - Eric Porter, actor (born 1928)
* 24 May - Harold Wilson, Prime Minister (born 1916)
* 30 May - Ted Drake, footballer (born 1912)
* 24 July - George Rodger, photojournalist (born 1908)
* 3 August - Ida Lupino, actress and director (born 1914)
* 19 August - Johnny Carey, footballer (born 1919)
* 9 October - Alec Douglas-Home, Prime Minister (born 1903)
* 4 November - Paul Eddington, actor (born 1927)
* 16 November - Leah Betts, schoolgirl who died after taking ecstasy tablets (born 1977)
* 22 December - James Meade, economist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1907)

References

ee also