2007 in the United Kingdom

Events from the year 2007 in the United Kingdom.

Incumbents

*Monarch - HM Queen Elizabeth II
*Prime Minister - Tony Blair, Labour Party (until 27 June), Gordon Brown, Labour

Events

January

* 1 January - Central Trains hold the second day of a two day industrial action, affecting many parts of England, especially the East and West Midlands. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6221899.stm Train strike runs into second day, BBC News] ]
* 3 January -
** Celebrity Big Brother 5 launched on Channel 4, with celebrities such as Jermaine Jackson, Dirk Benedict and Leo Sayer. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6230555.stm Big Brother launch watched by 7m, BBC News] ]
** 2007 National Express coach crash: 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. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6229719.stm Two dead after M-way coach crash, BBC News] ]
* 4 January - In response to yesterday's crash, National Express withdraw all 12 of their double-decker coaches as a precaution. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6232673.stm Coach crash firm withdraw buses, BBC News] ]
* 5 January -
** The England cricket team lost the 5th 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. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6231701.stm Australia complete series whitewash, BBC Sport] ]
**Umran Javed, a British Muslim, is found guilty at the Old Bailey, London, of inciting racial hatred at a London rally back in February 2006 protesting against the publication of a cartoon in a Danish newspaper depicting Muhammad (see Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy) [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6235279.stm 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. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/6238311.stm Bristol runway shut in safety row, BBC News] ]
** Laura Pearce becomes the first contestant on Channel 4 show "Deal or No Deal" to win the top prize of £250,000 since the start of the show on October 31 2005. It took until the 351st attempt for the top prize to be won. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6240443.stm First Deal or No Deal jackpot won, BBC News] ] .
* 9 January - New rules outlawing businesses from discriminating against homosexuals are upheld in the House of Lords, after a challenge by Lord Morrow of the Democratic Unionist Party [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6243323.stm Gay rights laws challenge fails, BBC News] ]
* 10 January - Two military helicopters collide in mid-air near Market Drayton, Shropshire, killing one person and injuring three others. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/6249259.stm One dead as helicopters collide, BBC News] ] .
* 10 January–28 January - John Reid facing mounting problems continuing from those of his predecessors including further prisoner escapes especially from open prisons and also absconding of those under Control Orders, [cite web| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6247339.stm | title =Reid seeks to reassure | author = | date =2007-01-10 | work =BBC News | publisher = ] [cite web| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6255139.stm | title =Reid hits back in crime files row | author = | date =2007-01-12 | work =BBC News | publisher = ] [cite web| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6269673.stm | title =Missing suspect a threat - Tories | author = | date =2007-01-10 | work =BBC News | publisher = ] [cite web| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6270935.stm | title =Cameron attacks Blair on records | author = | date =2007-01-17 | work =BBC News | publisher = ] [cite web| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6301125.stm | title =Reid hits back in sentencing row | author = | date =2007-01-26 | work =BBC News | publisher = ] and missing sex offenders. [cite web| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6306807.stm | title =Convicted sex offenders 'missing' | author = | date =2007-01-28 | work =BBC News | publisher = ]
* 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. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6251963.stm Shock as UK rates rise to 5.25%, BBC News] ] .
* 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 "". Other British winners were Hugh Laurie in "House" and Jeremy Irons in "Elizabeth I". [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6264625.stm Dame Helen is Queen of the Globes, BBC News] ]
* 17 January -
** It is announced that methamphetamine - otherwise known as crystal meth - is to be reclassified to a Class A drug, to avert widespread use of the drug. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6273215.stm Crystal meth made class A drug, BBC News] ]
** Protests 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, resulting in the deaths of at least nine people and causing havoc to public transport and power supplies. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6272193.stm Nine dead as UK struck by storms, BBC News] ]
* 20 January - The MSC Napoli is deliberately grounded to prevent it sinking, leading to concern about environmental damage to Branscombe beach in Devon. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6283455.stm "Stricken cargo ship run aground", BBC News] ] .

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 doubles. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6317131.stm "Air tax increase comes into force" BBC News] ]
** Downing Street officials reveal that Tony Blair had 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. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4882824.stm "Timeline: Bird flu in the UK", BBC News] ]
* 11 February
** The British Academy Film Awards are held; winners include Helen Mirren for Best Actress. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6351075.stm "Mirren adds Bafta to awards haul"] ]
** The England Cricket team defeat Australia to win their first overseas One-Day International trophy since 1997. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6349169.stm "Commonwealth Bank Series", BBC Sport] ]
* 23 February - Grayrigg rail crash: A Virgin Pendolino train derails in Cumbria, killing one person and injuring dozens more. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6391633.stm One dead in Cumbria train crash (BBC)] ]

March

* March - Ford launches the third generation of its market-leading Mondeo large family car.
* 1 March - Five British people are kidnapped in Ethiopia. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6412073.stm "Eritrea denies kidnap accusation", BBC News] ]
* 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. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6414113.stm "Attorney general halts BBC probe", BBC News)] ]
* 3 March - Contaminated petrol that was causing cars to fail is traced to a fuel depot in Essex. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6414905.stm "Rogue fuel traced to depot tanks", BBC News] ]
* 4 March - Two British soldiers serving with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization International Security Assistance Force force in Afghanistan are killed in Helmand province during clashes with Taliban forces. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6416661.stm "UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan", BBC News] ]
* 5 March
** Al-Qaeda has threatened to kidnap or kill Prince Harry during his upcoming tour of duty in Iraq. []
** A search party in Ethiopia finds the vehicles belonging to five Britons kidnapped in the country. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6418367.stm "Kidnapped Britons' vehicles found", BBC News] ]
* 7 March
**