Denmark, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland are admitted into the European Community.

A British Vanguard turboprop crashes during a snowstorm at Basel, Switzerland killing 104.

In the United Kingdom, Princess Anne marries Captain Mark Phillips, in Westminster Abbey.

Grenada gains independence from the United Kingdom.

In the United Kingdom, the Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties come into being.

Turkish occupation of Cyprus: Forces from Turkey invade Cyprus after a "coup d' etat", organised by the dictator of Greece, against president Makarios. NATO's Council praises the United States and the United Kingdom for attempts to settle the dispute. Syria and Egypt put their militaries on alert.

The Dibble's Bridge coach crash near Grassington, North Yorkshire, England kills 32 – the highest ever death toll in a road accident in the United Kingdom.

The Seychelles become independent from the United Kingdom.

Christopher Ewart-Biggs British ambassador to the Republic of Ireland is assassinated by the Provisional IRA.

'Vrillon', claiming to be the representative of the 'Ashtar Galactic Command', takes over Britain's Southern Television for six minutes at 5:12 PM.

The Solomon Islands become independent from the United Kingdom.

Tuvalu gains independence from the United Kingdom.

Dominica gains its independence from the United Kingdom.

An IRA bomb kills British World War II admiral Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma and 3 others while they are boating on holiday in Sligo, Republic of Ireland. Another bomb near Warrenpoint, Northern Ireland kills 18 British soldiers.

British television: on ''Coronation Street'', Ken Barlow marries Deirdre Langton, which proves to be a national event scoring massive viewer numbers for the show.

Antigua and Barbuda gain independence from the United Kingdom.

Falklands War: Argentinian forces land on South Georgia Island, precipitating war with the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom sends a naval task force to the south Atlantic to reclaim the disputed Falkland Islands from Argentina.

Twenty sailors are killed when the British Type 42 destroyer HMS ''Sheffield'' (D80) is hit by an Argentinian Exocet missile during the Falklands War.

Falklands War: British forces defeat the Argentines at the Battle of Goose Green.

The Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom, Shlomo Argov, is shot on a London street. He survives but is permanently paralysed.

The Falklands War ends: Argentine forces in the capital Stanley unconditionally surrender to British forces.

The Sultanate of Brunei becomes independent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

6,000 miners in the United Kingdom begin their strike at Cortonwood Colliery.

The United Kingdom agrees to the handover of Hong Kong

Under the Brussels Agreement signed between the governments of the United Kingdom and Spain, the former agreed to enter into discussions with Spain over Gibraltar, including sovereignty.

The Sino-British Joint Declaration, stating that the People's Republic of China would resume the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and the United Kingdom would restore Hong Kong to China with effect from July 1, 1997 is signed in Beijing by Deng Xiaoping and Margaret Thatcher.

The first British mobile phone call is made by Ernie Wise to Vodafone.

Israeli secret nuclear weapons are revealed. The British newspaper ''The Sunday Times'' runs Mordechai Vanunu's story on its front page under the headline: "Revealed — the secrets of Israel's nuclear arsenal".

Nezar Hindawi is sentenced to 45 years in prison, the longest sentence handed down by a British court, for the attempted bombing on an El Al flight at Heathrow. After the verdict, the United Kingdom breaks diplomatic relations with Syria, claiming that Hindawi is helped by Syrian officials.

The British government suddenly deregulates financial markets, leading to a total restructuring of the way in which they operate in the country, in an event now referred to as the Big Bang.

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher opens the last stretch of the M25 motorway.

The British ferry MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes in about 90 seconds killing 193.

Section 28 of the United Kingdom's Local Government Act 1988, a controversial amendment stating that a local authority cannot intentionally promote homosexuality, is enacted.

Iran and the United Kingdom break diplomatic relations after a row over Salman Rushdie and his controversial novel.

Customs officers in Middlesbrough, United Kingdom, say they have seized what they believe to be the barrel of a massive gun on a ship bound for Iraq.

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher withdraws from the Conservative Party leadership election, confirming the end of her premiership.

American and British authorities announce indictments against two Libyan intelligence officials in connection with the downing of the Pan Am Flight 103.

John Major's Conservative Party wins an unprecedented fourth general election victory in the United Kingdom.

Betty Boothroyd becomes the first woman to be elected Speaker of the British House of Commons in its 700-year history.