2023 in the United Kingdom


2023 in the United Kingdom


Events of the year 2023 in the United Kingdom.

Incumbents

  • Monarch – Charles III
  • Prime Minister – Rishi Sunak (Conservative)
  • Parliament – 58th
MAPoleon

Events

January

  • 1 January – A visit by Thor the Walrus to Scarborough harbour, North Yorkshire overnight on New Year's Eve results in the town's New Year fireworks celebrations being cancelled to let the walrus rest for his journey to the Arctic. He was previously spotted at Pagham Harbour, Calshot, Hampshire in December 2022.
  • 2 January
    • Three people are killed by a fire at the New County Hotel in Perth, Scotland.
    • Thor the Walrus makes an appearance in Blyth, Northumberland.
  • 3 January – 40,000 railway workers who are members of the RMT union hold the first of two 48-hour strikes this week, severely disrupting train services in England, Scotland, and Wales.
  • 4 January – The Crown Dependency of Jersey will issue Jersey Post stamps featuring the Royal cypher of King Charles III from 5 January.
  • 5 January
    • The government confirms it will not go ahead with a plan to privatise Channel 4.
    • The Met Office confirms that 2022 was the UK's warmest year since records began in 1884, with an average annual temperature above 10 °C (50 °F) for the first time.
    • BioNTech announces a strategic partnership with the UK government to provide up to 10,000 patients with personalised mRNA cancer immunotherapies by 2030.
  • 6 January – COVID-19 in the UK: Almost three million people were infected with COVID-19 over the Christmas period (the highest since July 2022), the latest Office for National Statistics data suggests, with one in 20 having the virus in England, one in 18 in Wales, one in 25 in Scotland and one in 16 in Northern Ireland. XBB.1.5, the new Omicron variant of the virus, is believed to be responsible for one in 200 infections in the UK.
  • 8 January
    • The Crown Dependency of the Isle of Man issues Post Office stamps featuring the Royal cypher of King Charles III.
    • ITV1 broadcasts a 95-minute interview with Prince Harry ahead of the release of his memoirs, Spare.
  • 10 January
    • The UK government publishes the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill 2023, designed to require public sector organisations to provide a minimum service when their unions vote to strike.
    • Prince Harry's controversial memoir Spare is released, becoming "the fastest selling non-fiction book of all time" on the date of its release.
  • 11 January – Andrew Bridgen has the whip suspended by the Conservative Party after he spread misinformation about COVID-19 and compared vaccination to the Holocaust.
  • 12 January – Heavy rain and strong winds cause floods and travel disruption in parts of the UK, with over 60 flood warnings issued in England, 19 in Wales and 2 in Scotland.
  • 13 January
    • Figures indicate the UK economy unexpectedly grew by 0.1% in November 2022, potentially avoiding a long recession.
    • Medical experts criticise the BBC for an interview with Aseem Malhotra who claims that mRNA vaccines may have been responsible for thousands of excess deaths.
    • Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy is cleared on six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against four young women, but faces a retrial on two counts the jury could not reach verdicts on.
    • COVID-19 in the UK: The latest Office for National Statistics data indicates COVID-19 cases were falling in England and Wales in the week up to 30 December 2022, with cases continuing to increase in Scotland; the picture was unclear for Northern Ireland. In England, an estimated 2,189,300 people were thought to have tested positive for COVID-19.
  • 14 January
    • Four women and two children are injured in a drive-by mass shooting close to a Catholic church in Euston Road, Euston, Central London. A 22-year-old man is arrested two days later on suspicion of attempted murder.
    • Amid recent heavy rain, more than 100 flood warnings by the Environment Agency remain in place across the country, with hundreds of homes damaged and many left without power.
    • Rishi Sunak confirms that the UK will send 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine to boost its war effort.
  • 16 January
    • Serving Metropolitan Police officer David Carrick admits over 40 offences including more than 20 rapes against 12 women over two decades.
    • The National Education Union announces that teachers in England and Wales will strike on seven dates during February and March after members voted in favour of strike action. National strikes will be held on 1 and 15 February, and 15 March, as well as four days of regional strikes.
    • The UK government announces it will block the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, the first time that the UK government has used powers to block a Scottish law. UK ministers say the draft law would "conflict with equality protections applying across Great Britain".
    • The Royal College of Nursing announces a further two nurses' strikes for 6 and 7 February, described as the biggest so far.
    • MPs vote 309–249 in favour of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill 2023, which now moves to the committee stage.
  • 18 January
    • The ONS reports that inflation dropped for the second month running, to 10.5% in December, from 10.7% the previous month. At the two extremes of the ONS's list of "notable movements" that contribute to the overall figure, 'clothing and footwear' price inflation dropped from 7.5% to 6.4%, 'furniture and household goods' dropped from 10.8% to 9.8%, 'food and non-alcoholic beverages' rose from 16.5% to 16.9%, and 'restaurants and hotels' rose from 10.2% to 11.4%.
    • BBC News reports that Church of England bishops will not give their backing to a change in teaching that would allow them to marry same-sex couples, but the Church will offer "prayers of dedication, thanksgiving or God's blessing" to gay couples.
  • 19 January – Prime Minister Rishi Sunak apologises for taking his seat belt off in a moving car to film a social media clip. Lancashire Police later say they are "looking into" the incident. He is issued with a fixed-penalty notice the following day.
  • 20 January
    • The Church of England issues an apology for the "shameful" times it has "rejected or excluded" LGBTQ+ people, while Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby says he supports the changes that allow blessings to be offered to gay couples, but says he will not personally use them because he has a "responsibility to the whole communion".
    • The High Court awards £39m in damages against Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey to a girl whose limbs were amputated after she was wrongly diagnosed.
    • COVID-19 in the UK: ONS data for the week up to 10 January indicates that COVID-19 infections have continued to fall in England and Wales, with one in 40 people (an estimated 2.6% of the population) testing positive for the virus.
  • 22 January – Labour's chairwoman, Anneliese Dodds writes to Daniel Greenberg, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, requesting "an urgent investigation" into claims that Richard Sharp, the Chairman of the BBC, helped former Prime Minister Boris Johnson secure a loan guarantee weeks before Johnson recommended him for the BBC chairmanship.
  • 23 January
    • Prime Minister Rishi Sunak asks his Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests to investigate allegations that, during his time as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Conservative Party Chairman Nadhim Zahawi paid a penalty to HM Revenue and Customs in relation to previously unpaid tax.
    • William Shawcross, the Commissioner for Public Appointments, begins a review into the process of hiring Chairman of the BBC Richard Sharp following allegations he helped then-PM Boris Johnson secure a loan guarantee shortly before his appointment. Johnson dismisses the claims, saying Sharp had no knowledge of his finances. Sharp says that although he contacted Cabinet Secretary Simon Case in December 2020 about the offer of a loan to Johnson, he was not involved in discussions.
    • National Grid's Demand Flexibility Service begins in an attempt to avoid a power blackout. Between 5:00pm and 6:00pm, people in England, Scotland and Wales who have signed up to the scheme are asked to use less electricity, and will be paid by their energy companies for doing so.
    • Salisbury Crown Court in Wiltshire convicts Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai of a murder he committed in Bournemouth, Dorset, in 2022.
  • 25 January
    • The first ever strike by UK employees of Amazon is held. 300 staff at a Coventry warehouse stage a one-day walk out, in a dispute over pay and conditions.
    • Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai is sentenced to life imprisonment.
  • 26 January – Nicola Sturgeon confirms that Isla Bryson, a trans woman recently convicted of raping two women before her transition, has been moved from Cornton Vale women's prison to HMP Edinburgh men's prison, sparking debate about the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.
  • 27 January
    • Nicola Bulley disappears mysteriously whilst walking her dog beside the River Wyre.
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Data released by the Office for National Statistics for the week ending 17 January indicate overall cases have continued to fall. In England, the estimated number of people testing positive for COVID-19 was 906,300 (roughly 1.62% of the population or 1 in 60 people).
  • 28 January
    • Airline Flybe cancels all flights to and from the UK after going into administration.
    • Charity Super.Mkt, billed as the UK's first multi-charity store and selling items supplied by ten charities, opens at London's Brent Cross Shopping Centre.
  • 29 January
    • Conservative Party Chairman Nadhim Zahawi is sacked by Rishi Sunak over "a serious breach of the Ministerial Code" relating to the investigation into his tax affairs, conducted on 23 January.
    • The Scottish Prison Service pauses the movement of all transgender prisoners while it carries out an "urgent review" into the transgender cases held in its custody.
  • 30 January
    • William Shawcross, the commissioner for public appointments, steps back from the planned investigation into how Richard Sharp got the job as BBC chairman because of previous contact between them. Another investigator will be appointed to take on the inquiry.
    • Members of the Fire Brigades Union vote to take strike action over pay.

February

  • 1 February – An estimated 475,000 workers go on strike, the single biggest day of industrial action for more than a decade, in disputes over pay and conditions. This includes 200,000 teachers, 100,000 civil servants including border force workers, university lecturers, security guards, and train drivers. The government warns the public to expect "significant disruption".
  • 2 February
    • The Bank of England raises its key interest rate from 3.5 to 4%, the highest level in 14 years.
    • The energy regulator Ofgem asks energy companies to suspend the forced installation of prepayment meters following an investigation by The Times which showed agents working for British Gas breaking into the homes of vulnerable customers to install the meters.
  • 3 February
    • Gary Glitter is freed from prison after serving half of a 16-year jail term for attempted rape, four counts of indecent assault and one of having sex with a girl under 13.
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Office for National Statistics data for the week up to 24 January indicates that COVID-19 cases continue to fall, with an estimated 1 in 70 people (1.42% of the population) testing positive for the virus in England over that time.
  • 5 February
    • Emma Pattinson, the head of Epsom College in Surrey, is found dead along with her husband and seven-year-old daughter in a property at the school. Police suspect a murder-suicide by gunshot.
    • In a move seen as marking her return to political life, former Prime Minister Liz Truss writes an article for The Sunday Telegraph in which she says her economic agenda was never given a "realistic chance".
  • 6 February
    • 2022–2023 National Health Service strikes: Ambulance staff and nurses walk out, with further disruption to follow in the week, in what is expected to be the biggest-ever round of NHS strikes.
    • Foreign Secretary James Cleverly offers his condolences to victims of the 7.8 magnitude Turkey–Syria earthquake and says the UK is deploying emergency response teams, including 76 search and rescue specialists, equipment and rescue dogs. The government issues an urgent warning to British travellers and holidaymakers who may be in or planning to visit the region.
  • 7 February
    • Former Met Police officer David Carrick, one of the UK's most prolific sex offenders, is sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to 36 life sentences with a minimum term of 30 years in prison.
    • Sunak performs a cabinet reshuffle. Greg Hands is named as the new Conservative Party chairman; Grant Shapps becomes the Secretary of State for Energy, Security and Net Zero in a newly-formed department; Kemi Badenoch is appointed as the first Secretary of State at the newly-created Department for Business and Trade, with continued responsibility as equalities minister.
  • 8 February
    • Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses a joint session of Parliament during his first visit to the UK since Russia invaded his country. He later visits Buckingham Palace for a meeting with the King.
    • Former Labour MP Jared O'Mara, who submitted fake expense claims to fund his cocaine habit, is convicted of fraud. The following day, he is sentenced to four years in prison.
    • Royal Mail unveils a new stamp design that will be available from 4 April, featuring an image of the unadorned head of King Charles III.
  • 9 February
    • The UK commits additional funding to help the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
    • 2023 West Lancashire by-election: Labour hold the seat with a large vote share of 62.3%, an increase of 10.3%. Ashley Dalton is the new MP.
    • In a radio interview before his appointment as Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, Lee Anderson says he will support the return of capital punishment where the perpetrators are clearly identifiable. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says neither he nor the government shares Anderson's stance.
  • 10 February
    • Chancellor Jeremy Hunt tells the BBC households are unlikely to receive extra help with their energy bills from April 2023, as he does not think the government has the "headroom to make a major new initiative to help people".
    • Data released by the Office for National Statistics indicates the UK narrowly avoided a recession at the end of 2022 following zero per cent growth during October to December. This is also despite a fall in output of 0.5% during December due to strike action being staged prior to Christmas.
    • Coronation of Charles III and Camilla
      • Buckingham Palace unveils the official Coronation logo, designed by Sir Jony Ive.
      • A ballot offering 10,000 free tickets to the Coronation concert at Windsor Castle on 7 May opens.
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Data from the Office for National Statistics for the week ending 31 January indicates COVID-19 cases have risen in England for the first time in 2023, with 1.02 million cases, an increase of 8% from 941,800 the previous week. Data for Scotland and Wales is less clear.
  • 11 February – Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old teenage transgender girl is found dead in Warrington Park in Cheshire, England. Two teenagers, a boy and a girl, both 15-years-old are arrested on suspicion of her murder.
  • 13 February – Former Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens pleads guilty to three counts of indecent exposure during a hearing at the Old Bailey, including one committed four days before he killed Sarah Everard in 2021.
  • 14 February – The Welsh government cancels all major road building projects in Wales, including the proposed Third Menai Crossing, amid concerns about the environment.
  • 15 February
    • Inflation falls for the third month in a row, from 10.5% to 10.1%. This is mainly due to a decrease in fuel, restaurant, and hotel prices, according to the ONS. Food inflation remains at 16.7%. Pay, excluding bonuses, rose at an annual pace of 6.7% from October to December 2022, and when inflation is taken into account, regular pay fell by 2.5%.
    • Nicola Sturgeon announces her resignation as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party after eight years in the role; she will stay on until her successor has been elected.
    • Two teenagers are charged with murder in relation to the death of Brianna Ghey.
  • 16 February – The RMT announce four new days of train strikes for 16, 18 and 30 March, and 1 April.
  • 17 February
    • David Ballantyne Smith, a former security guard at the British embassy in Berlin who attempted to sell confidential information to the Russians, is sentenced to 13 years imprisonment following a trial at the Old Bailey.
    • Storm Otto strikes Scotland and parts of northern England, leaving around 30,000 homes without power and forcing a number of schools to close.
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Office for National Statistics data for the week up to 7 February indicates that COVID-19 cases continued to increase in England, Wales and Scotland, but decreased in Northern Ireland. In England, In England it is estimated that 1,054,200 people had COVID-19, equating to 1.88% of the population, or around 1 in 55 people.
  • 18 February – Coronation of Charles III and Camilla: Twelve new pieces of music are commissioned by the King for his coronation, including a composition by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Part of the service will also be in Welsh, it is confirmed.
  • 19 February – Police searching for Nicola Bulley, missing since 27 January, announce they have found a body in the River Wyre.
  • 20 February
    • Lancashire Police confirm the body found in the River Wyre the previous day is that of Nicola Bulley.
    • Prime Minister Rishi Sunak criticises the rewriting of Roald Dahl's books after they were updated to remove references that could be considered offensive, such as characters being fat.
    • Junior doctors in England vote to strike in their ongoing dispute for a 26% pay rise, and will stage a 72-hour walkout. The BMA maintains junior doctors' pay has been cut by 26% since 2008 after inflation is considered.
    • Coronation of Charles III and Camilla: The Crown Dependency of the Isle of Man announce a special collection of commemorative 50 pence coins that will be issued from March.
  • 21 February
    • The UK Government announces that it had a budget surplus in January, with £5bn more in revenue than predicted.
    • A planned 48-hour strike by nurses in England is called off to allow the Royal College of Nursing and Department of Health and Social Care to enter into renewed negotiations.
    • The broadcasting regulator Ofcom writes to both ITV News and Sky News to ask them for an explanation of their actions following complaints made by the family of Nicola Bulley. Her family had been contacted by both outlets despite asking for privacy.
    • Asda and Morrisons announce they are limiting the sale of some fruit and vegetable products, such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, because of a shortage caused by severe weather in Spain and North Africa which has affected harvests.
    • The UK Government recommends a 3.5% pay rise for public sector workers in England, below the rate of inflation.
  • 22 February
    • Shamima Begum loses her legal challenge to overturn the decision to remove her UK citizenship.
    • Tesco and Aldi follow Asda and Morrisons by introducing limits on the purchase of some fruit and vegetables.
    • Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden commissions the College of Policing to review the force's investigation into the disappearance of Nicola Bulley, including the release of information about her private life.
    • DCI John Caldwell, an off duty Police Service of Northern Ireland officer, is injured in Omagh after being shot by suspected New IRA gunman.
  • 23 February
    • Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer outlines the five key issues that his party will focus on during the run up to the next general election: higher economic growth, clean energy, improving the NHS, reforming the justice system, and raising education standards.
    • Environment Secretary Therese Coffey, commenting on the vegetable shortage, tells MPs "we anticipate the situation will last about another two to four weeks".
    • Three men are arrested in relation to the previous evening's shooting of DCI John Caldwell.
  • 24 February
    • The British Medical Association announces that junior doctors in England will begin a three-day strike on 13 March.
    • An earthquake measuring 3.7 magnitude strikes Brynmawr, Blaenau Gwent at 11.59pm.
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Office for National Statistics data for the week up to 14 February indicates COVID-19 cases continued to rise in England, Scotland and Wales, but remained uncertain in Northern Ireland. In England, the estimated number of people testing positive for COVID-19 was 1,223,000 (or 2.18% of the population and around 1 in 45 people).
  • 27 February
    • Ofgem announces a 23% decrease in the quarterly price cap on the amount suppliers can charge for household energy bills, from £4,279 to £3,280 – a £999 drop, to apply from April 2023.
    • Sunak and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announce a new agreement concerning movement of goods to/from Northern Ireland, named the Windsor Framework.
    • Lidl becomes the latest UK food retailer to limit the sale of some fruit and vegetables due to an ongoing shortage.
    • New regulations come into force in England and Wales banning transgender women who still have male genitalia, or those who are sex offenders, from being sent to women's prisons.
  • 28 February
    • Royal Mail issue the final special set of stamps featuring the late Queen Elizabeth II, to mark the centenary of The Flying Scotsman.
    • Sunak meets businesses and their employees in Belfast, to secure support for his new agreement with the EU. He tells them that being in both the single market and the UK makes Northern Ireland the "world's most exciting economic zone" and "an incredibly attractive place to invest."
    • Transgender rapist Isla Bryson is sentenced to eight years in prison with a further three years supervision.
    • Sainsbury's announces the closure of two Argos depots over the next three years, with the loss of 1,400 jobs.
    • Zholia Alemi, who faked a medical degree certificate from the University of Auckland to work as a psychiatrist for two decades, is sentenced to seven years in prison following a trial at Manchester Crown Court.
    • Members of the National Union of Journalists working for the BBC regional service in England vote to take strike action over planned cuts to BBC Local Radio. A 24-hour strike is scheduled for 15 March to coincide with Budget Day.

March

  • 1 March
    • COVID-19 in the UK
      • Lockdown Files: WhatsApp messages leaked to the Daily Telegraph are reported as suggesting former Health Secretary Matt Hancock chose to ignore advice from experts in April 2020 that there should be "testing of all going into care homes". A spokesman for Hancock says "These stolen messages have been doctored to create a false story that Matt rejected clinical advice on care home testing".
    • A Freedom of Information request by BBC News reveals that 729 sex offenders who were under supervision disappeared off the radar in a three year period from 2019 to the end of 2021.
  • 2 March
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • Lockdown Files: The Daily Telegraph publishes more of Matt Hancock's WhatsApp exchanges, this time with former Education Secretary Gavin Williamson in December 2020, when a debate into whether schools should reopen following the Christmas holiday was taking place. The leaked messages suggest Hancock favoured school closures, while Williamson was more hesitant. Hancock, who worked alongside journalist Isabel Oakeshott to co-author a book, describes the release of the messages as a "massive betrayal and breach of trust". In response, Oakeshott says she released the messages because she believed doing so was in the "public interest".
    • Sir Keir Starmer unveils Sue Gray, who led the investigation into the Partygate scandal, as Labour's new Chief of Staff, sparking concern among some Conservative MPs about her impartiality.
    • The public inquiry into the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing finds that MI5 missed a significant chance to take action that might have stopped the attack when they failed to obtain intelligence that would have led them to follow Salman Abedi to the car where he was storing explosives. Ken McCallum, the director-general of MI5, says he regrets that the intelligence was missed.
  • 3 March
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • Lockdown Files: The latest leaked WhatsApp messages published by the Daily Telegraph are reported as appearing to show former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case joking about locking people in quarantine hotels.
      • Office for National Statistics data for the week up to 21 February indicates that COVID-19 infections were increasing in England and Wales, but decreasing in Northern Ireland, while the situation in Scotland was uncertain. In England, the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 was estimated to be 1,298,600 (roughly 2.31% of the population around 1 in 45).
    • The Commons Select Committee of Privileges finds that former Prime Minister Boris Johnson may have misled Parliament over the Partygate scandal after evidence suggested breaches of COVID-19 rules would have been "obvious" to him. In response Johnson says that none of the evidence shows he "knowingly" misled parliament, and that "it is clear from this report that I have not committed any contempt of parliament".
    • Buckingham Palace announces the first state visit to be made by Charles III and Camilla as King and Queen Consort; they will travel to France and Germany from 26–31 March.
  • 4 March
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • Lockdown Files: The latest leaked WhatsApp messages published by the Daily Telegraph indicate, according to BBC News who have not seen or verified the messages, that Matt Hancock and his staff deliberated over whether or not he had broken COVID-19 regulations after pictures of him kissing his aide, Gina Coladangelo, were published by The Sun newspaper. Other messages also show Hancock criticising the Eat Out to Help Out scheme for "causing problems" in areas where there were a high number of COVID-19 cases.
    • Typhoon jets are scrambled from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire to help escort a civilian plane en route from Iceland to Kenya following a loss of communication caused by an equipment malfunction. A sonic boom is heard over parts of England after the jets are allowed to fly at supersonic speed.
  • 5 March
    • Train fares in England and Wales are increased by up to 5.9%, representing the largest increase in more than a decade.
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • Lockdown Files: News outlets including BBC News, Sky News and The Independent — who have not verified the messages — report that further WhatsApp messages published by The Telegraph appear to show discussions about how and when the government should reveal details of the Kent variant in order to ensure people would comply with COVID-19 regulations. The news outlets also say Hancock appears to suggest they should "frighten the pants off everyone", while in another conversation, head of the civil service Simon Case suggests the "fear/guilt factor" is an important element of the government's messaging. The Telegraph also reports messages showing ministers and civil servants discussing "[getting] heavy with the police" to enforce lockdown measures with senior police officers being brought into Number 10 to be told to be stricter with the public.
    • Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, Sunak says that migrants arriving in the UK on small boats will be prevented from seeking asylum under proposed new legislation to be brought before Parliament.
    • In the Premier League, Liverpool beat Manchester United 7–0, the biggest margin in their historic rivalry and surpassing the previous margin of Liverpool FC 7–1 Newton Heath on 12 October 1895.
  • 6 March
    • Media regulator Ofcom finds that a GB News programme which aired on 21 April 2022 was in breach of broadcasting rules, as it presented misinformation on COVID-19 and vaccines.
    • Members of the Fire Brigades Union vote to accept a 7% pay rise backdated to July 2022, and worth 5% from July 2023, meaning they will not strike.
    • Wayne Couzens is sentenced to 19 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to three counts of indecent exposure in the months prior to the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard.
    • A parole hearing for Charles Bronson, one of the UK's longest serving prisoners, is held at the Royal Courts of Justice. It is the second such hearing to be held in public.
    • COVID-19 in the UK:
      • Lockdown Files: The Telegraph publishes messages that are reported to have been exchanged between Allan Nixon, a parliamentary Advisor and Matt Hancock from November 2020 in which they discuss threatening to cancel projects in MPs' constituencies if MPs do not support the local lockdown tiers legislation. It is also reported that as part of a strategy aimed at trying to stop MPs from rebelling against the legislation, party whips compiled a spreadsheet of 95 MPs who disagreed with this policy and the reasons for them disagreeing; these related to lack of parliamentary scrutiny, economic harm, harms to hospital, absence of cost benefit analysis and the policy being "unconservative".
  • 7 March
    • A cold snap from the Arctic hits the UK, causing snowfall in Scotland and parts of northern England. Two coal fire power stations are also reactivated amid concerns about the strain the cold snap could cause on the National Grid.
    • Home Secretary Suella Braverman introduces the Illegal Migration Bill into the House of Commons, which is designed to stop migrants arriving in the UK by boat. The legislation proposes to detain and remove those from the UK who arrive by illegal means, as well as blocking them from returning.
    • COVID-19 in the UK: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation announces that everyone over 75, care-home residents and anyone considered to be extremely vulnerable aged five and over will be offered a spring COVID-19 booster vaccine. Vaccinations will begin in March in Scotland, early April in England and Wales, and mid-April in Northern Ireland.
    • RMT staff working for Network Rail call off a strike planned for 16 March after being given a fresh pay offer.
  • 8 March
    • The UK experiences its coldest March night since 2010, with −15.2 °C recorded in Kinbrace, Scotland, dipping even further to −15.4 °C by the morning. The Health Security Agency issues a level 3 cold alert for the whole of England, while more than 100 schools across Wales are closed due to snow.
    • The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approves the use of the weight loss drug semaglutide (marketed as Wegovy) by the NHS in England.
  • 9 March
    • The UK government announces a two-year delay in the construction of the Birmingham to Crewe leg of HS2 in order to save costs.
    • Asda and Morrisons lift their restrictions on the sale of fresh produce.
    • Following a trial at the High Court in Aberdeen, retired research scientist Christopher Harrison, 82, is convicted of the murder of his ex-wife, Brenda Page, in 1978.
  • 10 March
    • The UK economy grew by 0.3% in January 2023, official figures show, much more than the 0.1% that was predicted by economists.
    • The King bestows the title of Duke of Edinburgh on his younger brother, Prince Edward.
    • Prime Minister Rishi Sunak attends a summit in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron and announces the UK will give France £500m over three years to help the UK stop the influx of migrants arriving by boat.
    • The BBC tells Gary Lineker he cannot present BBC One's Match of the Day until an agreement can be reached over his social media use.
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Office for National Statistics data for the week ending 28 February indicates COVID-19 cases are rising in Scotland, but the picture is unclear in the rest of the UK. In England, the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 was estimated to be 1,333,400, equating to 2.38% of the population, or around 1 in 40 people. In Scotland, the figure was 128,400, equating to 2.44% of the population or around 1 in 40 people.
  • 11 March
    • The BBC apologises for 'limited' sports broadcasts, as a growing number of TV and radio presenters drop out of key programmes in support of Gary Lineker, amid an ongoing debate over impartiality.
    • The Bank of England announces that the UK arm of Silicon Valley Bank is to enter insolvency, following the demise of its US parent, the largest banking collapse since the 2007–2008 financial crisis. Many UK tech startups are prevented from accessing cash to pay staff.
  • 12 March – The UK government announces that charges for prepayment energy meters are to be brought into line with those for customers paying by direct debit from 1 July, saving an average of £45 per year.
  • 13 March
    • HSBC agrees to buy the UK arm of Silicon Valley Bank, allowing UK tech firms and customers to access money and services as normal.
    • Gary Lineker is allowed to return to presenting football, as the BBC announces an independent review of its social media guidelines. Director General Tim Davie acknowledges there are "grey areas" and says enforcing impartiality is a "difficult balancing act."
    • Disgraced former pop star Gary Glitter is recalled to prison after breaching his licence conditions.
    • Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announces an extra £5bn of government spending for UK defence over the coming two years.
  • 14 March
    • Royal Mail unveils its first design of a new set of ten special stamps, featuring garden flowers and a silhouette of King Charles III.
    • Following a trial at Preston Crown Court, Eleanor Williams is sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison after falsely accusing several men of rape and claiming to have been trafficked by an Asian grooming gang.
  • 15 March
    • Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt presents the 2023 United Kingdom budget to the House of Commons, and says that the UK will avoid going into recession in 2023.
    • Teachers, junior doctors, civil servants and Tube drivers stage a mass walkout, amid ongoing concerns regarding pay, jobs, pensions and working conditions.
  • 16 March
    • NHS staff in England, including nurses and ambulance staff, are offered a 5% pay rise from April along with a one-off payment of £1,655 to cover backdated pay. The offer does not include doctors, who are on a different contract.
    • The government announces that TikTok is to be banned on electronic devices used by ministers and other employees, amid security concerns relating to the Chinese-owned app's handling of user data.
    • Scientists identify a gene variant that is known to increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, and trace it to people with Orkney Island heritage, more specifically those with ancestry on the island of Westray.
    • COVID-19 in the UK: Office for National Statistics data for the week ending 7 March (6 March in Scotland) indicates COVID-19 cases are falling in Scotland, but the picture is uncertain in the rest of the UK. In England, the survey suggests that 1,322,000 tested positive for the virus, equating to 2.36% of the population, or around 1 in 40.
  • 18 March – Peter Murrell resigns as CEO of the Scottish National Party amid a row over party membership.
  • 19 March
    • The UK government launches the Emergency Alerts service, a service to send text alerts to mobile phones in a situation where it is perceived there is an immediate risk to life.
    • The BBC urges its staff to delete the TikTok app from its official devices amid concerns about its security.
  • 20 March – The British government bans far-right Danish activist Rasmus Paludan from entering the United Kingdom over a threat to burn a Quran in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
  • 21 March
    • Partygate scandal: Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson publishes a 52-page defence of his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic in which he acknowledges misleading Parliament over the Partygate scandal, but says he did not do so intentionally.
    • Baroness Louise Casey's report into the standards and culture of the Metropolitan Police is published, and describes critical failings, such as discrimination, the organisation's inability to police itself, failings towards women and children, and the loss of public confidence in the service.
  • 22 March
    • Data released for February shows that inflation increased from 10.1% to 10.4%, largely due to an increase in the cost of fresh food (particularly vegetables), non-alcoholic drinks, restaurant meals, and women's clothes.
    • A major incident is declared, with 35 injuries reported, after the 76m-long RV Petrel research vessel tips over at a dock in Leith.
    • Boris Johnson gives evidence to the cross-party Privileges Committee, relating to his conduct during Partygate. He insists that he "did not lie" to the House of Commons and always made statements in good faith.
    • MPs back Rishi Sunak's new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland by 515 votes to 29.
    • Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, issues a "sincere, heartfelt and unreserved" apology to people affected by the practice of forced adoption in Scotland during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
    • The RMT call off two strikes planned by staff at 14 train operators that were scheduled for 30 March and 1 April following discussions with the Rail Delivery Group.
    • Prime Minister Rishi Sunak publishes details of his tax returns following calls for him to be more transparent about his finances.
  • 23 March
    • The Bank of England raises its key interest rate for the 11th consecutive time, from 4% to 4.25%, in response to the unexpected growth of inflation.
    • Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer publishes details of his tax returns, a day after the prime minister.
    • The Westminster Parliament announces that the TikTok app will be banned on "all parliamentary devices and the wider parliamentary network".
    • The British Medical Association announces that junior doctors in England will stage a four-day strike from 11–15 April in their continued quest for a 35% pay rise.
    • England footballer Harry Kane becomes the England national football team all-time leading goalscorer with 54 goals in a 2–1 win vs Italy national football team, surpassing the previous record of 53 goals held by Wayne Rooney, who broke the record back in September 2015.
  • 24 March
    • Charles III's state visit to France, his first official overseas visit as King, is postponed following a request by French President Emmanuel Macron after unions threatened to stage a day of protests over pension reforms during his visit.
    • MPs vote to back the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill, which will make catcalling, following someone or blocking their path an offence in England and Wales with a punishment of up to two years in prison.
    • COVID-19 in the UK: The final Coronavirus Infections Survey is published by the Office for National Statistics, with data for the week up to 13 March. It shows an increase in COVID-19 cases for England, but an uncertain picture for the rest of the UK. The percentage of cases for the Home Nations are shown as follows: 2.66% in England (1 in 40 people), 2.41% in Wales (1 in 40 people), 1.42% in Northern Ireland (1 in 70 people), and 2.59% in Scotland (1 in 40 people).
  • 25 March
    • A special Honours list is announced to recognise those who played a role in the state funeral of Elizabeth II, including the eight pallbearers who carried the Queen's coffin during the ceremony.
    • Reports in The Sun and i newspapers suggest former Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was in office for 49 days, has submitted a Resignation Honours list.
    • BBC Two airs The MI5 Spy and the IRA: Operation Chiffon, a programme in which journalist Peter Taylor reveals the story of an MI5 spy who helped bring about the Northern Ireland Peace Process after defying government orders not to hold talks with Provisional IRA representatives in 1993.
  • 26 March
    • A ban on the possession of nitrous oxide ("laughing gas"), which is typically purchased in small glass phials, is announced. The government justifies its action as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour, going against recommendations from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs which had recently advised against criminalisation of the gas.
    • The 2023 Boat Race takes place, with Cambridge beating Oxford in both the men's and women's races.
  • 27 March
    • Humza Yousaf succeeds Nicola Sturgeon as Leader of the SNP, after defeating rivals Kate Forbes and Ash Regan in a leadership election.
    • Around 130,000 civil servants belonging to the PCS union vote to strike on 28 April in a dispute with the UK government over pay and conditions.
    • HM Treasury scraps plans for the Royal Mint to produce a government-backed NFT that could be traded on international markets.
  • 28 March
    • Humza Yousaf is confirmed as Scotland's new First Minister by a vote in the Scottish Parliament.
    • Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is banned from standing as a candidate for the party at the next general election after the party's National Executive Committee votes 22–12 in favour of a motion blocking his candidacy.
  • 29 March
    • Charles III begins a state visit to Germany, his first official overseas trip as monarch.
    • The UK government introduces the Victims and Prisoners Bill into the House of Commons, which will give ministers the power to veto the release of some prisoners, and restrict marriage in prison for those serving whole life terms.
    • Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick confirms the government's intention to utilise three locations, including two former military bases, to house migrants arriving into the UK as asylum seekers. The plans are an attempt by the government to save on hotel expenses.
    • Humza Yousaf is sworn in as Scotland's First Minister at Edinburgh's Court of Session and begins naming his cabinet.
  • 30 March
    • The government publishes its latest net zero strategy for the period to 2050, following a High Court ruling that its earlier plans were insufficient to meet climate targets.
    • High-profile inmate Charles Bronson loses his latest bid for freedom.
    • Thomas Cashman, 34, is convicted of shooting dead nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in her Liverpool home in August 2022.
    • The Parliamentary Standards Committee recommends that former Scottish National Party MP Margaret Ferrier be suspended from the House of Commons for 30 days for breaching COVID-19 regulations in September 2020 when she took a train home from London following a positive COVID test.
  • 31 March
    • Figures released by the Office for National Statistics show an 0.1% growth in the UK economy for the final three months of 2022, revising previous figures that had suggested no growth over that period.
    • COVID-19 in the UK: The UK Health Security Agency confirms the NHS COVID-19 contact tracing app will close on 27 April following a decline in its use.

April

  • 1 April
    • It is reported that three British men are being held in custody by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
    • Manchester becomes the first city in the UK to launch a tourist tax, with a £1-per room per night City Visitor Charge.
  • 2 April
    • Home Secretary Suella Braverman confirms the UK is in negotiations with the Taliban following the reported arrest of three British nationals in Afghanistan.
    • Braverman says that Rwanda is a safe place for the UK to send refugees after being asked about refugees being shot there by police at a demonstration in 2018, saying "that might be 2018, we're looking at 2023 and beyond".
  • 3 April
    • Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union working at the Passport Office begin a five week strike over pay and conditions.
    • The National Education Union announces two further strike dates in England on 27 April and 2 May, stating that the offer from the pay UK government is unacceptable, not fully funded, and does not address a shortage of teachers.
    • The cost of a first class stamp increases by 15p to £1.10, and a second class stamp by 7p to 75p.
    • Thomas Cashman is sentenced at Manchester Crown Court to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 42 years for the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, meaning he will be in his mid-70s before becoming eligible for parole.
  • 4 April
    • Royal Mail issue new stamps featuring King Charles III, with an increase of a first class stamp up by 15p to £1.10, while the cost of a second class stamp has risen by 7p to 75p.
    • TikTok is fined £12.7m by the Information Commissioner's Office for failing to protect the privacy of children after sharing their information without parental permission.
    • Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick is given a six-month driving ban by magistrates after he was caught speeding on the M1.
    • Former Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern is appointed a trustee of the Prince of Wales' Earthshot Prize.
    • British boxer Amir Kahn is banned from competing professionally for two years after an anti-doping test revealed the presence of a banned substance following his February 2022 fight with Kell Brook.
    • Coronation of Charles III and Camilla
      • The official invitation from King Charles III and Queen Camilla is unveiled and sent to about 2,000 guests.
      • Madame Tussauds Blackpool announce that a new waxwork of King Charles III will be unveiled in May.
  • 5 April
    • The government confirms plans to use the vessel Bibby Stockholm to house around 500 male migrants off the Dorset Coast, citing the cheaper cost of doing so compared to housing them in hotels.
    • A BBC News investigation claims the life coaching organisation Lighthouse is operated as a cult.
    • The White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, said that US President Joe Biden has accepted an invitation from King Charles for an undated state visit to the United Kingdom.
  • 6 April
    • Buckingham Palace announces that it is co-operating with a study being jointly conducted by the University of Manchester and Historic Royal Palaces that is exploring links between the British monarchy and the slave trade in the 17th and 18th centuries.
    • Charles III and Camilla attend the King's first Royal Maundy Service at York Minster, where he distributes Maundy money to pensioners.
  • 7 April
    • The Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirms that two British-Israeli sisters in their 20s have been killed during a shooting attack on their car in the northern West Bank. Their mother, also injured in the incident, dies on 10 April.
    • The Bank of England announces that they have begun printing Series G banknotes featuring King Charles III. No additional changes are made to the existing designs of £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes, which will enter circulation from mid-2024.
  • 8 April – Coronation of Charles III and Camilla: The Crown Dependency of the Isle of Man, issue a special set of Post Office stamps.
  • 10 April – Coronation of Charles III and Camilla: Buckingham Palace confirms that King Charles III and Queen Camilla will travel to Westminster in the more modern Diamond Jubilee State Coach for the coronation, before returning to Buckingham Palace in the more traditional Gold State Coach.
  • 11 April
    • The CBI, one of the UK's largest business groups, dismisses Director-General Tony Danker following complaints about his conduct involving a female employee. Rain Newton-Smith, who served as the CBI's Chief Economist until March 2023, is appointed to replace Danker.
    • The International Monetary Fund predicts that the UK economy will be among the worst performing in the G20 nations during 2023.
    • US President Joe Biden arrives in Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
  • 12 April
    • The Scottish Government announces it will mount a legal challenge against the UK government's decision to block the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.
    • Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets with US President Joe Biden at the Grand Central Hotel in Belfast.
    • Biden makes a keynote speech at the Ulster University during which he urges Northern Ireland's politicians to restore the power-sharing government.
    • A 74-year-old man is extradited from Pakistan and charged with murdering police officer Sharon Beshenivsky in November 2005.
    • Tesco reduces the price of a four pint bottle of milk from £1.65 to £1.55 following a cut in wholesale prices.
    • Coronation of Charles III and Camilla: Buckingham Palace confirms that the Duke of Sussex will attend the coronation, but that the Duchess will remain in the United States with their children.
  • 13 April
    • Data published by the Office for National Statistics shows a 0% growth in the UK economy during February as growth in the construction industry was offset by industrial action.
    • Publication of the Deciphering Developmental Disorders study, a study involving children with development disorders, which has identified 60 new health conditions.
    • Sainsbury's follows Tesco in cutting the price of milk.
    • A report published by Diabetes UK indicates the UK is heading for what the charity describes as a "rapidly escalating diabetes crisis", with 4.3 million people experiencing a form of diabetes, a further 850,000 estimated to be living with the disease but unaware of it, and another 2.4 million people at risk of developing the condition. Cases of diabetes are more prevalent in less affluent areas of the country.
  • 14 April
    • Ford receives government approval for its "BlueCruise" Level 2 autonomous driving technology.
    • Aldi, Lidl and Asda join Sainsbury's and Tesco in cutting the retail price of milk.
    • Several thousand workers with the Environment Agency belonging to the UNISON trade union begin a three day strike over pay and conditions.
    • Coronation of Charles III and Camilla
      • Official chinaware manufactured by the Royal Collection Trust, in Stoke-on-Trent is unveiled.
      • Media, including BBC News, report that Sarah, Duchess of York has not been invited to the coronation.
      • Some details of the Coronation Concert are revealed, with acts including Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Take That confirmed as part of the line-up.
  • 15 April
    • The SNP's National Executive Committee orders a review of the party's transparency and governance.
    • Merseyside Police say that 118 people have been arrested at Aintree Racecourse after protestors delay the start of the 2023 Grand National. The race, which is delayed by 14 minutes, is won by Corach Rambler, ridden by Derek Fox.
  • 16 April – The building of all new smart motorways is cancelled over cost and safety concerns.
  • 17 April
    • The 2023 World Snooker Championship is disrupted by a protestor from Just Stop Oil who climbs onto the snooker table during a match between Robert Milkins and Joe Perry and pours orange powder over it. Two people are later arrested by South Yorkshire Police.
    • The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is to investigate Prime Minister Rishi Sunak over a possible failure to declare an interest over a childcare company in which his wife has shares.
    • Sunak announces a review of the "core maths content" taught in England's schools, with the establishment of a panel to conduct the review.
    • New rules from Ofgem will prohibit the forced installation of prepayment meters for gas and electricity customers over the age of 85. Customers in debt will also have more time to clear their debt before being forced to switch to a prepayment meter. But plans to resume the practice are subsequently criticised by campaigners who want it banned completely.
  • 19 April
    • Inflation is reported to have fallen from 10.4% in February to 10.1% in March. It remains higher than forecasted, driven largely by the ongoing rise in food prices, which continue to increase at their fastest rate in 45 years.
    • Colin Beattie resigns as SNP treasurer with immediate effect after his questioning by Police Scotland in their ongoing investigation into the party's finances.
  • 20 April – Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is handed the findings of an investigation into bullying allegations against Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab.
  • 21 April
    • Dominic Raab resigns as Deputy Prime Minister after the inquiry finds he acted in an "intimidating" and "insulting" manner with civil servants. He is succeeded by Oliver Dowden, who becomes Deputy Prime Minister, and Alex Chalk, who takes on the role of Secretary of State for Justice. Raab subsequently criticises what he describes as "activist civil servants" attempting to block the work of government.
    • The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) announces it is suspending all key activities until June after a number of companies, including John Lewis & Partners, BMW and Virgin Media O2, withdraw from the organisation following the emergence of allegations of sexual assault and rape.
    • Leaders of the Communication Workers Union recommend their members working for Royal Mail accept a pay offer worth 10% over the next three years.
    • The climate protest group Extinction Rebellion begins four days of demonstrations in central London to coincide with Earth Day, and which they describe as "The Big One".
  • 22 April – Sunak holds an emergency COBRA meeting to discuss the evacuation of British nationals caught up in the Sudan conflict.
  • 23 April
    • Diane Abbott is suspended from the Labour Party after writing a letter in The Observer in which she downplays racism against Irish people, Jews, and Travellers.
    • Sunak confirms that British diplomats and their families have been evacuated from Sudan in a "complex and rapid" operation.
    • The Emergency Alerts service is tested by the government at 3pm BST. An estimated 80% of smartphones are believed to be compatible to receive the alert, but around 7% of those do not receive it. Many people on the Three network report that the alert failed to appear on their phone, while others do not receive it because their phone is switched to aeroplane mode or they have disabled emergency alerts.
    • 2023 London Marathon: Sifan Hassan wins the women's race, while Kelvin Kiptum wins the men's event and breaks the course record.
  • 25 April
    • Downing Street confirms the first UK evacuation flight carrying British citizens has left Sudan.
    • High Court documents reveal that Prince William was paid a "very large sum" by News Group Newspapers, owners of The Sun, to settle historical phone-hacking claims.
    • Data published by the Office for National Statistics indicates government borrowing for the year up to 31 March 2023 to be £139.2bn, less than the £152bn that had been forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility prior to the 2023 budget.
  • 26 April
    • Andrew Bridgen is expelled from the Conservative Party after comparing COVID-19 vaccines to the Holocaust and being found to have breached lobbying rules.
    • The first evacuation flight from Sudan lands in the UK.
    • The Illegal Migration Bill passes its final stage in the House of Commons, with MPs voting 289–230 in favour of the bill.
    • The UK's Competition and Markets Authority blocks Microsoft's £55bn deal to buy US video game company Activision Blizzard, citing concerns about reduced choice for gamers and reduced innovation; the move needed the approval of competition regulators in the United States, United Kingdom and European Union.
  • 27 April
    • Three days of fresh train strikes are called after both ASLEF and the RMT reject a pay offer from the Rail Delivery Group. The strikes dates are announced for 13 May, 31 May and 3 June (ASLEF) and 13 May (RMT).
    • Following a hearing at the High Court, Mr Justice Linden rules that the nurses' strike planned for 30 April–2 May is partially unlawful as it falls partly outside the six month period from when members of the Royal College of Nursing voted to strike. The strike is cut short by a day as a consequence.
    • The NHS COVID-19 contact tracing app closes down.
  • 28 April – Richard Sharp resigns as Chairman of the BBC over his breach of the BBC's rules regarding public appointments after failing to declare his connection to a loan secured by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson worth £800,000.
  • 29 April
    • Coronation of Charles III and Camilla: Organisers announce that among the changes to the ceremony for the coronation will be to invite people watching proceedings to swear allegiance to the King and his heirs. The service will also include female clergy and representatives from several different religions.
    • The Guardian apologises following the publication of a cartoon depicting former BBC chairman Richard Sharp, who is Jewish, with exaggerated features and carrying a puppet of Rishi Sunak, after it was criticised for being antisemitic.
    • The final UK rescue flight from the Sudanese capital of Khartoum takes off as the rescue of UK nationals comes to an end. Another flight from Port Sudan is subsequently arranged for 1 May.
  • 30 April
    • Eight people are stabbed, one fatally, in a street brawl near a nightclub in Bodmin, Cornwall. Police arrest a 24-year-old man on suspicion of murdering another man in his 30s. The deceased victim is subsequently named as Michael Allen, aged 32.
    • Alex Chalk, the Secretary of State for Justice, announces new rules for terrorists in prison in England and Wales which will see them limited to two boxes of books and prevented from leading religious meetings.

May

  • 1 May
    • Coronation of Charles III and Camilla: The Royal Collection Trust confirms that Charles III will use a recycled throne chair from the Coronation of George VI for his own coronation in a bid to make the event more sustainable. Camilla will use a chair from the same coronation that was used by Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.
    • The 2023 World Snooker Championship concludes, with Belgium's Luca Brecel defeating England's Mark Selby 18–15 in the final to win his first world title. Brecel becomes the first player from Mainland Europe to win a World Championship.
  • 2 May
    • The 5% pay increase for one million NHS staff in England is signed off at a meeting between the UK government and representatives from 14 trade unions; all NHS employees but doctors and dentists are represented at the meeting.
    • A man is arrested outside Buckingham Palace after throwing shotgun cartridges into the grounds. A controlled explosion is also carried out by police.
  • 3 May – Coronation of Charles III and Camilla: As the Metropolitan Police release details of security measures in place, Security Minister Tom Tugendhat says that anti-monarchy groups will be allowed to protest at the coronation.
  • 4 May
    • 2023 United Kingdom local elections: The Conservatives incur significant losses, while Labour and the Lib Dems gain control of a number of councils from the Conservatives. The Green Party also make record gains, with over 200 councillors, and win majority control of Mid Suffolk District Council, the party's first ever council majority. The UK Independence Party, which had 500 council seats in 2014, loses the remainder of its councillors.
    • Members of the RMT vote to renew the union's mandate to take strike action for a further six months.
  • 5 May – Following the first conviction for trafficking for the purposes of organ removal in England and Wales, Nigerian Senator Ike Ekweremadu is sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison after bringing a young street trader to the UK in order to procure his kidney for a transplant. The Senator's wife and a doctor who also assisted in the plan are also sent to prison.
  • 6 May
    • Coronation of Charles III and Camilla:
      • The Coronation takes place at Westminster Abbey, London, with the two-hour ceremony emphasising diversity and inclusion. There are contributions from several faiths, including Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh representatives, while elements of the ceremony are also held in the Welsh and Gaelic languages.
      • Graham Smith, leader of the Republic pressure group, is arrested at a protest in Trafalgar Square prior to the coronation.
  • 7 May
    • Coronation of Charles III and Camilla:
      • Coronation Big Lunch events take place across the country along with street parties in various locations.
      • The Coronation Concert takes place at Windsor Castle.
      • Officials at Westminster City Council say they are "deeply concerned" at the arrest of three women's safety volunteers hours before the Coronation. In response the Metropolitan Police says it "received intelligence" people "were planning to use rape alarms to disrupt the procession".
  • 8 May
    • Skipton Building Society becomes the first building society since the 2008 financial crisis to announce it will offer 100% mortgages, aimed at first-time buyers who cannot afford a deposit.
    • Coronation of Charles III and Camilla:
      • Official photographs of the King and Queen taken shortly after the Coronation ceremony are released.
      • On the final day of celebrations, people are encouraged to get involved in the Big Help Out by joining volunteer projects across the UK.
  • 9 May
    • A Freedom of Information request filed by The Guardian reveals that at least one baby has been born with the DNA of three people, with 0.1% of the third person's DNA used in an attempt to prevent children developing mitochondrial diseases.
    • Addressing the issue of arrests made during the Coronation, Sir Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, says it is unfortunate people were not allowed to protest, but that there was a credible threat to disrupt the ceremony.
  • 10 May
    • The government confirms it will replace its plan for all EU-era legislation to expire at the end of 2023 with a list of 600 laws it wishes to replace.
    • Vodafone confirms it will begin switching off its 3G network from June, prompting concerns that people with older and more basic phones could experience "digital poverty".
    • The legal case Duke of Sussex v Mirror Group Newspapers begins at the High Court.
    • Adam Price announces his resignation as leader of Plaid Cymru after a report found a culture of misogyny, harassment and bullying in the party.
  • 11 May
    • Wind power is reported as the main source of electricity generation in the UK for the first three months of the year, overtaking gas.
    • The government announces that TransPennine Express will be stripped of its contract and nationalised, due to poor service and cancelled trains.
    • The Bank of England raises its baseline interest rate for the 12th consecutive time, from 4.25% to 4.5%, increasing mortgage and loan costs, but increasing savings income for many.
    • Defence Secretary Ben Wallace confirms that the UK will supply Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine, to assist the country in its conflict with Russia. These have a much longer range (250 km/155 mi) than US-supplied HIMARS missiles (80 km/50 mi).
  • 12 May
    • Data from the Office for National Statistics indicates the UK economy grew by 0.1% between January and March 2023, with ongoing strike action and the cost of living crisis contributing to the smaller than expected growth.
    • Following a three week trial at Newcastle Crown Court, David Boyd is convicted of the October 1992 murder of Nikki Allan in Sunderland.
  • 13 May
    • An inquiry is launched into possible "intentional damage" of a Royal Navy warship after around 60 cables were cut on HMS Glasgow at Scotstoun on the River Clyde.
    • The final of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Liverpool. The contest is won by Sweden's Loreen with the song "Tattoo", who becomes only the second person and the first woman to win the contest twice. The United Kingdom's Mae Muller finishes 25th with her song "I Wrote a Song".
  • 14 May – Former Archbishop of York Lord Sentamu is forced to resign his position as an assistant bishop in the Church of England Diocese of Newcastle following a report that criticised his handling of a child sex abuse case during his tenure as Archbishop of York.
  • 15 May – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits the UK to hold talks with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Sunak later announces that the UK will send Ukraine hundreds of air defence missiles and armed drones, in addition to the Storm Shadow cruise missiles previously promised.
  • 16 May
    • Following a trial at Reading Crown Court, three fraudsters who supplied forged passports to some of the UK's most notorious criminals, are sentenced to prison.
    • Data produced by the Office for National Statistics indicates the number of people not working because of a long-term health condition has reached two and a half million. The rise is attributed to an increase in mental health problems among young people, and an increase in people suffering back and neck problems as a result of working at home.
    • Stellantis, owners of Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat, urge the UK government to renegotiate parts of its Brexit trade deal, warning that the UK could lose its car industry. The company has committed to making electric vehicles in the UK, but says it may not be able to do so because of the combined effect of post-Brexit trade rules and increases in raw material costs.
  • 17 May
    • The Renters (Reform) Bill is introduced into Parliament.
    • The UK government bans the issuing of licences for animal testing of chemicals used in cosmetics products.
  • 18 May
    • 2023 Northern Ireland local elections: Local elections are held in Northern Ireland, two weeks after the rest of the country.
    • Figures released by HM Treasury indicate the funeral of Elizabeth II and associated events cost the UK government £162m.
  • 19 May
    • John Allan announces he is stepping down as chairman of Tesco following allegations over his conduct.
    • Tejay Fletcher, who founded and helped to run the iSpoof website that was used by criminals to pose as organisations such as banks and His Majesty's Revenue and Customs for the purposes of fraud by disguising their phone numbers, is sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison following a trial at Southwark Crown Court.
  • 20 May – 2023 Northern Ireland local elections: Sinn Féin become the largest political party in Northern Ireland after making significant gains in the local election votes.
  • 21 May – Labour and the Liberal Democrats call for an inquiry into whether the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, broke the Ministerial Code after it is reported she asked civil servants whether they could arrange a private speed awareness course, rather than the standard group one, after she was caught speeding in summer 2022 during her tenure as Attorney General.
  • 22 May
    • Buckingham Palace declines a request for the remains of Prince Alemayehu, brought to the UK as a child in the 19th century and buried at Windsor Castle following his death, to be returned to his native Ethiopia.
    • Margaret Ferrier loses her appeal against a proposed 30 day ban from the House of Commons over her breach of COVID-19 rules in September 2020.
    • Sir Richard Branson's rocket company Virgin Orbit ceases operations, following a recent mission failure and financial difficulties.
  • 23 May
    • The International Monetary Fund upgrades its growth forecast for the UK, which it says will now avoid a recession in 2023.
    • Following his conviction on 12 May, David Boyd is sentenced to a minimum term of 29 years in prison for Nikki Allan's murder.
    • The Cabinet Office refers former Prime Minister Boris Johnson to the police following fresh allegations of rule breaches during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • 24 May
    • Inflation is reported to have fallen from 10.1% in March to 8.7% in April. Food price growth remains close to record highs, at 19.1%.
    • Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirms that Home Secretary Suella Braverman's handling of a speeding offence did not breach ministerial rules and that she will not face an investigation.
  • 25 May
    • Net migration into the UK during 2022 is reported to have reached a record high of 606,000, with immigration estimated at 1.2m and emigration at 557,000. Around 114,000 people came from Ukraine and 52,000 from Hong Kong.
    • Three activists from climate change protest group Just Stop Oil are arrested for criminal damage after disrupting the Chelsea Flower Show.
    • Armed officers arrest a man after he crashes a car into the gates of Downing Street. The incident is not terrorism related.
  • 26 May
    • British Cycling announces that transgender women are to be banned from the female category of its competitions, following a nine-month review and consultation. This follows the March ban by UK Athletics.
    • Phillip Schofield announces he is leaving ITV, following his recent departure from This Morning amid controversy over the relationship he had with a "much younger" male colleague.
    • Passengers arriving into the UK face delays at several airports after passport e-gates stop working. The problem, attributed to technical problems, is resolved by the following evening.
  • 27 May – Post Office Limited issues an apology over the use of racist terms to describe postmasters wrongly investigated as part of the Horizon IT scandal.
  • 28 May
    • The Home Office announces it is launching an ad campaign on social media in Albania to deter migrants from coming to the UK; the campaign begins the following day.
    • BBC News reports that Andrei Kelin, Russia's ambassador to the UK, has warned that the west's supply of weapons to Ukraine risks escalating the war to levels not seen so far.
  • 29 May
    • Mars bars, one of the top-selling chocolate bars in the UK, are given a new look with recyclable paper wrappers, in a bid to cut down on the growing problem of plastic waste.
    • The Met Police's plan to stop attending emergency mental health incidents is described as "potentially alarming" by a former inspector of constabulary, with charity Mind also expressing concerns.
  • 30 May
    • Figures published by the British Retail Consortium show that supermarket prices rose in May, largely because of the price of coffee, chocolate and non-food goods.
    • The UK government announces plans to close a loophole in the law that allows shopkeepers to give free vape samples to those under the age of majority.
  • 31 May
    • Two people die and eight others are injured during an incident at the beach in Bournemouth.
    • ASLEF members hold their latest strike as part of an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions, causing widespread disruption to rail services. Further action is planned for Saturday, the day of the FA Cup Final, and on Friday by members of RMT.
    • A huge wildfire covering 30 square miles (80 sq km), possibly the largest ever seen in the UK, is brought under control by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service at Cannich in the Highlands.

June

  • 1 June
    • House prices in the UK are reported to have fallen by 3.4% in the year to May, the biggest decline since July 2009. The average property price is now estimated at £260,736.
    • A ban on e-scooters carried on Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express trains comes into force, due to concerns over fire risk.
  • 2 June – A visibly emotional Phillip Schofield gives an interview with the BBC's Amol Rajan, in which he apologises and says his "career is over" following the affair with a young male colleague.
  • 3 June
    • Train strikes staged by the ASLEF union cause disruption to the 2023 FA Cup final and a Beyoncé Knowles concert.
    • In the FA Cup Final, the first in the 152-year history of the competition to feature a Manchester derby, Manchester City defeat rivals Manchester United 2–1 to win their seventh FA Cup trophy.
    • A man is arrested at the FA Cup final after being pictured wearing a Manchester United shirt with the number 97 and the slogan "not enough", believed to be a reference to the Hillsborough disaster. The 33-year-old male is subsequently charged with displaying threatening or abusive writing likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
    • A protestor is detained by police after attempting to disrupt the 2023 Epsom Derby by trespassing on the track.
  • 6 June
    • Record high numbers of gonorrhoea and syphilis infections are reported, following a dip during previous years.
    • Prince Harry becomes the first senior member of the British royal family to give evidence in a court case in more than 130 years when he appears at the High Court to give evidence in his case against Mirror Group Newspapers.
    • The Advertising Standards Authority bans a 2022 campaign by Shell plc for being "likely to mislead" consumers.
  • 7 June
    • Figures produced by Halifax Bank indicate house prices have dropped by 1% compared to 2022, the first such fall since 2012.
    • It is announced that The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, as well as The Spectator, are to be put up for sale to recover debts incurred by the publications' parent company.
  • 8 June
    • Prime Minister Rishi Sunak holds a joint press conference with US President Joe Biden at the White House to announce the Atlantic Declaration, an agreement to strengthen economic ties between the UK and US.
    • Caroline Lucas, the Green Party's former leader and only MP, announces that she is stepping down from Parliament at the next election.
  • 9 June
    • The UK government announces that the planned windfall tax on oil and gas companies will be suspended if prices return to normal levels for a sustained period.
    • Nadine Dorries announces she will stand down as Conservative MP for Mid Bedfordshire with immediate effect, triggering a by-election. On 14 June 2023 she said that she had submitted a subject access request to the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) and was waiting to resign until she had received all unredacted "WhatsApps, text messages, all emails and minutes of meetings" related to why she was denied a peerage. Dorries eventually resigns on 26 August., 78 days after her initial announcement of "immediate effect".
    • Boris Johnson's Resignation Honours are published. Highlights include knighthoods for Jacob Rees-Mogg and Simon Clarke, and a damehood for Priti Patel. The decision to award a life peerage to former special adviser Charlotte Owen is criticised due to her young age (29) and perceived lack of experience or contributions to British society.
    • Johnson announces he will stand down as an MP with immediate effect after receiving the Commons Select Committee of Privileges's report into the Partygate scandal, triggering a by-election.
  • 10 June
    • Nigel Adams becomes the third Conservative MP in quick succession to stand down from Parliament with immediate effect, triggering a by-election.
    • Temperatures reach above 30 °C for the first time since 24 August 2022, marking the hottest day of the year so far. Three guardsmen collapse during a military parade in London, due to the heat.
  • 11 June
    • Energy Secretary Grant Shapps, speaking on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, declares that the country "wants to move on" from Boris Johnson and dismisses claims the ex-PM was the victim of a "witch hunt".
    • Police Scotland arrest Scotland's former First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, as part of their ongoing investigation into the SNP's finances. She is subsequently released without charge.
  • 12 June
    • Following a period of hot weather, thunderstorms and torrential rain bring flash flooding to parts of the UK.
    • A mother-of-three is sentenced to 28 months in prison for inducing an abortion at home during 2020 with medication while she was 32–34 weeks pregnant. The medication was obtained following a remote consultation at which the woman misled doctors over the advancement of her pregnancy.
  • 13 June
    • 2023 Nottingham attacks: A major incident is declared in Nottingham, with much of the city centre cordoned off, following a vehicle-ramming and knife attack. A 31-year-old man is arrested on suspicion of multiple murders, following the deaths of three people including two university students, while three others are hospitalised.
    • The first day of a public inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic begins in central London. The inquiry's lead lawyer says "very little thought" was given about the impact of a national lockdown and that Brexit planning may have occupied too much of the government's time and resources, while a counsel for the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice accuses the authorities of being "complacent".
    • A heatwave is declared in several parts of the UK as temperatures reach 30 °C, and after exceeding 25 °C for three consecutive days; the UK's heat-health alert is also extended.
  • 14 June
    • Vodafone and Three announce a merger, pending approval from regulators, to create the largest mobile company in the UK.
    • Thousands of people gather for a vigil to mourn the victims of the attacks in Nottingham. Police continue questioning a suspect, as the BBC obtains CCTV footage of a man believed to be the perpetrator.
    • Researchers at the University of Cambridge report the creation of the first synthetic human embryo from stem cells, without the need for sperm or egg cells.
  • 15 June
    • Partygate: A 13-month investigation by the House of Commons' Privileges Committee concludes that ex-Prime Minister Johnson deliberately misled the Commons over gatherings during pandemic restrictions at 10 Downing Street and Chequers. The report proposes that he would be suspended for 90 days if still an MP. It states that he deliberately misled the House and the committee, impugned the committee and was "complicit in the campaign of abuse and attempted intimidation of the Committee".
    • The Parole Board announces that double child killer and rapist Colin Pitchfork has been granted parole and will be released from prison. Alberto Costa, MP for South Leicestershire where the girls were killed, writes to the Justice Secretary to seek "an immediate and urgent review" of the decision.
  • 16 June
    • A hosepipe and sprinkler ban is announced for Kent and Sussex, beginning on 26 June, after water demand hits record levels.
    • The Ministry of Justice confirms that serial killer Levi Bellfield, who is serving two whole life sentences for murder, will be allowed to marry his girlfriend in prison as there are no legal restrictions preventing him from doing so.
    • Boris Johnson breaks the Ministerial Code for a second time, by not asking advice from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments before accepting a new job writing for the Daily Mail. The previous time was shortly after he stood down as foreign secretary in July 2018, when he accepted a similar job with the Daily Telegraph.
    • A 31-year-old man is charged with three counts of murder and three of attempted murder following the Nottingham attacks.
  • 17 June
    • David Warburton, the MP for Somerton and Frome, becomes the fourth Conservative MP in eight days to announce their resignation from the House of Commons, doing so following his suspension from the party over allegations of sexual misconduct, and triggering a by-election in his constituency.
    • The 2023 Trooping the Colour ceremony takes place.
  • 18 June – Partygate: The Mirror publishes video footage of a party held in December 2020 at Conservative Party Headquarters. Housing Secretary Michael Gove describes the incident as "indefensible".
  • 19 June – Partygate: MPs back, by 354 votes to seven, a report finding Boris Johnson deliberately misled the Commons over lockdown parties at Downing Street.
  • 20 June
    • The Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, rules out direct financial support for mortgage holders, over fears it would "make inflation worse, not better".
    • British businessmen Hamish Harding and Shahzada Dawood, along with Dawood's son, Suleman, are confirmed as being aboard the missing submersible that disappeared during a voyage to see the wreck of the RMS Titanic two days earlier.
  • 21 June – UK inflation figures for May 2023 show it remained higher than expected, at 8.7%.
  • 22 June
    • The Bank of England raises the official bank rate from 4.5% to 5%, the 13th consecutive rise, and a greater increase than economists had expected.
    • The RMT announces three fresh days of strike action for 20, 22 and 29 July.
  • 23 June
    • Banks and building societies are summoned for a meeting with Jeremy Hunt as pressure grows on them to help people struggling with rising mortgage costs. A series of measures are agreed, offering more flexibility.
    • Junior doctors in England announce a new five-day walkout from 13 to 18 July – the longest strike yet – over pay.
    • Following a trial at Northampton Crown Court, Louis De Zoysa is convicted of the 2020 murder of police sergeant Matt Ratana.
  • 24 June – The UK government holds an emergency COBRA meeting to discuss the Wagner Group rebellion in Russia. Sunak urges both sides to "be responsible and to protect civilians".
  • 25 June
    • A national technical fault affects the 999 service, meaning emergency services are unable to receive calls for around two hours. The service is fully restored by the evening.
    • A spokesman for Sarah, Duchess of York says that she is recovering following surgery for breast cancer at King Edward VII's Hospital a few days earlier.
    • Elton John plays the final UK concert of his farewell tour at Glastonbury 2023, headlining the Pyramid Stage on the festival's final day.
  • 26 June
    • A two-year BBC investigation into the 1993 murder of Stephen Lawrence identifies a sixth suspect who was not charged at the time and is now deceased.
    • Banking giant HSBC announces that it will vacate its 45-storey tower at 8 Canada Square in Canary Wharf and establish a smaller headquarters, possibly in the City of London, when its current lease expires in 2027. The move is attributed to an increase in remote work and less need for in-person office work.
    • Prince William and Geri Horner announce the launch of Homewards, a five-year project aimed at reducing the number of homeless people in the UK.
    • The National Cancer Research Institute announces that it will be closing, amid concerns over its funding.
  • 27 June
    • Boots announces plans to close 300 of its outlets over the next years, saying it will close stores in close proximity to other branches.
    • A report compiled by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) says racism, sexism, classism and elitism are "widespread" in English and Welsh cricket.
  • 28 June
    • Daniel Korski withdraws as the Conservative Party's candidate for the 2024 London mayoral election after being accused of groping by novelist and TV producer Daisy Goodwin.
    • A BBC News investigation finds that paedophiles are using Stable Diffusion, a piece of artificial intelligence software, to create lifelike images of child sexual abuse, which are then being distributed through platforms such as Patreon.
  • 29 June
    • The plan to deport some asylum seekers to Rwanda is ruled unlawful. In a three-judge decision, the court of appeal overturns a high court decision that previously ruled that Rwanda could be considered a safe third country to send refugees.
    • Smoke from record-breaking Canadian wildfires is detected in the UK, having drifted thousands of kilometres over the Atlantic.
  • 30 June
    • Sunak unveils an NHS workforce plan that aims to address shortages in the health service by increasing the number of training places for nurses and doctors, as well as retaining them in the NHS workforce.
    • The Independent Press Standards Organisation rules that a December 2022 column in The Sun newspaper written by Jeremy Clarkson about Meghan, Duchess of Sussex being paraded naked through the streets was sexist, but rejects complaints that it was either discriminatory on the grounds of race, inaccurate, or sought to harass the duchess. Both The Sun and Clarkson had apologised for the piece in December 2022.

July

  • 1 July
    • The Foreign Office issues a travel warning for Britons going to France, as major riots grip the country.
    • The price cap on energy bills is reduced, with an average yearly domestic gas and electricity bill falling by £426 to £2,074.
  • 2 July
    • The Public Order Act 2023 comes into effect in England and Wales, giving police greater powers to move environmental protestors who disrupt transport routes.
    • Co-op Funeralcare announces that resomation, a process that uses potassium hydroxide and water to break down human remains, will be made available for funerals in the UK for the first time later in the year.
    • Orkney Islands Council begins movements to change its status, looking at options including becoming either a British Crown Dependency, or a British Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom, or a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Norway or Denmark.
  • 3 July
    • Train drivers belonging to the ASLEF union at 16 train operators begin a six-day overtime ban, threatening disruption to services.
    • The Met Office confirms that the UK has experienced its hottest June on record, with June 2023's average temperature of 15.8 °C beating previous records from 1940 and 1976 by 0.9 °C.
  • 4 July
    • The average interest rate on a five-year fixed mortgage deal exceeds 6%.
    • Partygate scandal: The Metropolitan Police announces it is reopening its investigation into a lockdown party held at Conservative Party Headquarters in December 2020, as well as an event held at Westminster on 8 December 2020.
  • 5 July
    • King Charles III is presented with the Honours of Scotland during a ceremony held at Edinburgh's St Giles Cathedral.
    • The Ministry of Defence confirms that UK Special Forces are at the centre of a war crimes investigation involving Afghanistan.
    • David Black, the chief executive of Ofwat, suggests that water bills are likely to rise in 2025 as water companies seek to cover the cost of improving services.
  • 6 July
    • Two children die, while 15 other people are injured after a Land Rover crashes into a primary school in Wimbledon, south-west London. The crash is not treated as terror-related, but the driver is arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
    • The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards recommends that MP Chris Pincher be suspended for eight weeks, following an investigation into groping allegations.
    • The government loses a High Court bid to prevent the COVID-19 Inquiry from seeing Boris Johnson's diaries and WhatsApp messages in full.
    • Wallasey pub shooting: Connor Chapman is found guilty of shooting dead 26-year-old Elle Edwards and injuring four others with a submachine gun. Co-defendant Thomas Waring is also found guilty of possessing a prohibited firearm and assisting an offender. The following day, Chapman is sentenced to a minimum of 48 years in prison, and Waring is given a nine-year prison term.
  • 7 July
    • Consumer finance expert Martin Lewis speaks to BBC Radio 4 about the growing use of deepfake AI technology, warning that more regulation is needed to prevent online scams.
    • Data published by Halifax Bank indicates that UK house prices have fallen at the fastest rate since 2011, with a 2.6% fall in the last year.
    • A man in his 20s, known publicly only as LXB, becomes the first alleged neo-Nazi in the UK to be placed under special government powers for monitoring and controlling suspected terrorists.
    • Following his trial and conviction at Nottingham Crown Court, Jamie Barrow is sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 44 years for the murders of a mother and her two children, who died after he set their flat on fire.
    • Empire Cinemas collapses into administration, with the immediate closure of six of its outlets and the remainder at risk of closure.
    • A story printed in The Sun alleges that an unnamed BBC presenter paid a 17-year-old for sexually explicit photos. In response the BBC says it is investigating and that the presenter is not scheduled to be on air in the coming days.
  • 8 July
    • Rishi Sunak reaffirms the UK's opposition to the use of cluster munitions, as the United States announces it will send the widely banned weapons to Ukraine, where the conflict has reached its 500th day.
    • Thunderstorms affect parts of the UK as a brief hot spell comes to an end.
  • 9 July – The Sun prints fresh allegations about an unnamed BBC presenter, alleging that he stripped down to his underpants during a video call to the teenager. Several male public figures associated with the BBC speak out to say they are not the individual concerned. Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer holds an urgent meeting with BBC Director General Tim Davie at which he tells her the BBC is investigating the matter "swiftly and sensitively". The BBC subsequently confirms it has suspended the presenter and referred the matter to the police.
  • 10 July
    • A lawyer representing the young person who was allegedly paid by a BBC presenter for indecent photographs casts doubt on the story. In a letter to the BBC, the lawyer says that his client contacted The Sun on 7 July to tell the newspaper there was "no truth in it". The paper is said to have subsequently printed the "inappropriate article" containing allegations made by the client's mother.
    • EasyJet announces the cancellation of 1,700 flights to and from Gatwick Airport during July, August and September, citing constraints on airspace in Europe and ongoing traffic control difficulties.
  • 11 July
    • A second young person comes forward to make allegations about the BBC presenter at the centre of a scandal, claiming that they were contacted by him on a dating app and sent abusive and threatening messages. The person, in their early 20s, also says they felt under pressure to meet up, although they did not do so.
    • The average deal on a two-year fixed mortgage reaches 6.66%, the highest level since the financial crisis of 2008.
  • 12 July
    • Huw Edwards is identified by his wife as the BBC presenter being investigated for allegedly paying a 17-year-old for sexually explicit photos. His wife also says that Edwards is receiving in-patient hospital care after an episode of depression following the publication of the allegations. Following an investigation into the allegations, the Metropolitan Police releases a statement to say detectives have determined no criminal offence has been committed.
    • The Bank of England says that rising interest rates mean that mortgages for at least one million borrowers will rise by an average of £500 a month by the end of 2023.
    • The 2.6 GW Hornsea Project 4 is approved by the government, becoming the second-largest UK wind farm to receive planning consent, following Hornsea Project Three.
  • 13 July
    • The longest doctor's strike in NHS history begins, as junior doctors begin a five-day walkout over pay.
    • The government offers more than a million public sector workers in England and Wales a pay rise worth an average of 6%. The offer sees police and prison officers in England and Wales offered 7%, with teachers in England offered 6.5%, and junior doctors in England offered 6%.
    • A report published by the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament says the UK failed to develop an effective strategy for dealing with threats to its national security by China, which has allowed Chinese intelligence to aggressively target the UK.
  • 14 July
    • Data published by the Office for National Statistics indicates one in 20 people surveyed reported running out of food, and being unable to afford to buy more because of rising food prices.
    • The High Court of England and Wales gives its approval to legal challenges against the Home Office by Braintree District Council in Essex and West Lindsey District Council in Lincolnshire over plans to use two former airbases in the areas, Wethersfield Airbase and RAF Scampton, to house asylum seekers.
    • The former Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy is cleared of raping a woman and attempting to rape another, following a three-week trial at Chester Crown Court.
    • Abbott Laboratories, producers of the FreeStyle Libre app, used by around 200,000 people with diabetes in the UK, temporarily withdraw the app from the App Store after technical problems with an update caused it to stop working on Apple devices in the UK.
    • Just Stop Oil protesters interrupt the first night of the Proms at London's Royal Albert Hall.
  • 15 July – The Local Government Association calls for disposable vapes to be banned in England and Wales by 2024, citing their environmental impact and their appeal to children.
  • 17 July
    • A report from the National Audit Office concludes that the UK government is likely to miss its 2019 target to build 40 new NHS hospitals by 2030.
    • As train drivers begin a six day overtime ban, their union, ASLEF, announces a further six day overtime ban from 31 July.
  • 18 July
    • A BBC investigation into working conditions at McDonald's has collected together a number of allegations of sexual assault, harassment, bullying and racism.
    • A woman sentenced to 28 months imprisonment for illegally obtaining abortion pills in 2020 has her sentence reduced to a 14 month suspended sentence by the Court of Appeal, and will be released from prison.
    • The Home Office confirms the release of the first passports issued in King Charles III's name.
  • 19 July
    • The first British passports are issued featuring King Charles III.
    • The UK rate of inflation falls from 8.7% in May to 7.9% in June.
    • Rishi Sunak issues an apology for the UK's historical treatment of LGBT people who were dismissed from the military because of their sexuality.
  • 20 July
    • Senior doctors begin a two-day walkout, their first strike in a decade, amid an ongoing dispute over pay.
    • The Competition and Markets Authority tells supermarkets they must make their food pricing clearer in order to help shoppers make informed decisions about the best deals.
    • A University of Oxford study suggests that if heavy meat eaters were to cut some of it out of their diet it would be like removing eight million cars from the road.
    • The first phase of the COVID-19 Inquiry comes to an end, with an interim report expected to be published in 2024.
  • 21 July
    • July 2023 by-elections:
      • Uxbridge and South Ruislip: The former seat of ex-PM Boris Johnson is held by the Conservatives, but with a significantly reduced majority of 495 votes. The proposed ULEZ expansion by Labour's Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, is a factor in the result.
      • Selby and Ainsty: Labour takes the formerly safe Conservative seat of Selby and Ainsty. The swing of 23.7% is the largest since 1945.
      • Somerton and Frome: The Liberal Democrats take Somerton and Frome, overturning a Conservative majority of 29.6%.
  • 22–23 July – The most successful weekend for UK cinema-going since 2019 is reported, with Oppenheimer and Barbie taking £30m in their box office openings.
  • 23 July – The Cabinet Office announces the launch of the Humanitarian Medal for emergency workers and humanitarian relief teams, such as charities, service personnel and health workers.
  • 24 July
    • Thousands of Britons begin arriving home from Greece, after being evacuated due to catastrophic wildfires in the region. Travel agency Thomas Cook promises to refund those who booked holidays.
    • The Competition and Markets Authority announces an investigation into companies that offer quickie divorces and will writing.
  • 26 July
    • Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey is cleared of all charges at London's Southwark Crown Court. His trial had included nine charges, with seven counts of sexual assault against four men.
    • The consultation process for the proposed closure of hundreds of ticket offices at train stations in England is extended until 1 September.
    • Dame Alison Rose admits to being the source of an inaccurate BBC news report about Nigel Farage's Coutts bank account after discussing the matter with BBC business editor Simon Jack, something she describes as a "serious error of judgement". She subsequently resigns from her post early the next day.
  • 27 July
    • The Met Office publishes its State of the UK Climate 2022 report. It concludes that the 40 °C heatwave was "extraordinary", but would be considered an average year by 2060 and a cool year by 2100, if current emission trends continue.
    • 26-year-old Louis De Zoysa is sentenced to a whole life order for the murder of police officer Matt Ratana in 2020.
    • Peter Flavel resigns as chief executive of Coutts Bank over controversy surrounding the closure of Nigel Farage's account.
  • 28 July – The High Court concludes that Sadiq Khan's plan to extend the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) around London is lawful and can proceed.
  • 30 July
    • Media outlets, including BBC News, report that the Infrastructure and Projects Authority has given the HS2 project an "unachievable" rating in a report published on 20 July.
    • Sunak orders a review of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, declaring himself to be on the side of drivers.
  • 31 July
    • Sunak announces that over 100 new licenses will be granted for oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, a decision heavily criticised by environmental groups and opposition MPs as incompatible with the UK's climate change commitments. Sunak insists the plan is "entirely consistent" with reaching net zero, and says that a quarter of UK energy needs will come from oil and gas even after 2050.
    • New rules come into force from the Financial Conduct Authority requiring banks to prove they are offering their customers fair value, such as passing on interest rate rises to savers.
    • The final date on which non-barcoded stamps can be used when posting mail.

August

  • 1 August
    • Nationwide reports that house prices fell by 3.8% in July, the sharpest decline since July 2009.
    • The UK's first permanent drone delivery service begins, with Royal Mail and Skyports establishing a daily inter-island mail distribution between three islands on Orkney.
    • Changes on excise duty for alcohol come into force, with the tax levied depending on a drink's strength.
    • Former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier loses her seat, following a successful recall petition, triggering a by-election.
  • 2 August – COVID-19 in the UK: The UK Health Security Agency reports the spread of a new variant known as EG.5.1.
  • 3 August
    • The National Risk Register publishes its latest report on future threats facing the UK. It puts the chance of another pandemic at between 5% and 25%. Other risks include extreme weather caused by worsening climate change, advances in artificial intelligence (AI) systems, terrorism such as cyberattacks on infrastructure, and the assassination of public figures.
    • Greenpeace activists climb onto the roof of Rishi Sunak's North Yorkshire home, unfurling sheets of black fabric, in protest at his recent decision to expand oil and gas production in the North Sea.
    • The Bank of England raises its baseline interest rate from 5% to 5.25%, the 14th consecutive increase and the highest level since April 2008. The Bank also predicts inflation to fall below 5% in the final quarter of 2023.
    • Brexit: Checks on fresh food from the EU are delayed for a fifth time, amid concerns over red tape.
    • Homeware retailer Wilko files a notice of intention to call in administrators after failing to secure a buyer, putting 12,000 jobs at risk.
    • Butterfly Conservation reports a four-fold increase in red admiral sightings compared to the previous year, likely a result of higher temperatures in the UK.
  • 4 August
    • Around 4,000 scouts from the UK attending the World Jamboree in South Korea are to be moved to hotels due to the ongoing 2023 Asia heat wave.
    • A royal spokesman confirms there will be no official public events to mark the first anniversary of the death of Elizabeth II.
    • The mother and stepfather of Jacob Crouch, a 10-month-old baby who died at his Derbyshire home in 2020, are found guilty of causing him severe injuries leading to death. The mother, 33-year-old Gemma Barton, is acquitted of murder, but found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child, as well as child cruelty, and is sentenced to 10 years in prison. Stepfather Craig Crouch is found guilty of murder and receives a minimum term of 28 years in prison.
    • Storm Antoni hits the UK, the first Met Office-named storm of the year, with forecasters warning of "unseasonably" strong winds that could pose a danger to life over the weekend. A top wind gust of 78 mph is recorded at Berry Head in Devon, which is considered a potential record for the time of year.
    • The biggest NHS privatisation since the Blair years is announced, with eight new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) being planned in a bid to cut record-high waiting lists. A further five NHS-run CDCs are also announced.
  • 5 August – The 18th century Crooked House, once known as "Britain's wonkiest pub", is gutted by a fire. The pub is demolished two days later. Police subsequently confirm they are treating the fire as arson.
  • 6 August
    • Secretary of State for Justice Alex Chalk confirms that the rule deducting living costs from compensation paid to people who have been wrongfully convicted will be scrapped.
    • Greetings card retailer Clintons are to close around 20% of their outlets to cut back on expenditure.
  • 7 August – The first group of asylum seekers to be housed on the Bibby Stockholm while they wait for the cases to be processed arrive on the barge following delays over safety concerns.
  • 8 August
    • The Police Service of Northern Ireland issues an apology after a data breach led to the details of its officers being published online.
    • The Electoral Commission warns people to look out for unauthorised use of their data after revealing it was the victim of a "complex cyber-attack" in August 2021, which was not discovered until October 2022.
    • The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommends the Autumn 2023 programme of COVID-19 booster vaccines should be routinely offered to all over-65s, as well as those under 65 in clinical risk groups, care home residents and frontline health workers. This marks a change from 2022 when all adults over 50 were offered the booster. The flu vaccine will also be offered to over 65s after the age was dropped to 50 during the pandemic.
  • 9 August – A second Police Service of Northern Ireland data breach is revealed after it emerges a spreadsheet containing the names of 200 officers was stolen from a car in July 2023.
  • 10 August
    • High street bargain homeware retailer Wilko goes into administration. The move puts 12,000 jobs across 400 shops at risk.
    • Simon Byrne, the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, says he is "deeply sorry" about two "industrial scale" data breaches, but will not resign over the controversy.
    • Coronation of Charles III and Camilla: The Royal Mint unveils a special official Coronation 50 pence coin.
  • 11 August
    • Data from the Office for National Statistics shows the UK economy grew by an average 0.2% between April and June 2023. This includes a better than expected increase of 0.5% for June as a result of warm weather which boosted both the construction and hospitality industries.
    • Migrants are temporarily moved from the Bibby Stockholm after traces of the Legionella bacteria are found in the water supply.
    • The number of migrants who have crossed the English Channel since 2018 passes 100,000.
  • 12 August
    • England captain Harry Kane joins German champions Bayern Munich on a four-year deal, ending his record-breaking career at Tottenham Hotspur.
    • Six people are killed and 58 rescued by British and French coastguards after a boat carrying migrants sinks off the French coast, near Sangatte, in the English Channel.
  • 14 August – Health Secretary Steve Barclay confirms "no-one has been harmed" following the discovery of legionella bacteria on the Bibby Stockholm.
  • 15 August
    • BBC News reports that five suspected spies for Russia were arrested in February 2023, three of whom have been charged in connection with the allegations.
    • Data published by the Office for National Statistics indicates that average UK wages increased by 7.8% between April and June 2023, their highest increase since comparable figures began in 2001.
  • 16 August
    • Data released by the Office for National Statistics indicates that UK rents rose by an average of 5.3% in the year to July 2023, the highest rise since comparable records began in 2016.
    • UK inflation fell from 7.9% in June to 6.8% in July with the fall in energy costs helping to bring it down, but food and hospitality prices remained high and continued to have an impact.
  • 17 August – A Level results are published in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with grades returning to pre-pandemic levels; 27.2% of all grades marked are rated as A* or A.
  • 18 August
    • COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The UK Health Security Agency supports a proposal for the commercial sale of COVID-19 vaccines to the public, for those wishing to top up their immunity, after the age limit on the NHS booster programme is raised from 50 to 65.
    • Former nurse Lucy Letby, 33, is found guilty of murdering seven babies, and attempting to murder six others, at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016, following a trial which began 10 months ago. She becomes the most prolific killer of babies in the UK in modern times. She is cleared on two charges of attempted murder, while the jury fails to reach verdicts on two further charges of attempted murder. The UK government orders an independent inquiry into the case.
    • HM Treasury announces that banks will be fined if they fail to provide people with adequate cash withdrawal and deposit facilities. The policy will require cash withdrawal and deposit facilities to be available within a mile of residents and businesses in an urban setting, and three miles in rural settings.
  • 20 August – 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup: Spain win 1–0 against England in the final of the tournament.
  • 21 August – Following her conviction on 18 August, Lucy Letby is sentenced at Manchester Crown Court to a whole life order for the 14 charges she was convicted of. Justice James Goss states that her "cruel, calculated and cynical campaign of child murder" means she should never be released from prison.
  • 22 August
    • Official figures show that Government borrowing in July was £4.3bn, lower than the £5bn forecast by economists.
    • Former Metropolitan Police officer Adam Provan is jailed for 16 years for multiple rapes against a teenage girl and a female police officer.
    • It is reported that art dealer Ittai Gradel alerted the British Museum about possible missing items in 2021 but was told "all objects were accounted for".
  • 23 August – It is reported that doctors at Oxford's Churchill Hospital have carried out the UK's first womb transplant, with a 34-year-old woman receiving her sister's womb in a 17-hour operation that took place in February 2023.
  • 24 August
    • Data released by the Home Office shows that 175,000 people were waiting to have their claims for asylum assessed at the end of June 2023, an increase of 44% on the same time in 2022.
    • GCSE results are published in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with 68.2% of all entries marked at grades 4/C and above. It is the second fall in overall results, taking them almost back to pre-pandemic levels.
  • 25 August
    • Ofgem confirms the energy price cap will fall again in October, with an annual gas and electricity bill at around £1,923.
    • The National Crime Agency launches a criminal investigation after linking 88 UK deaths with an online seller from Canada accused of selling them a poisonous substance so they could commit suicide.
  • 26 August – Conservative MP Nadine Dorries resigns her Parliamentary seat two months after originally saying she would do so, accusing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of abandoning "the fundamental principles of Conservatism" and that "history will not judge [him] kindly".
  • 28 August – Hundreds of flights to and from the UK are delayed following technical problems with the UK's air traffic control system.
  • 29 August
    • Martin Rolfe, chief executive of the National Air Transport Service confirms that an initial investigation into the disruption caused to the UK's air traffic control system indicates it to be as a result of flight data received. As passengers continue to face delays in catching flights, the incident is to be investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority.
  • 30 August
    • Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announces plans to introduce legislation that will compel convicted criminals to attend their sentencing hearings, by force if necessary, or face more time in prison.
    • Health Secretary Steve Barclay announces that the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Lucy Letby's crimes has been upgraded to a statutory hearing, meaning that witnesses can be compelled to give evidence.
    • Property website Zoopla forecasts that UK house sales for 2023 are on course to be at their lowest since 2012, with an estimated one million completed by the end of the year, a fifth lower than 2022.

September

  • 1 September
    • A crisis emerges in schools, hospitals, and other public buildings, centred around the use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), a widely-used but outdated material believed to be unsafe and in danger of crumbling. The announcements come just days before the beginning of the new academic year.
    • Figures published by the Nationwide Building Society indicate UK house prices in August 2023 were 5.3% lower than those in August 2022, the largest fall since 2009.
    • Octopus Energy announces plans to buy Shell Energy, giving Octopus an additional 1.4 million customers.
  • 3 September
    • Chancellor Jeremy Hunt says the UK government will "spend what it takes" to put right the problem of defective concrete in schools, and says that structural problems could be identified in more schools and other public buildings.
    • Tesco chief executive Ken Murphy announces that staff at the retailer will be offered body cameras following a rise in violent incidents.
    • UK government data indicates 872 migrants crossed the English Channel the previous day, the highest daily number of 2023.
  • 4 September
    • Labour leader Keir Starmer performs a cabinet reshuffle, as MPs return to Westminster after the summer break. This includes Angela Rayner becoming both Shadow Levelling Up Secretary and Shadow Deputy Prime Minister.
    • Simon Byrne resigns as Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland with immediate effect following a number of recent controversies.
    • The Met Office issues a heat health alert for much of the country, with temperatures forecast to reach as high as 32°C later in the week.
    • BBC News reports that a record number of Asian hornets sightings could have devastating consequences for the UK's bee population for many years to come.
  • 5 September
    • Birmingham City Council, the largest local authority in Europe, declares itself effectively bankrupt. The crisis, which prevents all but essential spending to protect core services, is linked to a £760m bill to settle equal pay claims, along with implementation of a new IT system.
    • As parts of the UK experience a heat wave, the UK Health Security Agency upgrades a yellow heat health alert to an amber warning in eight of the UK's nine regions amid forecasts that temperatures will reach 32°C.
    • The UK government announces that nitrous oxide will be reclassified as a Class C drug and made illegal by the end of the year, with possession carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison.
    • Home Secretary Suella Braverman announces that Russia's mercenary Wagner Group is to be proscribed as a terrorist organisation.
  • 6 September – A manhunt is launched for remand prisoner Daniel Abed Khalife following his escape from HMP Wandsworth.
  • 7 September
    • The UK rejoins the EU's Horizon scientific research programme.
    • Justice Secretary Alex Chalk announces an independent inquiry into the escape of Daniel Khalife from Wandsworth Prison. The inquiry will have two areas of focus – a review of the "placement and categorisation" of all inmates at Wandsworth, and an investigation of all people in custody currently charged with terror offences.
    • The UK's first EV-only manufacturing plant begins production at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.
    • The UK experiences a fourth day of temperatures exceeding 30°C (86°F), the highest consecutive number on record for the month of September, with hot weather expected to continue until the weekend.
  • 8 September – The first anniversary of the death of Elizabeth II is marked by gun salutes at Hyde Park and the Tower of London, as well as the release of a short message from Charles III along with a previously unreleased portrait of the Queen taken in 1968.
  • 9 September – Following a four-day manhunt, Daniel Khalife is arrested by the Metropolitan Police in Chiswick, London.
  • 10 September
    • The Sunday Times reports that two men have been arrested under the Official Secrets Act, including a researcher in the UK Parliament accused of spying for China.
    • Mo Farah, considered one of the greatest British athletes of all time, takes part in the final race of his career at age 40, finishing fourth in the Great North Run.
    • The Metropolitan Police confirm that Daniel Khalife has been charged with escaping from Wandsworth Prison. He appears before Westminster Magistrates Court the following day, where he is remanded in custody until 29 September.
  • 11 September
    • The GMB Union confirms that the UK's 400 Wilko stores will close by early October after a bid to rescue the retailer fell through.
    • Home Secretary Suella Braverman says she is seeking "urgent advice" on potentially banning the American Bully XL dog breed following an attack by a dog on an 11-year-old girl in Birmingham.
  • 12 September
    • Pepco Group, owners of Poundland, announce they will take on the lease of 71 Wilko stores and convert them into Poundland outlets.
    • Government data reveals that average wages increased by 7.8% from May to July, matching the pace of inflation for the first time since 2021.
    • A joint study carried out by the University of Exeter, the University of Surrey and the Working Party on Sexual Misconduct in Surgery highlights the experiences of female surgeons, many of whom say they have faced sexual harassment, sexual assault or been raped by male colleagues.
    • Stonegate Group, the UK's largest pub chain, announces plans to introduce dynamic pricing during evenings and weekends at around 800 of its 4,000 outlets.
  • 13 September
    • Data from the Office for National Statistics indicates the UK economy shrank by 0.5% during July, which is largely attributed to strike action and wet weather.
    • Data published by UK Finance shows payments by cash in the UK rose during 2022 for the first time in ten years, but were still lower than those by debit and credit card.
  • 15 September
    • Following a recent spate of dog attacks, primarily involving the American XL bully, the government announces that the breed will be banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act by the end of the year.
    • Port Talbot Steelworks is allocated up to £500m by the UK government in a bid to keep the plant open and produce steel using greener methods.
    • Marks & Spencer becomes the latest high street retailer to announce it is scrapping plastic bags in favour of paper ones.
  • 16 September
    • Comedian and actor Russell Brand is accused by four women of rape, sexual assaults, and emotional abuse between 2006 and 2013, following a joint investigation by the Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches. Brand releases a video denying "serious criminal allegations".
    • Christine Middlemiss, the UK's Chief Veterinary Officer, says there will not be a cull of American bully XL dogs following Sunak's announcement that the breed is to be banned.
    • Solicitors representing convicted killer nurse Lucy Letby announce that she will be applying for permission to appeal against her convictions.
  • 18 September
    • COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: New booster vaccines begin rolling out for people aged 65 and over in England, as a precaution against a highly-mutated new COVID-19 variant called BA.2.86.
    • A new palm oil substitute called PALM-ALT is presented by researchers at Queen Margaret University in Scotland. The plant-based ingredient is shown to be 70% better for the environment than conventional palm oil and is described as "the holy grail to replace it."
    • Conservative MP Dehenna Davison resigns as a levelling up minister, saying "chronic migraines" have made it "impossible" to do her job.
    • Russell Brand's live tour is postponed, as police investigate a further allegation of sexual assault by the celebrity, dating back to 2003.
    • The UK government announces that Post Office workers who had wrongful convictions for false accounting and theft overturned will each be offered £600,000 in compensation.
  • 19 September
    • The UK government announces that commissioners will be appointed to oversee the running of Birmingham City Council following its recent financial troubles.
    • The Scottish Government begins its legal challenge against Westminster over the UK government's decision to block the controversial Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.
  • 20 September
    • Data released by the Office for National Statistics show that inflation fell from 6.8% in July to 6.7% in August, something that is attributed to a fall in food prices.
    • Sunak announces a major rethink of the UK government's strategy to achieve net zero carbon output in the UK by 2050, including a delay in banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035.
  • 21 September
    • The Bank of England holds interest rates at 5.25% after inflation for August was lower than expected.
    • Five Bulgarian nationals suspected of spying for Russia are to be charged with conspiracy to conduct espionage.
    • Charles III addresses the French Senate during his state visit to France.
    • News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch announces his retirement and plan to hand over his businesses to his son Lachlan. Murdoch additionally owned the American broadcaster Fox and formerly Sky Group.
  • 22 September
    • It is reported that eight-year-old Aditi Shankar has become the first child in the UK to receive a kidney transplant that will not require her to take medication to prevent the organ being rejected, and that she is healthy and has returned to school.
    • In his first statement since further allegations were made against him, Russell Brand posts a video on social media describing his week as "extraordinary and distressing".
  • 23 September
    • The government's home energy efficiency taskforce is scrapped.
    • Members of the anti-monarchist pressure group Republic stage what they describe as the "first-ever" protest inside Buckingham Palace.
  • 24 September – Home Secretary Suella Braverman orders a review into armed policing, after 300 firearms officers hand in their weapons, following concerns over a police officer charged with murdering 24-year-old Chris Kaba. Most of the officers return to their duties the following day.
  • 25 September
    • A hearing at Manchester Crown Court determines that Lucy Letby will face a retrial for one of the six counts of attempted murder that the jury at her original trial was unable to reach a verdict on; a provisional trial date is set for 10 June 2024.
    • The Metropolitan Police are to investigate allegations of non-recent sexual offences following recent reports about comedian Russell Brand.
  • 26 September
    • Dr Mike McKean, vice-president for policy at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, says that public health messaging suggesting vaping is 95% safer than smoking is ineffective as a growing number of children are using e-cigarettes and experiencing health problems, and that messaging should have made it clearer that vaping should be for adults trying to give up smoking.
    • Five Bulgarian nationals accused of being part of a Russian spy ring appear in court in central London and are remanded in custody.
  • 27 September
    • A 15-year-old girl is stabbed to death outside the Whitgift Centre in Croydon, South London. Police subsequently arrest a male teenager over her murder.
    • The Rosebank oil and gas field off Shetland, the UK's largest untapped oil field, is granted consent by regulators, amid widespread concerns over its contribution to climate change.
    • GB News suspends Laurence Fox as a presenter while it investigates comments he made on the channel about Ava Evans, a female journalist. Later in the day, Dan Wootton is suspended over the same incident.
    • The UK's first drugs consumption room gets the go-ahead in Glasgow, allowing heroin and cocaine addicts to use the substances under supervision.
    • A report by the Education Select Committee draws attention to the increased number of absences from schools in England, which has doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic; data for 2022–23 shows an average of 22.3% of school pupils were absent, compared to between 10% and 12% in the years prior to the pandemic. A combination of mental health issues and the cost of living crisis are attributed to the increase.
  • 28 September
    • The 15-year-old girl murdered in Croydon, South London the previous day is named locally as Elianne Andam. Police are given an extra 24 hours to question the 17-year-old suspect.
    • The landmark Sycamore Gap Tree, beside Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, is illegally felled. A 16-year-old boy is subsequently arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
  • 29 September
    • A school bus carrying 58 people overturns between junction 4 and 5 of the M53 motorway, killing a 15-year-old girl and the driver. A major incident is declared by North West Ambulance Service and Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital. Dozens of others are treated for injuries, and several are hospitalised.
    • A 17-year-old boy appears in court charged with the murder of Elianne Andam, and is remanded in youth detention to appear before the Old Bailey on 3 October.
    • A second person – a man in his 60s – is arrested in correction with the cutting-down of the world-famous Sycamore Gap Tree. The 16-year-old boy arrested over the incident the previous day is released on bail.
    • In an interview with The Sun, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reinforces his pro-motorist stance, saying he wants to stop "hare-brained" road calming and safety schemes – including 20mph zones and low-traffic neighbourhoods – putting an end to what he refers to as a "war on motorists".

Predicted and scheduled events

  • 5 October – 2023 Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election
  • 19 October – 2023 Mid Bedfordshire by-election
  • October – 2023 Cricket World Cup in India. England is scheduled to compete.
  • 7 November – Charles III will attend the 2023 State Opening of Parliament, his first as King and the last to be held before the next general election.

Deaths

See also

  • Politics in the United Kingdom
  • 2020s in United Kingdom political history
  • 2023 in United Kingdom politics and government
  • Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom (2023)
  • 2023 in British music
  • 2023 in British television
  • 2023 in British radio
  • List of British films of 2023

References


Text submitted to CC-BY-SA license. Source: 2023 in the United Kingdom by Wikipedia (Historical)



 


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