Events from the year 2002 in the United Kingdom. This year was the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
Incumbents
Monarch – Queen Elizabeth II
Prime Minister – Tony Blair (Labour) Parliament – 53rd
Events
January
1 January – Ford unveils their all-new Fiesta supermini which is due on sale in March, but the new model will not be produced in Dagenham, instead, it will be produced in Ford's other European plants in Germany and Spain. 5 January - Television debut of the Mr. Bean animated series on ITV. 7 January – It is announced that a record of 2,450,000 new cars were sold during 2001, breaking the previous record set in 1989. The Ford Focus was Britain's best-selling car for the third year in a row. 14 January – The foot and mouth crisis is declared over after eleven months. 25 January – Detectives investigating the murder of an unknown boy, called "Adam", whose torso was found in the Thames last year, announce that he may have been the victim of a so-called muti ritual killing.
February
8–24 February – Great Britain competes at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, and wins 1 gold and 1 bronze medal. 9 February – Princess Margaret, the Queen's younger sister, dies after suffering a stroke aged 71. 14 February – 2002 Ogmore by-election: The Labour Party candidate Huw Irranca-Davies holds the seat held by Sir Ray Powell until his death 15 February – The funeral of Princess Margaret takes place at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. 18 February – Thoburn v Sunderland City Council decided. 19 February – Ford ends 90 years of British car production with the loss of more than 2,000 jobs after the last Fiesta was made at their factory in Dagenham, ahead of the launch of a new generation model in the Spring. However, the plant will be retained for the production of engines and gearboxes and Ford will continue to make commercial vehicles at their plant in Southampton. 20 February – Andrew Aston, a 29-year-old Birmingham cocaine addict, is sentenced to 26 concurrent terms of Life imprisonment – officially the longest prison sentence imposed on any criminal in England and Wales – for murdering two elderly people in robberies and attacking 24 others. 27 February – Ryanair Flight 296 catches fire at London Stansted Airport.
March
March – Vauxhall unveils a new generation of its Vectra family car which is due on sale in the Summer. 1 March – Singer Doreen Waddell dies aged 36 after fleeing a supermarket in Shoreham-by-Sea before being struck down and killed by three vehicles. 11 March – BBC 6 Music, the first new BBC Radio station in decades, is launched. 21 March – 13-year-old Amanda Dowler goes missing on her way home from school in Surrey. 22 March – A woman known as "Miss B", who was left quadriplegic last year as a result of a burst blood vessel in her neck, is granted the right to die by the High Court. 29 March – Coal mining in Scotland which has a history stretching back more than 800 years, comes to an end with the closure of Longannet coal mine in Fife after it floods and the owners go into liquidation, putting more than 500 people out of work. 30 March – Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, dies aged 101 at Royal Lodge, Windsor.
April
April – Nursing and Midwifery Council takes over the registration function for nurses. 4 April – Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's funeral procession in London from the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace to Westminster Hall to lie in state. 9 April – The funeral of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother takes place at Westminster Abbey, London. She is buried beside her husband and daughter at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. 23 April – A badly decomposed female body is found in the River Thames; and is feared to be that of Amanda Dowler. 24 April – The body found in the River Thames is identified as that of 73-year-old Mrs. Maisie Thomas, who was last seen alive near her home in Shepperton just over a year ago and whose death is not believed to be suspicious. 25 April – Two 16-year-old twin brothers are cleared of murdering 10-year-old Damilola Taylor, who was stabbed to death in South London 17 months earlier. 29 April – As part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations, the Queen dines at 10 Downing Street with the five living former prime ministers who have served under her; Tony Blair, John Major, Margaret Thatcher, James Callaghan and Edward Heath. She is also joined by several relatives of deceased former Prime Ministers, including Clarissa Eden, widow of Prime Minister Anthony Eden.