1980 in the United Kingdom

UK related events during the year of 1980

Events from the year 1980 in the United Kingdom.

2 January – Workers at British Steel Corporation go on a nationwide strike over pay called by the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation, which has some 90,000 members among British Steel's 150,000 workforce, in a bid to get a 20% rise. It is the first steelworks strike since 1926. 19 January – The first UK Indie Chart is published in Record Business. 20 January – The British record TV audience for a film is set when some 23,500,000 viewers tune in for the ITV showing of the James Bond film Live and Let Die (1973). 21 January – is beached at Brighton. 28 January – Granada Television airs a controversial edition of World in Action on ITV, in which it alleges that Manchester United F. C. chairman Louis Edwards has made unauthorised payments to the parents of some of the club's younger players and has made shady deals to win local council meat contracts for his retail outlet chain.

1 September – Ford launches one of the most important new cars of the year, the third generation Escort which is a technological innovation in the small family car market, spelling the end of the traditional rear wheel drive saloon in favour of the front wheel drive hatchback and estate that follows a trend in this sector of car which is being repeated all over Western Europe. It will go on to be Britain's best selling car of the decade starting from 1982. 9 September – Bibby Line's Liverpool registered ore bulk oil carrier sinks with the loss of all 44 crew south off Japan in Typhoon Orchid following structural failure. At 91,655 gross tons, she is the largest UK registered ship ever lost. 11 September – Chicago mobster Joseph Scalise with Arthur Rachel commit the Marlborough diamond robbery in London. The following day, they are arrested in Chicago after getting off a British Airways flight in the city; however, the 45 carat stone is never found. 12 September – Consett Steelworks in Consett, County Durham closes with the loss of some 4500 jobs, instantly making it the town with the highest rate of unemployment in the UK. 13 September – Hercules, a bear which had gone missing on a Scottish island filming a Kleenex advertisement, is found. 21 September – First CND rally at RAF Greenham Common.

5 November – Theresa Sykes, a 16 year old Huddersfield mother of a young baby, is wounded in a hammer attack near her home in the town. The Yorkshire Ripper is believed to be responsible. 10 November – Michael Foot is elected Leader of the Labour Party. 13 November – George Smith, a security guard, is shot dead when the van he is guarding is intercepted by armed robbers in Willenhall, West Midlands. 17 November – University student Jacqueline Hill, aged 20, is murdered in Headingley, Leeds. On 19 November, police investigating the case establish that she is probably the 13th woman to be killed by the Yorkshire Ripper. 23 November – Despite the economy now being in recession and the government's monetarist economic policy to tackle inflation being blamed for the downturn, the government announces further public spending cuts and taxation rises.

8 December – Ex Beatle John Lennon, 40, is shot dead in New York. 10 December – Frederick Sanger wins his second Nobel Prize in Chemistry, jointly with Walter Gilbert, "for their contributions concerning the determination of base sequences in nucleic acids". 14 December – Thousands of music fans hold a 10 minute vigil in Liverpool for John Lennon. 18 December – Michael Foot's hopes of becoming prime minister in the next general election are given a boost by an MORI poll which shows Labour on 56% with a 24 point lead over the Conservatives. 23 December – American animated special Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer airs on ITV for the last time. 26 & 28 December – Sightings of unexplained lights near RAF Woodbridge Suffolk, which become known as the Rendlesham Forest incident, the most well known claimed UFO event in Britain. 28 December – The Independent Broadcasting Authority award contracts for commercial broadcasting on ITV. TV am is awarded the first ever breakfast TV contract, and is set to go on air by 1983.

Inflation has risen to 18% as Margaret Thatcher's battle against inflation is still in its early stages. The economy contracts throughout the year, shrinking by 4% overall with the greatest decline occurring in the second quarter of the year at 1.8%. Britain becomes self sufficient in oil. Transcendental Meditation movement community established in Skelmersdale.

Douglas Adams' novel The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, second of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "trilogy". Julian Barnes' first novel Metroland. Anthony Burgess's novel Earthly Powers. The Church of England's Alternative Service Book. William Golding's novel Rites of Passage, first of the To the Ends of the Earth trilogy. David Lodge's novel How Far Can You Go?. Iris Murdoch's novel Nuns and Soldiers. Barry Unsworth's novel Pascali's Island. Benjamin Zephaniah's first poetry collection Pen Rhythm. Eric Hill's children's book Where's Spot?. Janet and Allan Ahlberg's children's book Funnybones. Pam Adams' children's book Mrs Honey's Hat.