2002 in the United Kingdom

UK related events during the year of 2002

Events from the year 2002 in the United Kingdom. This year was the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

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 The animated series of Mr. Bean premieres on ITV1. based on Rowan Atkinson's Mr. Bean. 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.

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 – 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. 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.

1 May – Airdrieonians, of the Scottish Football League Division One, go into liquidation with debts of £3,000,000. They are the first Scottish senior side to go out of business for 35 years. 4 May – Arsenal win the FA Cup with a 2–0 win over London rivals Chelsea in the cup final. 8 May – Arsenal win their second double in five seasons (and the third in their history) after a 1–0 away win over defending champions Manchester United. £5million rated striker Marlon King, of Gillingham F. C., is jailed for 18 months after being found guilty of handling a stolen car worth £32,000. 24 May – Falkirk Wheel boat lift opens in Scotland, also marking the reopening of the Union Canal for leisure traffic. 27 May – Former leader of the Liberal Democrats Paddy Ashdown appointed as the international community's High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina. 28 May – Stephen Byers resigns as Secretary of State for Transport.

2 June – The England national football team's World Cup campaign, hosted jointly by Japan and South Korea, begins with a 1–1 draw against Sweden. 3 June – The "Party in the Palace" takes place at Buckingham Palace, London for The Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations. 4 June – The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh ride in the gold state coach from Buckingham Palace to St Paul's Cathedral for a special service marking the Queen's 50 years on the throne. In New York City, the Empire State Building is lit purple in her honour. 7 June – England beat Argentina 1–0 in their second World Cup group game, with the only goal of the game being scored by captain David Beckham. 10 June – The first direct electronic communication experiment between the nervous systems of two humans is carried out by Kevin Warwick in the University of Reading. 12 June – England qualify for the knockout stages of the World Cup despite only managing a goalless draw against Nigeria. 15 June – England beat Denmark 3–0 in the World Cup second round and reach the quarter finals for the first time since 1990. Ironically, the far right British National Party had declared their support for all white Denmark before the World Cup due to the England team featuring black players. 21 June – England's hopes of winning the World Cup are ended by a 2–1 defeat to Brazil in the quarter finals. 25 June – Jason Gifford (27) is shot dead by armed police in Aylesbury after brandishing a shotgun and a machete in a residential street.

2 August – 2002 Barrow in Furness legionellosis outbreak: First fatality in an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Barrow in Furness which results in seven deaths and 172 cases throughout the month, ranking it as the worst in the UK's history and fifth worst worldwide. 4 August – 10 year old girls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman go missing in Soham, Cambridgeshire. 5 August – Police and volunteers in the Soham area begin the search for Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. 7 August – Police investigating the case of the two missing Soham girls seize a white van in nearby Wentworth and admit they are now looking at the case as a possible abduction.

20 September – Police confirm that human remains found in woodland in north Hampshire are those of Milly Dowler, who went missing in Surrey six months ago. A murder investigation is launched. 22 September – An earthquake in Dudley is felt throughout England and Wales.

1 October – The main provisions of National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act (of 25 June) come into force in England, including renaming and merger of existing NHS regional health authorities to form 28 new strategic health authorities, and introduction of primary care trusts to be responsible for the supervision of family health care functions. 9 October – A judge decides that Ian Huntley is fit to face prosecution for the Soham Murders. 14 October – The Northern Ireland Assembly is suspended following allegations of spying in "Stormontgate". 23 October – Estelle Morris resigns as Secretary of State for Education, explaining that she did not feel up to the job. 25 October – Memorial service held at St Paul's Cathedral for the victims of the Bali bombing, which killed 26 British nationals.

Appz Magazine is founded. BedZED (Beddington Zero Energy Development), the country's first large scale zero energy housing development, of 99 homes in Beddington, London, designed by Bill Dunster, is completed. The mobile network BT Cellnet changes its name to O2. Over 50% of the UK population (well over 30,000,000 people) now have internet access. Car sales in Britain reach a record level for the second year running, now exceeding 2,500,000 for the first time ever. The Ford Focus is Britain's best selling car for the fourth year in a row with more than 150,000 sold and Ford retains its lead of the manufacturers for British sales which it has held since 1975. They have a total of four model ranges among Britain's top 10 selling cars for the first time since 1989. Vauxhall, Peugeot, Renault and Volkswagen also enjoy strong sales. Moneyhelpline price comparison service company is founded in Kent. Nip & Tuck, a DJ and producer collaboration release their first dance production. Thornton's Bookshop closes, Oxford's oldest bookshop.

Iain Banks' novel Dead Air. Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels Night Watch which wins the Prometheus Award. Ben Schott's compendium Schott's Original Miscellany.