United Kingdom

  • Labour under Blair wins landslide election victory.

  • UK forces intervene in Sierra Leone to protect and evacuate foreign citizens caught up in the civil war.

    Under Briar's reign.
  • Blair's Labour party wins a second successive general election victory.

  • After the 9/11 attacks on the U.S., Blair offers strong support to the US-led campaign against terrorism.

  • Labour Party's Tony Blair wins a third successive term, albeit with a much-reduced majority in parliament.

  • 52 people are killed and around 700 are injured in four suicide bomb attacks on London's transport network.

    Under Briar's reign.
  • Blair announces the first large-scale withdrawal of British troops from Iraq.

  • Gordon Brown succeeds Tony Blair as premier.

  • Britain withdraws bulk of its remaining troops in southern Iraq, leaving only a small force tasked with training the Iraqi military.

  • Conservative leader David Cameron becomes Prime Minister.

  • UK concludes military and nuclear accord with France.

    Under Cameron's reign as prime minister.
  • Prime Minister David Cameron blocks proposed changes to the EU's Lisbon Treaty.

    EU's Lisbon Treaty - threats to the independence of the City of London as a financial centre.
  • The UK economy shrank by 0.2% between January and April.

    This is partly because of a large fall in the construction industry.
  • Controversial anti-terrorism bill passed after marathon debate

    Under Briar's reign