1.
United Kingdom
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country in western Europe. Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign state—the Republic of Ireland. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland, with an area of 242,500 square kilometres, the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe. It is also the 21st-most populous country, with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants, together, this makes it the fourth-most densely populated country in the European Union. The United Kingdom is a monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance. The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned since 6 February 1952, other major urban areas in the United Kingdom include the regions of Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester. The United Kingdom consists of four countries—England, Scotland, Wales, the last three have devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in their capitals, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, respectively. The relationships among the countries of the UK have changed over time, Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in 1707 in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain, which merged in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922, leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, there are fourteen British Overseas Territories. These are the remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in the 1920s, British influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies. The United Kingdom is a country and has the worlds fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP. The UK is considered to have an economy and is categorised as very high in the Human Development Index. It was the worlds first industrialised country and the worlds foremost power during the 19th, the UK remains a great power with considerable economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence internationally. It is a nuclear weapons state and its military expenditure ranks fourth or fifth in the world. The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946 and it has been a leading member state of the EU and its predecessor, the European Economic Community, since 1973. However, on 23 June 2016, a referendum on the UKs membership of the EU resulted in a decision to leave. The Acts of Union 1800 united the Kingdom of Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved self-government
2.
1986 in Northern Ireland
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3 March - Unionists hold an extensive day of action against the Anglo-Irish Agreement. March - Despite the Secretary of States ruling, about 400 Apprentice Boys attempt to parade through Portadown, leading to clashes with police and soldiers and rioting. Meanwhile, about 3,000 Loyalists, led by Ian Paisley, have assembled in protest at Garvaghy Road, sporadic rioting continues for several days. 6 June - John Stalker is removed from the shoot to kill inquiry,23 June - Northern Ireland Assembly dissolved. Police baton-charge loyalist protestors outside Stormont,29 June - St Peters Cathedral, Belfast is elevated from serving as a Pro-Cathedral. 3 July - The RUC allows an Orange Church parade to pass through the Catholic Obins Street area,6 July - Rioting breaks out when police prevent George Seawright, a Loyalist politician, from passing through the Tunnel area. The riots continue in Belfast and Portadown for six consecutive nights,22 August - John Stalker, deputy chief constable of Greater Manchester police, cleared of misconduct over allegations of associating with criminals. November - Giants Causeway and the Causeway Coast is included in the first tranche of UNESCO World Heritage Sites designated in the U. K. Belfast City Hospital tower-block is opened, deirdre Madden publishes her first novel, Hidden Symptoms. Martin Waddell, writing as Catherine Sefton, publishes Starry Night,1 January - Colin Morgan, actor. 5 February - Gary Wilson, cricketer,22 February - Mark Allen, snooker player. 27 May - Gareth McKee, cricketer,9 July - Randal Reid, soccer player. 1 September - Neil Gill, cricketer,12 February - James Joseph Magennis, awarded Victoria Cross for taking part in Operation Struggle in 1945. 28 March - Eddie McAteer, Nationalist Party MP.16 November - Siobhán McKenna, actress
3.
1986 British Grand Prix
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The 1986 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Brands Hatch on 13 July 1986. It was the race of the 1986 Formula One season. It was the last Formula One race held at Brands Hatch, jacques Laffite broke both legs during a multi-car pile-up at the start, leading to his retirement from Grand Prix racing. Despite the crash happening just past the pits, the first doctor on the scene happened to be British driver Jonathan Palmer, who has started the race in 22nd place on the grid. A qualified GP before taking up motor racing in 1978, Palmer stopped his Zakspeed just past Laffites crashed Ligier-Renault, jumped out, the race had been Laffites record equalling start for most Formula One career starts. The pile-up included a significant number of cars which blocked the track entirely and this was fortunate for Nigel Mansell whose Williams-Honda had a driveshaft failure at the first start, but was allowed to restart as there had not been a lap completed. Lucky also for Mansell was that the spare Williams was Piquets for the weekend, Mansell went on to win against a depleted grid in the teams spare car, which had been set up for team mate Nelson Piquet as it was his for the weekend. Mansell defeated Piquet in a fight, leading the Brazilian home by 5.574 seconds, much to the delight of the 110. Reigning World Champion Alain Prost finished 3rd in his McLaren-TAG, one lap down on the Williams pair. The race was the first time in 1986 since his car crash in France that had him a paraplegic before the start of the season that Frank Williams had appeared in the Williams pits. It was also the first Williams 1-2 result of the season, the international motorsports governing body at the time, FISA, had instituted a policy of long-term contracts with circuits. Brands Hatch was perceived as a facility, and it did have very little run-off and room to expand. Silverstone and the BRDC had signed a contract with Formula 1 and FISA at some point in 1986. Note, Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings
4.
1986 in British music
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This is a summary of 1986 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year. The first number 1 single of 1986 was the hit for London synthpop duo the Pet Shop Boys. Their song West End Girls had climbed the charts during late 1985 and they would have three more top 20 hits this year as well as two top 20 albums, and were still reaching the top 10 in 2006, twenty years later. Another popular synthpop duo this year were Erasure, with their song Sometimes reaching number two in the autumn, this success would be followed by more hits throughout the decade. After four successful years, the band Wham, george Michael also reached number 1 this year with a solo release, A Different Corner, and went on to have a highly successful solo career. The formation of the charity Comic Relief provided a song from Cliff Richard. He teamed up with the cast of the popular sitcom The Young Ones for a new version of his 1959 single Living Doll, half sung by Richard and half shouted by the Young Ones cast. With proceeds going to the charity, it reached number one for three weeks and was Richards first number 1 of the decade, another novelty number one was The Chicken Song, sung by the cast of satirical puppet show Spitting Image. American singer Madonna had the album of the year with True Blue. All singles released from it made the top five, including the number 1s Papa Dont Preach, True Blue, the biggest-selling single of the year went to The Communards, with a hi-NRG cover of the disco song Dont Leave Me This Way. The band included singer Jimmy Somerville who had enjoyed success with Bronski Beat. The Christmas number one single was something of a surprise, a re-issue of Jackie Wilsons 1957 single Reet Petite. Wilson had died in 1984, but the song been re-issued after being used in an advert for Levis. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment was founded in London by a group of music enthusiasts. Harrison Birtwistles innovative opera, The Mask of Orpheus, was premièred in London, Michael Nyman also came up with a new opera, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, a chamber work with a minimalist score. January - The Adrian Boult Hall is opened at Birmingham Conservatoire by the Duchess of Gloucester,15 March – Heartbeat 86, a charity concert for the Birmingham Childrens Hospital, is held at the NEC. Performers include Roy Wood, UB40, The Moody Blues, Electric Light Orchestra, george Harrison makes a surprise appearance playing Johnny B. Goode with everyone at the end of the show. 11 April - The fastest top 10 chart music show The Chart Show debuts on television on Channel 4,7 June - Queen start The Magic Tour which becomes their final tour with all original members and also their most successful tour
5.
1986
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The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. January 1 Spain and Portugal enter the European Community, which becomes the European Union. Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands and is separated from the Netherlands Antilles, the Province of Flevoland is established in the Netherlands. UNIDO becomes an agency of the United Nations. January 9 – After losing a patent battle with Polaroid, Kodak leaves the instant camera business, January 11 – The Gateway Bridge in Brisbane, Australia, at this time the worlds longest prestressed concrete free-cantilever bridge, is opened. January 12 – STS-61-C, Space Shuttle Columbia is launched with the first Hispanic American astronaut, January 13–24 – South Yemen Civil War. January 19 – The first PC virus, Brain, starts to spread, January 20 – The United Kingdom and France announce plans to construct the Channel Tunnel. January 24 – The Voyager 2 space probe makes its first encounter with Uranus, January 25 – Yoweri Musevenis National Resistance Army Rebel group takes over Uganda after leading a 5-year guerrilla war in which up to half a million people are believed to have been killed. They will later use January 26 as the date to avoid a coincidence of dates with Dictator Idi Amins 1971 coup. January 26 – Super Bowl XX, The Bears defeated the Patriots by the score of 46–10, January 29 – Yoweri Museveni is sworn in as President of Uganda. February 3 – Pixar Animation Studios are opened in California, february 7 President Jean-Claude Duvalier flees Haiti, ending 28 years of family rule. February 8 – The Hinton train collision happened, which a Canadian National train heading westbound collided with a Via Rail train in Hinton,23 people were killed in the accident, and injured 71 people. February 9 – Halleys Comet reaches its perihelion, the closest point to the Sun, february 11 – Human rights activist Natan Sharansky is released by the Soviet Union and leaves the country. February 15 – The Beechcraft Starship makes its maiden flight, february 16 The Soviet liner MS Mikhail Lermontov sinks in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand. Ouadi Doum air raid, The French Air Force raids the Libyan Ouadi Doum airbase in northern Chad, february 17 – The Single European Act is signed. February 19 The Soviet Union launches the Mir space station, the United States Senate approves a treaty outlawing genocide. February 21 – Nintendo releases the first game in the Zelda series, The Legend of Zelda, february 22 – The People Power Revolution begins in the Philippines to remove President Ferdinand Marcos from office. February 25 The 27th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union opens in Moscow, the General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev introduces the keywords of his mandate to the audience, Glasnost and Perestroika
6.
Big Bang (financial markets)
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The effect of the Big Bang led to significant changes to the structure of the financial markets in London. In the UK, Big Bang became one of the cornerstones of the Thatcher governments reform programme, prior to these reforms, the once-dominant financial institutions of the City of London were failing to compete with foreign banking. While London was still a centre of finance, it had been surpassed by New York. The effects of Big Bang were dramatic, with Londons place as a financial capital decisively strengthened, the boom resulted in the relocation of institutions into new developments in the nearby Isle of Dogs area, particularly that of Canary Wharf. He explained that the 2007–2012 global financial crisis was a consequence of the Big Bang. In 2011 Gordon Brown said that deregulation of the sector by the incoming Labour Government of 1997 had also contributed by failing to understand how interdependent the banks were
7.
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
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The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom, its dependencies and its overseas territories. The monarchs title is King or Queen, the current monarch and head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, ascended the throne on the death of her father, King George VI, on 6 February 1952. The monarch and his or her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial, diplomatic, as the monarchy is constitutional, the monarch is limited to non-partisan functions such as bestowing honours and appointing the Prime Minister. The monarch is, by tradition, commander-in-chief of the British Armed Forces, from 1603, when the Scottish monarch King James VI inherited the English throne as James I, both the English and Scottish kingdoms were ruled by a single sovereign. From 1649 to 1660, the tradition of monarchy was broken by the republican Commonwealth of England, the Act of Settlement 1701 excluded Roman Catholics, or those who married Catholics, from succession to the English throne. In 1707, the kingdoms of England and Scotland were merged to create the Kingdom of Great Britain, and in 1801, the British monarch became nominal head of the vast British Empire, which covered a quarter of the worlds surface at its greatest extent in 1921. After the Second World War, the vast majority of British colonies and territories became independent, George VI and his successor, Elizabeth II, adopted the title Head of the Commonwealth as a symbol of the free association of its independent member states. The United Kingdom and fifteen other Commonwealth monarchies that share the person as their monarch are called Commonwealth realms. In the uncodified Constitution of the United Kingdom, the Monarch is the Head of State, oaths of allegiance are made to the Queen and her lawful successors. God Save the Queen is the British national anthem, and the monarch appears on postage stamps, coins, the Monarch takes little direct part in Government. Executive power is exercised by Her Majestys Government, which comprises Ministers, primarily the Prime Minister and the Cabinet and they have the direction of the Armed Forces of the Crown, the Civil Service and other Crown Servants such as the Diplomatic and Secret Services. Judicial power is vested in the Judiciary, who by constitution, the Church of England, of which the Monarch is the head, has its own legislative, judicial and executive structures. Powers independent of government are legally granted to public bodies by statute or Statutory Instrument such as an Order in Council. The Sovereigns role as a monarch is largely limited to non-partisan functions. This role has been recognised since the 19th century, the constitutional writer Walter Bagehot identified the monarchy in 1867 as the dignified part rather than the efficient part of government. Whenever necessary, the Monarch is responsible for appointing a new Prime Minister, the Prime Minister takes office by attending the Monarch in private audience, and after kissing hands that appointment is immediately effective without any other formality or instrument. Since 1945, there have only been two hung parliaments, the first followed the February 1974 general election when Harold Wilson was appointed Prime Minister after Edward Heath resigned following his failure to form a coalition. Although Wilsons Labour Party did not have a majority, they were the largest party, the second followed the May 2010 general election, in which the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats agreed to form the first coalition government since World War II
8.
Elizabeth II
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Elizabeth II has been Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand since 6 February 1952. Elizabeth was born in London as the eldest child of the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and her father acceded to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936, from which time she was the heir presumptive. She began to undertake duties during the Second World War. Elizabeths many historic visits and meetings include a visit to the Republic of Ireland. She has seen major changes, such as devolution in the United Kingdom, Canadian patriation. She has reigned through various wars and conflicts involving many of her realms and she is the worlds oldest reigning monarch as well as Britains longest-lived. In October 2016, she became the longest currently reigning monarch, in 2017 she became the first British monarch to commemorate a Sapphire Jubilee. Elizabeth has occasionally faced republican sentiments and press criticism of the family, however, support for the monarchy remains high. Elizabeth was born at 02,40 on 21 April 1926, during the reign of her paternal grandfather and her father, Prince Albert, Duke of York, was the second son of the King. Her mother, Elizabeth, Duchess of York, was the youngest daughter of Scottish aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and she was delivered by Caesarean section at her maternal grandfathers London house,17 Bruton Street, Mayfair. Elizabeths only sibling, Princess Margaret, was born in 1930, the two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their governess, Marion Crawford, who was casually known as Crawfie. Lessons concentrated on history, language, literature and music, Crawford published a biography of Elizabeth and Margarets childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, much to the dismay of the royal family. The book describes Elizabeths love of horses and dogs, her orderliness, others echoed such observations, Winston Churchill described Elizabeth when she was two as a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant and her cousin Margaret Rhodes described her as a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved. During her grandfathers reign, Elizabeth was third in the line of succession to the throne, behind her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales, and her father, the Duke of York. Although her birth generated public interest, she was not expected to become queen, many people believed that he would marry and have children of his own. When her grandfather died in 1936 and her uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second-in-line to the throne, later that year, Edward abdicated, after his proposed marriage to divorced socialite Wallis Simpson provoked a constitutional crisis. Consequently, Elizabeths father became king, and she became heir presumptive, if her parents had had a later son, she would have lost her position as first-in-line, as her brother would have been heir apparent and above her in the line of succession
9.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
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The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of Her Majestys Government in the United Kingdom. The prime minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Monarch, to Parliament, to their political party, the office is one of the Great Offices of State. The current prime minister, Theresa May, leader of the Conservative Party, was appointed by the Queen on 13 July 2016. The position of Prime Minister was not created, it evolved slowly and erratically over three hundred years due to acts of Parliament, political developments, and accidents of history. The office is therefore best understood from a historical perspective, the origins of the position are found in constitutional changes that occurred during the Revolutionary Settlement and the resulting shift of political power from the Sovereign to Parliament. The political position of Prime Minister was enhanced by the development of political parties, the introduction of mass communication. By the start of the 20th century the modern premiership had emerged, prior to 1902, the prime minister sometimes came from the House of Lords, provided that his government could form a majority in the Commons. However as the power of the aristocracy waned during the 19th century the convention developed that the Prime Minister should always sit in the lower house. As leader of the House of Commons, the Prime Ministers authority was further enhanced by the Parliament Act of 1911 which marginalised the influence of the House of Lords in the law-making process. The Prime Minister is ex officio also First Lord of the Treasury, certain privileges, such as residency of 10 Downing Street, are accorded to Prime Ministers by virtue of their position as First Lord of the Treasury. As the Head of Her Majestys Government the modern Prime Minister leads the Cabinet, in addition the Prime Minister leads a major political party and generally commands a majority in the House of Commons. As such the incumbent wields both legislative and executive powers, under the British system there is a unity of powers rather than separation. In the House of Commons, the Prime Minister guides the process with the goal of enacting the legislative agenda of their political party. The Prime Minister also acts as the face and voice of Her Majestys Government. The British system of government is based on an uncodified constitution, in 1928, Prime Minister H. H. Asquith described this characteristic of the British constitution in his memoirs, In this country we live. Our constitutional practices do not derive their validity and sanction from any Bill which has received the assent of the King, Lords. They rest on usage, custom, convention, often of slow growth in their early stages, not always uniform, the relationships between the Prime Minister and the Sovereign, Parliament and Cabinet are defined largely by these unwritten conventions of the constitution. Many of the Prime Ministers executive and legislative powers are actually royal prerogatives which are still vested in the Sovereign
10.
Margaret Thatcher
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She was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century, and the first woman to have held the office. A Soviet journalist dubbed her The Iron Lady, a nickname that became associated with her uncompromising politics, as Prime Minister, she implemented policies that have come to be known as Thatcherism. A research chemist before becoming a barrister, Thatcher was elected Member of Parliament for Finchley in 1959, Edward Heath appointed her Secretary of State for Education and Science in his 1970 government. In 1975, Thatcher defeated Heath in the Conservative Party leadership election to become Leader of the Opposition and she became Prime Minister after winning the 1979 general election. Her political philosophy and economic policies emphasised deregulation, flexible labour markets, the privatisation of state-owned companies and she narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in 1984. Thatcher was re-elected for a term in 1987. During this period her support for a Community Charge was widely unpopular and she resigned as Prime Minister and party leader in November 1990, after Michael Heseltine launched a challenge to her leadership. After retiring from the Commons in 1992, she was given a peerage as Baroness Thatcher which entitled her to sit in the House of Lords. After a series of strokes in 2002, she was advised to withdraw from public speaking. Despite this, she managed to pre-record a eulogy to Ronald Reagan prior to his death, in 2013, she died of another stroke in London, at the age of 87. Always a controversial figure, she has described as one of the greatest and most influential politicians in British history. Thatcher was born Margaret Hilda Roberts on 13 October 1925, in Grantham and her father was Alfred Roberts, originally from Northamptonshire, and her mother was Beatrice Ethel from Lincolnshire. She spent her childhood in Grantham, where her father owned two grocery shops, Prior to the Second World War, in 1938 the Roberts family gave sanctuary to a teenage Jewish girl escaping Nazi Germany. Thatcher was to describe this in her memoirs as among the significant events of her formative years, Alfred Roberts was an alderman and a Methodist local preacher, and brought up his daughter as a strict Wesleyan Methodist attending the Finkin Street Methodist Church. He came from a Liberal family but stood as an Independent and he was Mayor of Grantham in 1945–46 and lost his position as alderman in 1952 after the Labour Party won its first majority on Grantham Council in 1950. Margaret Roberts attended Huntingtower Road Primary School and won a scholarship to Kesteven and her school reports showed hard work and continual improvement, her extracurricular activities included the piano, field hockey, poetry recitals, swimming and walking. She was head girl in 1942–43, in her upper sixth year she applied for a scholarship to study chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford, but she was initially rejected and was offered a place only after another candidate withdrew. Her dissertation was on the structure of the antibiotic gramicidin, even while working on chemistry, she was already thinking towards law and politics
11.
Conservative Party (UK)
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The Conservative Party, officially the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a political party in the United Kingdom. It is currently the party, having won a majority of seats in the House of Commons at the 2015 general election. The partys leader, Theresa May, is serving as Prime Minister. It is the largest party in government with 8,702 councillors. The Conservative Party is one of the two major political parties in the United Kingdom, the other being its modern rival. The Conservative Partys platform involves support for market capitalism, free enterprise, fiscal conservatism, a strong national defence, deregulation. In the 1920s, the Liberal vote greatly diminished and the Labour Party became the Conservatives main rivals, Conservative Prime Ministers led governments for 57 years of the twentieth century, including Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. Thatchers tenure led to wide-ranging economic liberalisation, the Conservative Partys domination of British politics throughout the twentieth century has led to them being referred to as one of the most successful political parties in the Western world. The Conservatives are the joint-second largest British party in the European Parliament, with twenty MEPs, the party is a member of the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe Europarty and the International Democrat Union. The party is the second-largest in the Scottish Parliament and the second-largest in the Welsh Assembly, the party is also organised in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. The Conservative Party traces its origins to a faction, rooted in the 18th century Whig Party and they were known as Independent Whigs, Friends of Mr Pitt, or Pittites. After Pitts death the term Tory came into use and this was an allusion to the Tories, a political grouping that had existed from 1678, but which had no organisational continuity with the Pittite party. From about 1812 on the name Tory was commonly used for the newer party, the term Conservative was suggested as a title for the party by a magazine article by J. Wilson Croker in the Quarterly Review in 1830. The name immediately caught on and was adopted under the aegis of Sir Robert Peel around 1834. Peel is acknowledged as the founder of the Conservative Party, which he created with the announcement of the Tamworth Manifesto, the term Conservative Party rather than Tory was the dominant usage by 1845. In 1912, the Liberal Unionists merged with the Conservative Party, in Ireland, the Irish Unionist Alliance had been formed in 1891 which merged anti-Home Rule Unionists into one political movement. Its MPs took the Conservative whip at Westminster, and in essence formed the Irish wing of the party until 1922. The Conservatives served with the Liberals in an all-party coalition government during World War I, keohane finds that the Conservatives were bitterly divided before 1914, especially on the issue of Irish Unionism and the experience of three consecutive election losses
12.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
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It alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all other political bodies in the UK and its territories. Its head is the Sovereign of the United Kingdom and its seat is the Palace of Westminster in the City of Westminster, one of the boroughs of the British capital, the parliament is bicameral, consisting of an upper house and a lower house. The Sovereign forms the third component of the legislature, prior to the opening of the Supreme Court in October 2009, the House of Lords also performed a judicial role through the Law Lords. The House of Commons is an elected chamber with elections held at least every five years. The two Houses meet in separate chambers in the Palace of Westminster in London, most cabinet ministers are from the Commons, whilst junior ministers can be from either House. The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Treaty of Union by Acts of Union passed by the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland. The UK parliament and its institutions have set the pattern for many throughout the world. However, John Bright – who coined the epithet – used it with reference to a rather than a parliament. In theory, the UKs supreme legislative power is vested in the Crown-in-Parliament. However, the Crown normally acts on the advice of the Prime Minister, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was created in 1801, by the merger of the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland under the Acts of Union. The principle of responsibility to the lower House did not develop until the 19th century—the House of Lords was superior to the House of Commons both in theory and in practice. Members of the House of Commons were elected in an electoral system. Thus, the borough of Old Sarum, with seven voters, many small constituencies, known as pocket or rotten boroughs, were controlled by members of the House of Lords, who could ensure the election of their relatives or supporters. During the reforms of the 19th century, beginning with the Reform Act 1832, No longer dependent on the Lords for their seats, MPs grew more assertive. The supremacy of the British House of Commons was established in the early 20th century, in 1909, the Commons passed the so-called Peoples Budget, which made numerous changes to the taxation system which were detrimental to wealthy landowners. The House of Lords, which consisted mostly of powerful landowners, on the basis of the Budgets popularity and the Lords consequent unpopularity, the Liberal Party narrowly won two general elections in 1910. Using the result as a mandate, the Liberal Prime Minister, Herbert Henry Asquith, introduced the Parliament Bill, in the face of such a threat, the House of Lords narrowly passed the bill. However, regardless of the Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949, the Government of Ireland Act 1920 created the parliaments of Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland and reduced the representation of both parts at Westminster
13.
Vauxhall Belmont
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An unrelated vehicle, Holden Belmont, was manufactured by Holden, GMs Australian subsidiary in the 1970s. The Vauxhall Belmont was a car sold in the United Kingdom by Vauxhall between January 1986 and July 1991. It was equivalent to a version of the award-winning Opel Kadett E, launched in the autumn of 1984. The Belmont won praise for its huge boot compared to rivals of the time. With hatchbacks becoming firmly established as the preferred bodystyle in small European family cars, during the 1980s, in order to enable them to position saloons as a slight cut above their hatchback counterparts, many manufacturers marketed them with different nameplates. Ford Motor Companys saloon version of the Ford Escort hatchback was badged the Ford Orion, however, when GM launched a saloon version of the Vauxhall Astra/Opel Kadett, only British customers received it with a different badge. The Belmont went on sale in January 1986, while sold as a Kadett in the rest of Europe, in South Africa it was called the Opel Monza. Besides the boot, the other differences were extra rear legroom, a tinny fuel door. The Belmont was almost as big inside as a Vauxhall Cavalier, when the Astra was replaced in the summer of 1991, the Belmont nameplate was shelved, the car never having never lived up to Vauxhalls claim that it was not just a booted Astra. At this time, an estimated 20,000 Belmonts remained on the road, the car also topped a similar list for 2005, this list being published in December 2006. In July 1991, Vauxhall deleted the Belmont nametag with the launch of the Mark 3 Astra, for later variant of the Astra, see the Opel Astra. Sales of the Astra-badged saloon were not as strong as those achieved by the Belmont, later Astra saloons were also sold as an Opel, unlike the Belmont, which in the UK was only sold as a Vauxhall
14.
Vauxhall Astra
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The Vauxhall Astra is a small family car that has been built by Vauxhall since 1979. For its first two generations, the nameplate was applied to right-hand drive versions of the Opel Kadett for use in the UK, since 1991, Opel has used the Astra nameplate on its B/C-platform. General Motors Saturn division in the USA also offered a Belgian-built version of the Astra as an import from late 2007 until Saturn was discontinued following GMs 2010 bankruptcy. The Astra name originated with Vauxhalls 1980 model, though the car had originally been launched almost a year earlier as the Opel Kadett D and this model replaced the Vauxhall Viva in the UK, along with some versions of the Vauxhall Chevette. However, the Chevette remained available as an alternative for several years afterwards. The Astra was Vauxhalls first model to have front wheel drive, not all trim levels were available with all body styles. Production began at Opels West German plant at Bochum in August 1979, the overhead-camshaft engine was a huge leap forward from the earlier generation of small engines used in Vauxhall and Opel cars in terms of power, economy and refinement. It was initially available in 1300 and 1600 forms, and later an 1800 fuel-injected version was added, used in the Mk 1 Astra GTE model and this version of the Astra was an alternative to the Ford Escort XR3, Volkswagen Golf GTI and Fiat Strada 105TC. Vauxhall now appeared to have a rival for the Volkswagen Golf at just about every level. The car featured a new unified engine for Vauxhall/Opel, featuring a head, overhead camshaft and hydraulic valve lifters. A1200 cc version which used the older Opel OHV engine was also available, there were three body styles for the first generation Astra, hatchback, saloon, and estate, all available with two or four side doors. The saloon version was replaced by the Belmont saloon based on the Astra MK2 in early 1986, the black, silver and red versions of the GTE also had colour-coding but had the more conventional black bumpers and silver painted alloy wheels. There was also a van version which was badged the Bedford Astravan—the Bedford brand at that time being used for GMs commercial vehicles in Britain, unlike the previous Opel T-Car, no Coupé was offered. Production of the Mark 1 Astra took place in West Germany initially, sales of this first Astra were strong, and gave Vauxhall a much-needed boost in the small family car sector after several years of declining sales with the Viva HC. It soon overtook the Austin Allegro as Britains second most popular small family car and this Astra was awarded What Car. s, Car of the Year for 1980. Versions available were,1200 E1200 L1300 E1300 L1300 S1300 GL1600 L1600 GL1600 SR1600 L Diesel 1800 GTE The Mark 2 Astra was launched on 17 October 1984. It used the range of engines and running gear as the Mark 1. It was voted 1985 European Car of the Year, long-lived, the Mark 2 was available in estate, hatchback, saloon and cabriolet versions
15.
Fiat Automobiles
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Fiat Automobiles S. p. A. is the largest automobile manufacturer in Italy, a subsidiary of FCA Italy S. p. A. which is part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Fiat Automobiles S. p. A. was formed in January 2007 when Fiat reorganized its automobile business, Fiats main market is Europe, mainly focused in Italy. Historically successful in citycars and supermini sector, currently Fiat has a range of models focused on two segments. Fiat does not currently offer any large family car, nor an executive car - these market segments have, to some extent been covered by the Lancia and Alfa Romeo brands, which Fiat also owns. Fiats share of the European market shrank from 9.4 per cent in 2000 to 5.8 per cent in the summer of 2004, at this point Sergio Marchionne was appointed as Fiats chief executive. By March 2009 their market share had expanded to 9.1 per cent, Fiats built their five-story Lingotto plant in 1915 through 1918, at the time it was Europes largest car manufacturing plant. Later the Mirafiori plant was built, also in Turin, to prepare for production of the all-new Fiat 128, Fiat opened their Rivalta plant in October 1968. Until the 128 entered production, the plant was used to build versions of the 850 and 124 as well as parts for the Fiat Dino. Fiats 2014 range of car engines comprised eleven units, eight petrols. The second generation Punto was a seller in the UK after its October 1999 launch. The original Fiat 500 had been one of the few competitors for the iconic Mini during its 1960s heyday. Fiat has invested for a time in South America, mainly in Brazil. They built their first Brazilian car plant in the Greater Belo Horizonte city of Betim in 1973, recently a brand new model developed in Brazil has been launched, the Fiat Uno. Other European models are imported to Brazil, Fiat 500. Some others are still in production, Punto, Idea, Bravo, Fiat has a long history in the United States. In 1908, the Fiat Automobile Co. was established in the country and a plant in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. began producing Fiats a year later, like the Fiat 60 HP and the Fiat 16-20 HP. These luxury cars were produced long before Chrysler Corp. was formed in 1925 from older manufacturers that were acquired by Walter P. Chrysler, the New Jersey factory was closed when the U. S. entered World War I in 1917. Fiat returned to North America in the 1950s, selling the original 500, Fiat 600 Multipla, Fiat 1100, Fiat 1200, for example the Fiat 124 Sport Spider and the Fiat X1/9
16.
Nissan
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Nissan Motor Company Ltd, usually shortened to Nissan, is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama. The company sells its cars under the Nissan, Infiniti, since 1999, Nissan has been part of the Renault–Nissan Alliance, a partnership between Nissan and French automaker Renault. As of 2013, Renault holds a 43. 4% voting stake in Nissan, Carlos Ghosn serves as CEO of both companies. Taken together, the Renault–Nissan Alliance would be the fourth largest automaker, however Nissan is the leading Japanese brand in China, Russia. Nissan is the worlds largest electric vehicle manufacturer, with sales of more than 275,000 all-electric vehicles as of mid-December 2016. Masujiro Hashimoto founded the Kaishinsha Motor Car Works 1 July 1911, in 1914, the company produced its first car, called DAT. DAT Motors built trucks in addition to the DAT and Datsun passenger cars, beginning in 1918, the first DAT trucks were produced for the military market. At the same time, Jitsuyo Jidosha Co. Ltd. produced small trucks using parts, Commercial operations were placed on hold during Japans participation in World War I, and the company contributed to the war effort. In 1926 the Tokyo-based DAT Motors merged with the Osaka-based Jitsuyo Jidosha Co. Ltd. a. k. a, Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo to become DAT Jidosha Seizo Co. Ltd Automobile Manufacturing Co. Ltd. in Osaka until 1932, from 1923 to 1925, the company produced light cars and trucks under the name of Lila. In 1931, DAT came out with a new car, called the Datsun Type 11. Later in 1933 after Nissan Group zaibatsu took control of DAT Motors, in 1933, the company name was Nipponized to Jidosha-Seizo Co. Ltd. and was moved to Yokohama. In 1928, Yoshisuke Aikawa founded the holding company Nihon Sangyo, the name Nissan originated during the 1930s as an abbreviation used on the Tokyo Stock Exchange for Nihon Sangyo. This company was the famous Nissan Zaibatsu which included Tobata Casting, at this time Nissan controlled foundries and auto parts businesses, but Aikawa did not enter automobile manufacturing until 1933. The zaibatsu eventually grew to include 74 firms, and became the fourth-largest in Japan during World War II, in 1931, DAT Jidosha Seizo became affiliated with Tobata Casting, and was merged into Tobata Casting in 1933. As Tobata Casting was a Nissan company, this was the beginning of Nissans automobile manufacturing, in 1934, Aikawa separated the expanded automobile parts division of Tobata Casting and incorporated it as a new subsidiary, which he named Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. The shareholders of the new company however were not enthusiastic about the prospects of the automobile in Japan, at this time, Nissan Motor effectively became owned by Nihon Sangyo and Hitachi. In 1935, construction of its Yokohama plant was completed,44 Datsuns were shipped to Asia, Central and South America
17.
Peugeot
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For the article about the bicycle manufacturer, see Cycles Peugeot. Peugeot is a French car manufacturer, part of Groupe PSA, the family business that preceded the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Émile Peugeot applied for the lion trademark, due to family discord, Armand Peugeot in 1896 founded the Société des Automobiles Peugeot. The Peugeot company and family are originally from Sochaux, France, Peugeot retains a large manufacturing plant and Peugeot museum there. In February 2014, the agreed to a recapitalisation plan, in which Dongfeng Motors. Peugeot has received international awards for its vehicles, including five European Car of the Year awards. In 2013 and 2014, Peugeot ranked the second lowest for average CO2 emissions among generalist brands in Europe, the Renault car maker group being ranked first, with 114. 9g CO2/km. Peugeot is known as a very reliable brand, citing how its 1950s and 1960s models are running in Africa and Cuba in the 2010s. Peugeot has been involved in sport for more than a century. In 2015, Peugeot returned to the Dakar Rally after its four victories in the 1980s, the Peugeot family of Valentigney, Montbéliard, Franche-Comté, France, began in the manufacturing business in the 19th century. In 1842, they added production of coffee, pepper, the companys entry into the vehicle market was by means of crinoline dresses, which used steel rods, leading to umbrella frames, saw blades, chisels, wire wheels, and bicycles. Armand Peugeot introduced his Le Grand Bi penny-farthing in 1882, along with a range of other bicycles, the car company and bike company parted ways in 1926 but Peugeot bicycles continued to be built until very recently. Armand Peugeot became interested in the early on and, after meeting with Gottlieb Daimler. The first Peugeot automobile, a three-wheeled, steam-powered car designed by Léon Serpollet, was produced in 1889, steam power was heavy and bulky and required lengthy warmup times. In 1890, after meeting Daimler and Émile Levassor, steam was abandoned in favour of a car with a petrol-fuelled internal combustion engine built by Panhard under Daimler licence. The car was more sophisticated than many of its contemporaries, with a three-point suspension, an example was sold to the young Alberto Santos-Dumont, who exported it to Brazil. More cars followed,29 being built in 1892,40 in 1894,72 in 1895,156 in 1898 and these early models were given type numbers. Peugeot became the first manufacturer to fit rubber tyres to a petrol-powered car, Peugeot was an early pioneer in motor racing, with Albert Lemaître winning the worlds first motor race, the Paris–Rouen, in a 3 hp Peugeot
18.
Renault
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Groupe Renault is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufactured trucks, tractors, tanks, buses/coaches, the Renault–Nissan Alliance is the fourth-largest automotive group. Renault has a 43. 4% controlling stake in Nissan of Japan, a 37% indirectly-owned stake in AvtoVAZ of Russia, Renault also owns subsidiaries RCI Banque, Renault Retail Group and Motrio. Renault has various joint ventures, including Oyak-Renault, Renault Pars, Carlos Ghosn is the current chairman and CEO. The French government owns a 19. 73% share of Renault as of April 2015, Renault Trucks, previously known as Renault Véhicules Industriels, has been part of Volvo Trucks since 2001. Renault Agriculture became 100% owned by German agricultural equipment manufacturer CLAAS in 2008, together Renault and Nissan invested €4 billion in eight electric vehicles over three to four years beginning in 2011. Renault is known for its role in sport, particularly rallying, Formula 1. Its early work on mathematical curve modeling for car bodies is important in the history of computer graphics, the Renault corporation was founded in 1899 as Société Renault Frères by Louis Renault and his brothers Marcel and Fernand. While Louis handled design and production, Marcel and Fernand managed the business, the first Renault car, the Renault Voiturette 1CV, was sold to a friend of Louis father after giving him a test ride on 24 December 1898. In 1903, Renault began to manufacture its own engines, until then it had purchased them from De Dion-Bouton, the first major volume sale came in 1905 when Société des Automobiles de Place bought Renault AG1 cars to establish a fleet of taxis. These vehicles were used by the French military to transport troops during World War I which earned them the nickname Taxi de la Marne. By 1907, a significant percentage London and Paris taxis had been built by Renault, Renault was also the best-selling foreign brand in New York in 1907 and 1908. In 1908 the company produced 3,575 units, becoming the countrys largest car manufacturer, the brothers recognised the value of publicity that participation in motor racing could generate for their vehicles. Renault made itself known through succeeding in the first city-to-city races held in Switzerland, both Louis and Marcel raced company vehicles, but Marcel was killed in an accident during the 1903 Paris-Madrid race. Although Louis never raced again, his company remained very involved, Louis took full control of the company as the only remaining brother in 1906 when Fernand retired for health reasons. Fernand died in 1909 and Louis became the owner, renaming the company Société des Automobiles Renault. Renault fostered its reputation for innovation from very early on, at the time, cars were luxury items. The price of the smallest Renaults at the time were ₣3000 francs, in 1905 the company introduced mass-production techniques and Taylorism in 1913
19.
Volkswagen
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Volkswagen, shortened to VW, is a German automaker founded on May 28,1937 by the German Labour Front and headquartered in Wolfsburg. It is the flagship marque of the Volkswagen Group and is the largest automaker worldwide, Volkswagen is German for peoples car, and the companys current international advertising slogan is just Volkswagen. American English pronunciation is approximately volks wagon, for vehicle timeline tables, see, Volkswagen. Volkswagen was originally established in 1937 by the German Labour Front, in the early 1930s, the German auto industry was still largely composed of luxury models, and the average German could rarely afford anything more than a motorcycle. As a result, only one German out of 50 owned a car, seeking a potential new market, some car makers began independent peoples car projects – the Mercedes 170H, Adler AutoBahn, Steyr 55, and Hanomag 1. 3L, among others. The trend was not new, as Béla Barényi is credited with having conceived the design in the mid-1920s. Josef Ganz developed the Standard Superior, in Germany, the company Hanomag mass-produced the 2/10 PS Komissbrot, a small, cheap rear engined car, from 1925 to 1928. Also, in Czechoslovakia, the Hans Ledwinkas penned Tatra T77, Ferdinand Porsche, a well-known designer for high-end vehicles and race cars, had been trying for years to get a manufacturer interested in a small car suitable for a family. He felt the cars at the time were just stripped down big cars. He wanted his German citizens to have the access to a car as the Americans. The Peoples Car would be available to citizens of the Third Reich through a plan at 990 Reichsmark —about the price of a small motorcycle. Despite heavy lobbying in favor of one of the existing projects, thus, Hitler chose to sponsor an all-new, state-owned factory using Ferdinand Porsches design. The intention was that ordinary Germans would buy the car by means of a savings scheme, however, the entire project was financially unsound, and only the corruption and lack of accountability of the Nazi regime made it possible. Prototypes of the car called the KdF-Wagen, appeared from 1938 onwards, the car already had its distinctive round shape and air-cooled, flat-four, rear-mounted engine. The VW car was just one of many KdF programs, which included such as tours. The prefix Volks— was not just applied to cars, but also to products in Germany. On May 28,1937, Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH, more than a year later, on September 16,1938, it was renamed to Volkswagenwerk GmbH. Erwin Komenda, the longstanding Auto Union chief designer, part of Ferdinand Porsches hand-picked team, developed the car body of the prototype and it was one of the first cars designed with the aid of a wind tunnel—a method used for German aircraft design since the early 1920s
20.
Volvo
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The Volvo Group is a Swedish multinational manufacturing company headquartered in Gothenburg. While its core activity is the production, distribution and sale of trucks, buses and construction equipment, Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, the companies still share the Volvo logo and co-operate in running the Volvo Museum. Volvo means I roll in Latin, conjugated from volvere, in reference to ball bearings, the brand name Volvo was originally registered as a trademark in May 1911 with the intention to be used for a new series of SKF ball bearings. This idea was used for a short period and SKF decided to simply use SKF as the trademark for all its bearing products. In 1924, Assar Gabrielsson, an SKF sales manager, and a KTH Royal Institute of Technology educated engineer Gustav Larson and their vision was to build cars that could withstand the rigors of the countrys rough roads and cold temperatures. AB Volvo began activities on 10 August 1926, after one year of preparations involving the production of ten prototypes the firm was ready to commence the car-manufacturing business within the SKF group. AB Volvo was introduced at the Stockholm Stock Exchange in 1935, Volvo was delisted from NASDAQ in June 2007, but remains listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The Volvo Group has its origin in 1927, when the first Volvo car rolled off the line at the factory in Gothenburg. Only 280 cars were built that year, the first truck, the Series 1, debuted in January 1928, as an immediate success and attracted attention outside the country. In 1930, Volvo sold 639 cars, and the export of trucks to Europe started soon after, pentaverken, who had manufactured engines for Volvo, was acquired in 1935, providing a secure supply of engines and entry into the marine engine market. The first bus, named B1, was launched in 1934, in 1963, Volvo opened the Volvo Halifax Assembly plant, the first assembly plant in the companys history outside of Sweden in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. In 1991, Volvo Group participated in joint venture with Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors, the operation, branded NedCar, began producing the first generation Mitsubishi Carisma alongside the Volvo S40/V40 in 1996. In 1999, the European Union blocked a merger with Scania AB, in January of that same year, Volvo Group sold its car division Volvo Car Corporation to Ford Motor Company for $6.45 billion. The division was placed within Fords Premier Automotive Group alongside Jaguar, Land Rover, the Volvo T5 petrol engine was used in the Ford Focus ST and RS performance models, and Volvos satellite navigation system was used on certain Aston Martin Vanquish, DB9 and V8 Vantage models. In November 1999, Volvo Group purchased a 5% stake in Mitsubishi Motors, Ford sold the Volvo Car Corporation in 2010 to Geely Automobile of China for $1.8 billion. The move followed Fords 2007 sale of Aston Martin, and 2008 sale of Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo Group sold its stake in Mitsubishi Motors back to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 2001. Renault Véhicules Industriels was sold to Volvo during January 2001, Renault became AB Volvos biggest shareholder with a 19. 9% stake as part of the deal. Renault increased its shareholding to 21. 7% by 2010, AB Volvo acquired 13% of the shares in the Japanese truck manufacturer UD Trucks from Nissan Motor Co Ltd during 2006, becoming a major shareholder
21.
Michael Heseltine
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Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC is a British Conservative politician and businessman. He was a Member of Parliament from 1966 to 2001, and was a prominent figure in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major including serving as Deputy Prime Minister under the latter. In 1990 he stood for the leadership of the Conservative Party against Margaret Thatcher and although he was unsuccessful in his bid, his action triggered Thatchers eventual resignation. Heseltine entered the Cabinet in 1979 as Secretary of State for the Environment and he was Secretary of State for Defence from 1983 to 1986. In the latter role he was instrumental in the battle against the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Heseltine was considered an adept media performer and a charismatic minister and he resigned from the Cabinet in 1986 over the Westland Affair and returned to the back benches. He lost to John Major on the second ballot, Major later returned Heseltine to the Cabinet. As a key ally of Major, Heseltine rose to become President of the Board of Trade and, from 1995, Deputy Prime Minister and he declined to seek the leadership of the party following Majors 1997 election defeat, but remained a vocal advocate for modernisation in the party. Heseltine was seen as a One Nation Tory, epitomised by his support for the regeneration of the City of Liverpool, the subsequent transformation of Liverpool, with his support, saw Heseltine having the award of Freeman of the City of Liverpool bestowed upon him in 2012. Michael Heseltine was born in Swansea in Wales, the son of Rupert Heseltine and he is a distant descendant of Charles Dibdin. His fathers ancestors were farm labourers in Pembrey and his mother originated in West Wales and his maternal great-grandfather worked at the Swansea docks. His maternal grandfather, James Pridmore, founded West Glamorgan Collieries Ltd, Heseltine was brought up in relative luxury at No. Heseltine told Tatler interviewer Charlotte Edwardes in 2016, At prep school, every member was named after a member of the tit family, the Marsh Tit, the Blue Tit. He once feared the story reach the press, I just know if that had got out when I was in active politics. He enjoyed angling in Brynmill Park and won a junior competition and he was educated at Shrewsbury School. Julian Critchley recounted a story from his student days of how he plotted his future on the back of an envelope, a more detailed apocryphal version has him writing down, millionaire 25, cabinet member 35, party leader 45, prime minister 55. He became a millionaire and was a member of the cabinet from the age of 41. In the 1970s and 1980s Heseltines conference speech was often to be the highlight of the Conservative Party Conference despite his views being well to the left of the then leader Margaret Thatcher and he was eventually elected to the committee of the Oxford Union after five terms at the University
22.
Westland affair
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The argument was a result of differences of opinion as to the future of the British helicopter industry. Westland Helicopters, Britains last helicopter manufacturer, was to be the subject of a rescue bid, Heseltine refused to accept Thatchers choice and suggested she had lied about it. She had leaked a letter, then tried to cover that up. It resulted in resignations in January 1986 by Heseltine and Brittan, the episode embarrassed the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher in 1986 and damaged her reputation. The Westland affair originated with Alan Bristows bid for the company in April 1985, bristow withdrew his bid and Sir John Cuckney became chairman of Westland. Shortly thereafter an American company was thought to be preparing to bid for the company, Cuckney opposed this particular bid, as did Tebbit and Heseltine. Cuckney proposed that a new minority shareholder of 29. 9% be introduced, no British firm was willing to enter this but an American company, Sikorsky, was interested. In November 1985, Sikorsky made an offer and Westlands management were favourable, if Westland went ahead with Sikorsky its helicopters, under this new agreement, would be unable to be bought by the four governments. Thatchers and Leon Brittans view was that it was up to Westland to decide which deal it wanted, Thatcher then convened two meetings to discuss Westland with Heseltine, Brittan, Tebbit, William Whitelaw, Geoffrey Howe and Nigel Lawson on 5 and 6 December. Brittan, who had replaced Tebbit as Trade and Industry Secretary in September 1985, argued that NADs opposition should be set aside, Thatcher called a Cabinet meeting for 9 December, which Cuckney also attended to give a speech. Cuckney said that it was the view that the Sikorsky option was the best one. She gave them until 4 pm on 13 December and if by then Westland rejected the European package, Westland chose Sikorsky instead of the European firms but Heseltine wanted another Cabinet meeting. Thatcher rejected his demands because Westland had made up its mind on which deal it would recommend, at a Cabinet meeting on 12 December Heseltine, without warning, tried to discuss Westland but Thatcher was not willing to without the necessary papers. Heseltine was angry and claimed a meeting on Westland had been cancelled, later, the European consortium came up with a new bid and Heseltine thought the Governments policy should be changed to enable the European bid to succeed. The disagreements between Brittan and Heseltine over Westland became public and were reported in the media. Westlands management were worried about future business with European governments and Thatcher replied to Cuckney to the effect that the British Government would continue to support it, Heseltine wanted to include less supportive views, but Thatcher did not allow this. In early January Lloyds Bank sent Heseltine a letter and in Heseltines reply he listed the things which in his view would happen if Westland chose Sikorsky instead of the European alternative. Heseltine claimed, contradicting Thatchers reassurances to Cuckney, that Westland risked losing future European orders if the Sikorsky option was chosen, Heseltine leaked this letter to The Times
23.
Catchphrase (UK game show)
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Catchphrase is a British game show based on the short-lived U. S. game show of the same name. It originally aired on ITV in the United Kingdom between 12 January 1986 and 23 April 2004, a currently running revival premiered on ITV on 7 April 2013 and has aired five series. Catchphrase was presented by Northern Irish comedian Roy Walker from its 1986 premiere until 1999, Nick Weir took the programme over in 2000 and hosted it until the end of series 16 on 23 April 2004. Mark Curry replaced Weir for the series, which moved to a daytime slot. When the series was revived in 2013, Stephen Mulhern was named presenter, in the original series, two contestants, one male and one female, would have to identify the familiar phrase represented by a piece of animation accompanied by background music. The shows mascot, a robot called Mr. Chips. In the revived version of the show, the format remains. Catchphrase was a creation of Steve Radosh, who created the American series that the British programme was derived from, due to this, in the main game, at the start of each standard round, one contestant stopped a randomiser consisting of money amounts by hitting his/her button. The value landed on would be the amount for the normal catchphrases in that round, at first, the minimum value for the first two rounds was £10 and £20 in each round thereafter. After the second episode, the minimum value reduced to £5 until 1994, the maximum value started at £50 in round one and increased £50 for each round thereafter. Until 1990, the maximum value remained at £150 from round three onward, in series 10, the values were £35 to £75 in the first round and £35 to £100 in round two. From series 11 to 13, the values were £50 to £100 in round one, in the Nick Weir series, there was no money randomiser, the cash prize was set as default to £100 in round 1 and £150 in round 2. In Weirs third and final series, the round 2 amount for a normal catchphrase was doubled to £200, and for the series with Mark Curry. The cash prizes of £100 and £200 respectively for the two rounds were retained for the revived Mulhern series in 2013. A third round was played in the celebrity special, where the prizes were worth £300. For the revived 2013 series, three contestants start the game instead of two, an extra round was therefore added in which the three contestants compete to guess catchphrases on the screen. The first two contestants to guess three catchphrases would advance to the main game. This round is not used in the celebrity specials, in the first three revival series, contestants are frozen out if they give an incorrect catchphrase
24.
ITV (TV channel)
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ITV is a commercial television channel in the United Kingdom. Previously a network of regional television channels, ITV currently operates in England, Wales, Scotland, the Isle of Man. From 2001 until 2013, the channel was called ITV1, in 2004, Granada Television acquired Carlton Communications to form ITV plc. ITV is the biggest and most popular television channel in the United Kingdom. ITV and its channels have contended with BBC One for the status of the UKs most watched television channel since the 1950s. However, in line with other channels, ITVs audience share has fallen in the era of multi-channel television. Following the creation of the Television Act 1954, the establishment of a television service in the UK began. The Independent Television service, or ITV, was made up of regions, the three largest regions were subdivided into weekday and weekend services, with a different company running each. ITV existed in a form from its inception to the 2000s. ITV1 became the generic brand name used by the twelve franchises of the ITV Network in the United Kingdom. The brand was introduced in 2001 by Carlton- and Granada-owned franchises, however, it became the sole on-air identity in 2002 when the two companies decided to create a single unified playout of the channel, with regional references only used prior to regional programming. Carlton and Granada went on to merge in 2004, creating ITV plc which now owns thirteen of the fifteen regional ITV licences. The ITV1 name was used in England, Wales, Southern Scotland and Isle of Man until Channel Television adopted the name in January 2006. It should be noted, however, that as national continuity is used on Channel Television. ITV Wales & West was the exception, using the name ITV1 Wales at all times for the Welsh part of its broadcast area as it has a higher regional commitment. Latterly the ITV1 Wales name was used on breakbumpers and regionally advertised programmes till 2013. Non ITV plc-owned licencees on the network generally did not refer to the ITV name, the network production arms of the ITV-plc owned licencees have been gradually combined since 1993 to eventually form ITV Studios. ITV was formed by the unification of eleven of the ITV licences, the Broadcasting Act 1990 changed many of the rules regulating the ITV Network, which most notably relaxed franchise ownership and hours of production
25.
Roy Walker (comedian)
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Robert Roy Walker is a television personality and comedian from Northern Ireland, who worked for many years as both a television presenter and comedy actor. He is best known as the original host of the game show Catchphrase between 1986 and 1999, and as one of the stars of the stand-up comedy showcase, The Comedians. Born in Belfast, as a teenager Walker performed in the Francis Longford Choir, harland and Wolff He was the Northern Ireland marbles champion hammer thrower for three years, and represented his country internationally. He spent a time as a comedy partner of James Young before serving seven years in the British Army. Walker first started work aged 12, by the end of the 1960s, he was running a pawn shop whilst working in the evenings as the compère at the Talk of the Town club in Belfast. The Troubles, a threat of violence between political groups in Northern Ireland, was ongoing at this time. Though Walker was a Protestant and a Unionist, he was confronted by two men, who claimed he supported Irish Independence and they threatened him at gunpoint and gave him 24 hours notice to close the shop. Walker complied, and the shop was destroyed and he decided to leave Northern Ireland and work in Britain, touring as a professional comedian, in working mens clubs and cabaret. Id been Mr Belfast but in Sunderland I had to wait by the phone at nine oclock hoping that some other poor comic had been paid off after his first act and that seven quid got me my digs. Walker came to fame in 1977 when he won the ITV talent show New Faces and he was also a regular on the 1970s ITV stand-up comedy show The Comedians. He appeared on the BBC show Seaside Special on 15 July 1978, also in 1978 he appeared in two episodes of Blackpool Bonanza. In 1984 he appeared in an episode of the comedy series The Main Attraction, Walker is most famous for the game show Catchphrase, which he co-hosted with his computer character friend that he created, Mr Chips, from 1986 to 1999. During this time he became one of the highest paid stars on television, Walker coined his own catchphrases for the show, Say what you see, and Its good, but its not right. Contrary to popular belief Roy did say if you see it say it, on 12 June 1994, he appeared on Surprise Surprise. Other television appearances in the 1990s included You Bet, gagtag, Light Lunch, Wipeout and TV Nightmares. Walker appeared as himself in the first episode of Phoenix Nights on 14 January 2001, in 2002, he took part in the comedy game show Its Only TV. But I Like It and also appeared on Harry Hills TV Burp, in 2004, he appeared in the third series of the reality television series Im Famous and Frightened. In 2005, Walker appeared as Monsignor in the drama film The Jealous God
26.
Salafi jihadism
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The concept was described by Martin Kramer as an academic term that will inevitably be jihadism or the jihadist movement in popular usage. Practitioners are referred to as Salafi jihadis or Salafi jihadists, the most famous jihadist-Salafist attack is the September 11,2001 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda. U. Gilles Kepel writes that the Salafis whom he encountered in Europe in the 1980s were totally apolitical, but by the mid-1990s he met some who felt jihad in the form of violence and terrorism was justified to realize their political objectives. The combination of Salafi alienation from all things non-Muslim – including mainstream European society –, according to Kepel, Salafist jihadism combined respect for the sacred texts in their most literal form. With an absolute commitment to jihad, whose number-one target had to be America, principal among the sheikist scholars was Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz – the archetypal court ulema. Iyad El-Baghdadi describes Salafism as deeply divided into mainstream Salafism, another definition of Salafi jihadism, offered by Mohammed M. Hafez, is an extreme form of Sunni Islamism that rejects democracy and Shia rule. Hafez distinguished them from apolitical and conservative Salafi scholars, but also from the movement associated with Salman al-Ouda or Safar Al-Hawali. According to Mohammed M. Defending the Muslim community from external non-Muslim perceived threats, intimidating and marginalising other Muslim sects, Robin Wright notes the importance in Salafi jihadist groups of the formal process of taking an oath of allegiance to a leader. Marbling, i. e. pretending to cut ties to a global movement when strategically or financially convenient. (An example is the cutting of ties to al-Qaeda by the Syrian group Al-Nusra Front with al-Qaedas approval, Al Jazeera journalist Jamal Al Sharif describes Salafi jihadism as combining the doctrinal content and approach of Salafism and organisational models from Muslim Brotherhood organisations. Their motto emerged as Salafism in doctrine, modernity in confrontation, antecedents of Salafism jihadism include Islamist author Sayyid Qutb, who developed the intellectual underpinnings of the ideology. Qutb argued that the world had reached a point and that the Islamic world has been replaced by pagan ignorance of Jahiliyyah. The group Takfir wal-Hijra, who kidnapped and murdered an Egyptian ex-government minister in 1978, inspired some of the tactics, in Afghanistan the Taliban were of the Deobandi, not Salafi, school of Islam but cross-fertilized with bin Laden and other Salafist jihadis. Seth Jones of the Rand Corporation argues that Salafi-jihadist numbers and activity have increased not decreased from 2007 to 2013, according to his research, the number of Salafi-jihadist groups increased by over 50% from 2010 to 2013, using Libya and parts of Syria as sanctuary. The number of Salafi jihadist fighters more than doubled from 2010 to 2013 using both low and high estimates, the war in Syria was the single most important attraction for Salafi-jihadist fighters. Attacks by al-Qaeda–affiliated groups despite al-Qaedas traditional focus on the far enemy, approximately 99% of the attacks by al-Qaeda and its affiliates in 2013 were against near enemy targets. Theoreticians of Salafist jihadism included Afghan jihad veterans such as the Palestinian Abu Qatada, the Syrian Mustafa Setmariam Nasar, Osama bin Laden was its most well-known leader. The dissident Saudi preachers Salman al-Ouda and Safar Al-Hawali, were held in esteem by this school
27.
Channel Tunnel
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At its lowest point, it is 75 m deep below the sea bed, and 115 m below sea level. The speed limit for trains in the tunnel is 160 kilometres per hour, the tunnel carries high-speed Eurostar passenger trains, the Eurotunnel Shuttle for road vehicles—the largest such transport in the world—and international freight trains. The tunnel connects end-to-end with the LGV Nord and High Speed 1 high-speed railway lines, ideas for a cross-Channel fixed link appeared as early as 1802, but British political and press pressure over the compromising of national security stalled attempts to construct a tunnel. An early attempt at building a Channel Tunnel was made in the late 19th century, the eventual successful project, organised by Eurotunnel, began construction in 1988 and opened in 1994. At £5.5 billion, it was at the time the most expensive project ever proposed. The cost finally came in at £9 billion, well over its predicted budget, since its construction, the tunnel has faced several problems. Both fires and cold weather have temporarily disrupted its operation, illegal immigrants have attempted to use the tunnel to enter the UK, causing a minor diplomatic disagreement over the siting of the refugee camp at Sangatte, which was eventually closed in 2002. Migrants have also died attempting to cross through the tunnel, in 1839, Aimé Thomé de Gamond, a Frenchman, performed the first geological and hydrographical surveys on the Channel, between Calais and Dover. In 1865, a deputation led by George Ward Hunt proposed the idea of a tunnel to the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the day, around 1866, William Low and Sir John Hawkshaw promoted ideas, but apart from preliminary geological studies none were implemented. An official Anglo-French protocol was established in 1876 for a railway tunnel. On the English side a 2. 13-metre diameter Beaumont-English boring machine dug a 1, on the French side, a similar machine dug 1,669 m from Sangatte. The project was abandoned in May 1882, owing to British political and these early works were encountered more than a century later during the TML project. The French did not take the idea seriously and nothing came of Lloyd Georges proposal, in 1929 there was another proposal but nothing came of this discussion and the idea was shelved. Proponents estimated construction to be about US$150 million, the engineers had addressed the concerns of both nations military leaders by designing two sumps—one near the coast of each country—that could be flooded at will to block the tunnel. This design feature did not override the concerns of both military leaders, and other concerns about hordes of undesirable tourists who would disrupt English habits of living. Military fears continued during World War II, the estimate caused rumours that Germany had already begun digging. In 1935, a British film from Gaumont Studios, The Tunnel and it referred briefly to its protagonist, a Mr. McAllan, as having completed a British Channel tunnel successfully in 1940, five years into the future of the films release. By 1955, defence arguments had become less relevant due to the dominance of air power, in 1958 the 1881 workings were cleared in preparation for a £100,000 geological survey by the Channel Tunnel Study Group
28.
Leon Brittan
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Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne, PC, QC, DL was a British politician, Conservative Member of Parliament and barrister, as well as a member of the European Commission. He served several roles in Margaret Thatchers government, including Home Secretary. Leon Brittan was born in London, the son of Rebecca and Joseph Brittan and his parents were Lithuanian Jews who had migrated to Britain before World War II. Sir Samuel Brittan, the economics journalist, was his brother, the former Conservative MP Malcolm Rifkind, and the music producer Mark Ronson, were cousins. He was made a Queens Counsel in 1978, between 1979 and 1981 he was Minister of State at the Home Office, and was then promoted to become Chief Secretary to the Treasury, becoming the youngest member of the Cabinet. He warned cabinet colleagues that spending on security, health. At the 1983 election Brittan was elected MP for Richmond, following the election, he was promoted to Home Secretary, becoming the youngest since Sir Winston Churchill. During the UK miners strike, Brittan was a critic of the leadership of the National Union of Mineworkers. He accused them of organising violence by flying pickets, whom he described as thugs, one factor in the defeat of the strike was central control of local police forces. As soon as the strike began, Brittan set up a National Reporting Centre in New Scotland Yard to co-ordinate intelligence, Margaret Thatchers government had carefully planned for a miners strike and a Whitehall committee had been meeting in secret since 1981, to prepare for a long dispute. In September 1985, Brittan was moved to Secretary of State for Trade, the reason for his demotion, according to Jonathan Aitken, was that the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher felt that Brittan was not getting the message across on television. In her memoirs, Thatcher wrote of Brittan, Everybody complained about his manner on television, Brittan stated that transmission of the programme would be against the national interest and in August 1985 he wrote to the BBC Chairman, Stuart Young, asking for the broadcast to be cancelled. The BBCs Board of Governors called a meeting and ruled that the documentary could not be shown. The controversy led to a rift in the BBC between the boards of Management and Governors and it also led to a day of strike action by hundreds of television and radio workers who protested against what they perceived as government censorship. Brittan resigned as Trade and Industry Secretary in January 1986, over the Westland affair, the rest of the Government, led by Margaret Thatcher, supported a deal with the American business Sikorsky Fiat. Jonathan Aitken wrote of Brittan’s resignation, Soon after a meeting of Tory backbenchers at the 1922 Committee he fell on his sword. It was a combination of a hunt and a search for a scapegoat – tainted by an undercurrent of anti-Semitism. I believed what should have been obvious to anyone else, that he was being used as a conductor to deflect the fire that the Prime Minister had started and inflamed
29.
Peugeot 309
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The Peugeot 309 was a small family car manufactured between 1985 and 1993 in England, Spain and France by PSA Peugeot Citroën. It was originally intended to be badged as a Talbot and, as development progressed, to be called the Talbot Arizona. It was the replacement for the Talbot Horizon, which had started life as a Chrysler in Britain and a Simca in France, and was also being built in several guises for the American market. In 1985, the PSA Group decided to discontinue the Talbot brand, with the last Talbot passenger vehicle to be launched being the Samba of 1981, the Talbot brand was phased out completely when Talbot Express production stopped in 1994. The 309 had been conceived as Projet C28 as a replacement for the Talbot Horizon, styling was the responsibility of the former Chrysler-Rootes design studios in Coventry, whilst much of the engineering was done at the Simca site at Poissy in France. The 309 was not intended to replace Peugeots own 305 model and it was also the first Peugeot-badged hatchback of this size. With the Talbot brand being phased out on cars, the 309 would succeed the Talbot Horizon. The larger Alpine hatchback and Solara saloons were also axed in 1986, the 309s design was presaged by the 1982 Peugeot VERA Plus, which were aerodynamic studies developed by Peugeot at the time. The VERA Plus claimed a Cw of only 0.22, many of the aerodynamic features from the VERA studies found their way into later production Peugeots. The 309s slightly awkward styling was due to the decision to re-use the door shells from the 205, the 309 was also supposed to be differentiated from Peugeot as a Talbot, and was designed in-house. Other Peugeot cars were designed by the famed Italian design house Pininfarina, some markets also used the 1442 cc and 1592 cc Poissy engine, as seen previously in the Simca 1307 and Solara as well as the Horizon, instead of the 1580 cc OHC. Largely due to its partially British origins, the 309 became a choice in the United Kingdom. The 309s successor, the 306, was built at Ryton, as was the 206. The summer of 1989 saw the introduction of the Phase 2 Peugeot 309 and it revised the design of the rear, lowering the boot lip, changing the rear lights to a more smoked style and making slight alterations to the front radiator grille. Also, an interior was required to address severe criticisms leveled at the Phase 1s, Talbot designed multi-piece dashboard which was prone to developing squeaks. The GTi models received a colour coded one piece rear spoiler as opposed to the Phase 1s outdated rubber spoiler which, by then, retrospectively, the BE3 gearboxes are slightly less prone to failure than their earlier counterparts. This was also when Peugeot gradually phased in their all-new belt-driven TU-series overhead camshaft engines, in 1,124 cc and 1,360 cc forms, eventually replacing the trusty Simca units during 1992. The GTi-16 model, featuring the XU9J4 engine from the 405 Mi-16, was introduced at this time, however
30.
Rootes Group
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The Rootes Group or Rootes Motors Limited was a British automobile manufacturer and, separately a major motor distributors and dealers business. Run from Londons West End they were based in the Midlands. There were assembly plants in nine countries outside the UK, Rootes Group was under-capitalised and unable to survive industrial relations problems and losses from the 1963 introduction of a new aluminium-engined small car, the Hillman Imp. By mutual agreement, from mid-1964, Rootes Motors was taken over in stages by Chrysler Corporation, by the end of 1978 the last of the various elements of Chrysler UK had been sold to Peugeot and Renault. Rootes was founded in Hawkhurst, Kent, in 1913 by William Rootes as a car sales agency independent from his fathers Hawkhurst motor business, Rootes had moved his operations to Maidstone by 1914 and there he contracted to repair aero engines. In 1919 the distribution of cars and commercial vehicles resumed and operations extended to London, as early as 1924 Rootes had become the largest truck and car distributor in the United Kingdom. They advertised that their showrooms in Devonshire House Piccadilly could supply new cars priced from £145 to £3,000 manufactured by Rolls-Royce, Daimler, Sunbeam, Austin, Hillman, Fiat or Clyno. Hillman and Commer were made wholly owned subsidiaries of Humber Limited, the Rootes brothers could now show their ability to manufacture handsome cars with a strong sales appeal. Humber Cycles There was a resurgence in domestic and export demand for pedal bicycles, manufacture was transferred to Raleighs Nottingham works. Rootes Securities Limited Rootes Limited was renamed Rootes Securities Limited in 1933, Londons Mayfair coachbuilders and Rolls-Royce and Daimler dealers Thrupp & Maberly Limited had been bought in 1926 their royal warrant always proudly displayed. Overseas representation of British motor manufacturers was not limited to group members, ownership and control, Rootes family Rootes Motors Limited was the new name assumed 16 November 1949 of holding company Rootes Securities Limited. Substantially the whole of 1917s initial capital had been provided by the two Rootes brothers, on 24 November 1949 shares in Rootes Motors Limited were issued to the public in exchange for £3,025,000. Rootes was now a listed company and the new capital repaid the Prudential. The listed shares however were preference shares, the equity capital remained in the hands of the Rootes family now with new partner Prudential who had taken up all of the offered £1,000,000 of ordinary shares. External shareholders continued to hold a proportion of Humber Limited. The preference shares issued to the public by Humber remained listed, in addition there were external shareholdings in the Rootes Acceptances vehicle exporting business and in Automobile Products of India Limited. At this time employees totalled 17,000, Rootes owned, on average, about 80 per cent of the capital of its subsidiaries. The manufacturing subsidiaries were held through partly owned Humber Limited, manufacture was carried out in three factories in Coventry with more at Luton, Cricklewood and Acton
31.
Chrysler Europe
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Chrysler Europe was a division of the American Chrysler Corporation automotive company. It was formed from the merger of the French Simca, British Rootes, Chrysler Europe operated between 1967 and 1979, before it was divested to PSA Peugeot Citroën. For the first half of the 1980s the company and its products became known publicly as Talbot, Chrysler Corporation had never had much success outside North America, contrasting with Fords worldwide reach and General Motors success with Opel, Vauxhall, Holden and Bedford. Chrysler first established an interest on the French-based Simca in 1958, in 1963 Chrysler increased their stake to a controlling 63% by purchasing further stock from Fiat. Chrysler acquired a 35% share of the Spanish Barreiros in 1963, in 1970 Rootes formally became known as Chrysler Ltd. and Simca became known as Chrysler. Although the original marques were retained at first, from 1976 British-built cars were badged as Chryslers, Chrysler used the Dodge marque on commercial vehicles produced by both Simca and Rootes. The company systematically retired the previous marques from Rootes, including Hillman, Humber, the Simca brand was retained in its native France, but the Simca vehicles themselves were usually branded as either Chrysler-Simca or simply Chrysler outside France. In 1969, Chrysler Europe closed a deal with French engineering group Matra Automobiles to jointly develop the Matra sports cars, the first European Chrysler was the Chrysler 180, launched in 1970. The 180 was the result of combining two projects that were previously being developed independently by Rootes and Simca and it was voted European Car of the Year for 1976. Chrysler decided to keep the Hillman Hunter, a drive range of saloons and estates. Three years later, the smaller Chrysler Horizon also won the award, in 1977 Chrysler launched the British-only Sunbeam, a three-door supermini hatchback which effectively replaced the Hillman Imp. Chrysler commenced design on the replacement for the 180, which became the Talbot Tagora under Peugeots ownership on its launch in 1980. Chrysler Europe profits failed to materialize, although Simca on its own had been consistently profitable during its tenure under Chrysler ownership and it was the ailing former Rootes Group operations which were to prove to be the ultimate downfall of the company. Chrysler was already in financial trouble back home in America. The companys incoming CEO, Lee Iacocca had shown little interest in the European market from the outset, the Linwood factory in Scotland was closed by Peugeot in 1981 after just 18 years in use, marking the end of Avenger and Sunbeam production. The Sunbeam was replaced by the Peugeot 104 derived, French-built Talbot Samba, the Alpine spawned a saloon version, the Solara, in 1980. But by 1987, the French giant had scrapped the Talbot marque on passenger cars due to falling sales - though retaining it for vehicles until 1992. Peugeot took little interest in commercial vehicles and the production of former British and Spanish Dodge models passed to Renault Trucks
32.
Ryton-on-Dunsmore
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Ryton-on-Dunsmore is a village and civil parish in the district of Rugby of Warwickshire, south east of Coventry, England. The census of 2001 recorded a population of 1,672 in the parish, the A45 dual carriageway passes through the village. Garden Organic, the organic growing charity in the United Kingdom, has a 10-acre demonstration garden dedicated to organic gardening in the village. Ryton Pools Country Park is about a mile south-west of the village, the former factory was a key feature of the village for more than sixty years. It was situated between the A45 and the A423 in Warwickshire, the south east of the factory site bordered with Ryton-on-Dunsmore village. The factory was constructed by the Rootes Group in 1940 to build aircraft engines during World War II. Chrysler itself entered financial difficulties, and sold the plant for a symbolic US$1, Peugeot started building its 309 there on 28 October 1985, and by the end of 1987, it had been joined by the 405. This followed a decision by Peugeot in 1985, to out the Talbot brand. The estate model was not axed until 1997, but had always produced in France. Peugeot had also decided to produce the new 307 in France rather than at Ryton, in January 2004, Peugeot decided not to manufacture the 207 in Ryton, thus leaving the factory in danger of being shut down. In February 2004, the 1,000, 000th 206 rolled off the production line, in April 2006, Peugeot decided that the Ryton plant would close during July 2007. In October 2006, however, Peugeot announced it will close its plant six months sooner than expected, in the event, it closed on 12 December 2006, and the 140-acre site was sold to developer Trenport Investments Ltd for industrial use in March 2007. Demolition of the plant began on 12 November 2007, in October 2012, Network Rail acquired the site from Prologis, and constructed a haulage distribution centre. The centre opened the year, and serves as a hub for the National Delivery Service for Network Rail. The Academy of Coventry City F. C. the Sky Blues Lodge, is based on the Leamington Road in the village, the cyborg scientist Kevin Warwick grew up in the village in the 1960s, and attended the local junior school. The Association of Chief Police Officers Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service is based in the village, the College of Policing headquarters is based here. Photographic gallery on the closed down Peugeot plant in Ryton, official website of the Ryton on Dunsmore Parish Council including minutes of meetings and news
1986 in the United Kingdom