| 1980 | Zimbabwe independence |
| 1981 | Nott Defence review
Prince Charles marries Lady Diana Spencer
Ronald Reagan President of the USA |
| 1982 | Britain wins Falklands War |
| 1983 | Thatcher wins landslide victory |
| 1984 | Coal Miners strike
Indira Gandhi of India assassinated
Death of poet, John Betjeman |
| 1985 | Collapse of miners strike
Mikhail Gorbachev leader of USSR |
| 1986 | Reagan-Gorbachev Summit
Elizabeth II first British monarch to visit China |
| 1987 | Worst storm of the century in Great Britain |
| 1988 | George Bush wins US Presidential election
Bruges speech |
| 1989 | Tiananmen Square massacre |
| 1990 | Thatcher overthrown
Party elects John Major to replace her
Iraqi invades Kuwait
Tories oust Margaret Thatcher
John Major new leader |
| 1991 | The Second Gulf War |
| 1992 | Conservatives win General Election |
| 1993 | The Maastricht Treaty comes into force |
| 1994 | EU enlargement negotiations end
South Africa rejoins the Commonwealth
Channel Tunnel inaugurated
Mandela President of South Africa
Death of Labour leader, John Smith
Bosnians reject Owen-Vance peace plan |
| 1995 | Tony Blair drops Clause IV from Party Manifesto
UN 50th anniversary |
| 1996 | IRA Docklands and Manchester bombings
Clinton wins second term
British beef banned in Europe
Dunblane massacre
Prince and Princess of Wales divorce |
| 1997 | Labour wins General Election
Tony Blair becomes PM
Mother Teresa dies
Princess of Wales dies |
| 1998 | President Clinton impeached
Good Friday agreement in Northern Ireland |
| 1999 | Kosovo War
August Eclipse of the Sun
Scottish Parliament opens
Welsh Assembly opens |
