1990

Burns’ Day storm: hurricane-force winds are reported to have killed 39 people in England and Wales.
Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran renews his fatwa on British author Salman Rushdie, which he imposed last year following controversy over the author’s book: The Satanic Verses.
Fourteen people are killed as storms hit Britain. One of the worst-hit areas is Towyn in North Wales, where approximately 2,000 people are evacuated from their homes after huge waves smash a 200-yard hole in the sea wall and cause a major flood.
Poll Tax Riots in London as 200,000 people protest in the week preceding official introduction of the Community Charge.
Strangeways Prison riot in Manchester.
UEFA lifts the ban on English clubs in European competitions, five years after all teams were excluded due to the Heysel disaster.
Margaret Thatcher announces her resignation as Leader of the Conservative Party and therefore as Prime Minister, having led the government for more than 11 years and the Conservative Party for over 15 years. She was the longest serving prime minister of the 20th century.
Channel Tunnel workers from the United Kingdom and France meet 40 metres beneath the English Channel seabed, establishing the first land connection between the United Kingdom and the mainland of Europe for around 8,000 years.

The BBC begins broadcasting on Radio 5, its first new station for 23 years.
Premiere of the BBC One comedy Keeping Up Appearances, which stars Patricia Routledge, Clive Swift and Geoffrey Hughes.
British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) founded as a merger between Sky Television and British Satellite Broadcasting.

Madonna scored her 7th number 1 single with “Vogue”, from her hit album I’m Breathless which made No. 2, charting in the same position as her follow-up single “Hanky Panky”.
DNA revived Suzanne Vega’s fortunes this year with a smash hit remix of 1987 album track “Tom’s Diner” which peaked at number two in July.
Belgian house music was very popular in 1990 with artists like Technotronic powering the charts with songs like No.2 smash “Get Up ! (Before the Night Is Over)” and “Rockin’ Over the Beat”, a big summer No.9 hit, and finally a “Megamix” rounded off the year, making number 6 in October.

Artist	Title
New Kids On The Block	Hangin’ Tough
Kylie Minogue	Tears On My Pillow
Sinead O’Connor	Nothing Compares 2 U
Beats International	Dub Be Good To Me
Snap!	The Power
Madonna	Vogue
Adamski	Killer
Englandneworder	World In Motion
Elton John	Sacrifice/Healing Hands
Partners In Kryme	Turtle Power
Bombalurina	Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
The Steve Miller Band	The Joker
Maria McKee	Show Me Heaven
The Beautiful South	A Little Time
The Righteous Brothers	Unchained Melody
Vanilla Ice	Ice Ice Baby
Cliff Richard	Saviour’s Day

Stephen Hendry, 21, becomes the youngest ever world snooker champion.
12 May – The final of the FA Cup ends in a 3–3 draw between Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium.
17 May – Manchester United win the FA Cup final replay 1–0 at Wembley Stadium, with the only goal of the game being scored by defender Lee Martin. Manchester United have now won the FA Cup seven times, equalling the record already held by Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
Bobby Robson announces that he will not be renewing his contract as manager of the England national football team after the World Cup in Italy this summer.
England’s hopes of World Cup glory are ended by a penalty shootout defeat in the semi-final against West Germany after a 1–1 draw in Turin.

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