This week's UK news: 8 May 2015
8 May 2015


General election surprises

The UK has had a general election going on for the past six weeks and the result has looked very close all the way through. Even yesterday, the day of the vote, experts were guessing that there would be a hung parliament. But when voting closed at 10pm last night, TV programmes revealed the result of their research - that the Conservative party, which has been in government with a smaller party for five years - had probably won most seats. It was less of a surprise that the Scottish National Party had won most of the seats in Scotland.

After a night of counting votes, we now have a new government and three party leaders have resigned this morning. It is not the result anyone expected.

 

Royal baby born

The people in line for the British throne have changed again, after a second child was born to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge this week. The baby, called Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, will now be fourth in line to the throne. She follows her grandfather, her father, and her older brother, George. 

The baby and her parents appeared in public for photographers at the hospital in London where she was born, and have not been seen in public since. The family are now living at their home in Norfolk.

 

UK's oldest cinema back in use

The first moving film watched in the UK was at a little theatre in London's Regent Street in 1896. The Regent Street Cinema was in use until 35 years ago, when it became a lecture theatre for the University of Westminster. 

Now, after three year and GBP 6m, the cinema is open again, with its 1920 decorations and 1936 organ back in good condition. 

 

The UK's sunniest April

We've enjoyed the sunniest April ever this year since records began in 1920. It was also very dry. Several parts of the UK only had a third to a half of the month's average rainfall. Unfortunately the UK's weather is always very changeable, and we now have a very chilly May with several days of very high winds.

previous entry << >> next entry