British and Irish current events - Definition and Overview

This page deals with current events in the English-speaking nations of Europe. These are England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey and Gibraltar.

2 February 2005

• The Provisional IRA issue a statement to the Republican newspaper An Phoblacht withdrawing from its commitment to the decommissioning of weapons and other deals related to the Northern Ireland peace process.(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4231237.stm) (The Scotsman) (http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4083056)
• Two firefighters and a member of the public die in a fire on the 14th and 15th floors of a 17-storey tower block in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. Seven other people are hospitalised, one in serious condition, and 70 people are evacuated from the block. (BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/4228737.stm).
• Robert Kilroy-Silk offically launches the Veritas political party, on an anti-immigration platform, after quitting the eurosceptic UK Independence Party after a failed leadership bid. (BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4227921.stm) (ThisIsLondon) (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/16311399?source=PA&ct=5) (Guardian) (http://politics.guardian.co.uk/otherparties/story/0,9061,1404085,00.html)

Past British and Irish events by month

• 2005 in the United Kingdom: January
• 2004 in the United Kingdom: December

(For earlier events in Britain and Ireland, see November 2004 and preceding months)