Pay Policy
Faces the collapse of the five percent policy after major private-sector settlements.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1978 in Great Britain — Page 6
Explore 258 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1978.
Historical records for Great Britain in 1978
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 258 unique records.
258Unique records
6 of 7Page
26Named events on this page
31Named people on this page
6Places on this page
Other events (month unknown)
Pay Policy
Warns that the five percent limit is politically dangerous and unrealistic.
Pay Policy
Leads transport workers as pay restraint collapses into wider industrial conflict.
Pay Policy
Healey backs a five percent pay guideline before the winter's industrial unrest.
Pay Policy
Healey privately doubts whether the five percent limit can be sustained.
Pay Policy
Warns ministers that a rigid five percent limit will be difficult to enforce.
Pay Policy
Public sector workers reject low pay limits before the winter strikes.
Pay Policy
Strike action challenges the government's five percent pay limit.
PFA Young Player of the Year
Tony Woodcock wins the PFA Young Player of the Year award after Forest's league championship campaign. His intelligent attacking play makes him a prominent figure in Brian Clough's side.
Picketing Law Proposals
Ridley report recommendations envisaged legal and policing preparations for potential mass picketing.
PiL
After the Sex Pistols disintegrated, Levene and Lydon co-founded Public Image Ltd (PiL)
Power Station Resilience
Conservative policy planning emphasised protecting electricity generation from disruption to coal deliveries.
Public Image Ltd
After leaving the Pistols, Johnny Rotten reverts to his birth name of Lydon, and forms Public Image Ltd, with former Clash member Keith Levene and school friend Jah Wobble
Public Image Ltd
Forms Public Image Ltd after leaving the Sex Pistols, moving toward post-punk and experimental rock.
Public Image Ltd
After leaving the Pistols, Johnny Rotten reverts to his birth name of Lydon, and forms Public Image Ltd, with former Clash member Keith Levene and school friend Jah Wobble
Public Image Ltd
After leaving the Pistols, Johnny Rotten reverts to his birth name of Lydon, and forms Public Image Ltd, with former Clash member Keith Levene and school friend Jah Wobble
Publication of A Nation or No Nation
Publishes A Nation or No Nation, a collection of political writings edited by Richard Ritchie.
Reform of Government
8 out of 9 countries in the EC join the European Monetary System, Britain stays out
Revenge of the Pink Panther
Sellers again portrays Inspector Clouseau in Revenge of the Pink Panther.
Ridley Report Prepared
The Ridley report set out contingency ideas for industrial disputes involving essential nationalised services.
Ruts Live Circuit
Performs with the Ruts around Britain's punk club circuit as the band builds a following through energetic live shows.
Saturn Award
The Wickerman wins the 1978 Saturn Award for Best Horror Film
Scotland Act Receives Assent
The Scotland Act 1978 received royal assent and provided for an elected Scottish Assembly subject to a referendum.
Secretary
Appointed Secretary of Trade
Separates Album
999 release second album Separates during a prolific year of recording and touring.
Sex Pistols
Cook and Jones star in the McLaren-scripted The Great Rock n Roll Swindle, directed by Julien Temple, the movie is McLaren's fictionalised account of the Pistols history;
Sex Pistols
McLaren is accused by band members (most notably by John Lydon) of mismanaging them and refusing to pay them when they asked him for money & they split during the American tour.
Sex Pistols
Cook and Jones star in the McLaren-scripted The Great Rock n Roll Swindle, directed by Julien Temple, the movie is McLaren's fictionalised account of the Pistols history;
Sex Pistols
Edward Tudor-Pole replaces Johnny Rotten as vocalist for the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols Breakup
Leaves the Sex Pistols after the band's first phase collapses, ending the original group's brief but highly influential punk career.
Shaw Villa Academy Breakthrough
Shaw begins earning senior opportunities at Aston Villa, developing into an important partner for Peter Withe in later championship seasons.
Slits Recording Development
Continues writing and performing with the Slits as their music increasingly incorporates reggae rhythms and experimental arrangements.
Social Contract
Warns that rigid pay limits risk breaking the Social Contract.
Spokesman
Ian Gow and Airey Neave are both appointed to the Conservative front bench to share the duties as opposition spokesman on Northern Ireland
Spokesman
Ian Gow and Airey Neave are both appointed to the Conservative front bench to share the duties as opposition spokesman on Northern Ireland
State Immunity Act
State Immunity Act 1978 codifies rules on when foreign states are immune from UK court jurisdiction
Tait Captains Pompey Through Rebuild
Tait becomes an important defensive presence as Portsmouth seeks to recover from its slide into the lower divisions.
Television's Over
The Adverts release Television's Over as their sound broadens beyond the rawest form of first-wave punk.
The Boys from Brazil
Stars in The Boys from Brazil
The Four Feathers
Stars in The Four Feathers
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.