Mar
Cash for Honours Investigation
Police investigated allegations that Labour had offered peerages in exchange for loans. Blair became the first sitting PM to be questioned by police. No charges were brought, but the scandal damaged trust.
🇬🇧United Kingdom · 00s
Arctic Monkeys and Cash for Honours
Sheffield teenagers became the fastest-selling debut act in history, Blair's government was investigated, and Twitter was born.
What happened
5 milestones of 2006
Aug 10
Transatlantic Aircraft Plot Foiled
Police foiled a plot to blow up transatlantic flights using liquid explosives. 24 people were arrested. Airport security was transformed overnight — liquids were banned from hand luggage.
Terrorism — present factually
Nov 1
Litvinenko Assassination
Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned with polonium-210 in London. He died three weeks later. The trail led back to Russia. A public inquiry concluded Putin 'probably approved' the assassination.
State assassination — present facts
Jan 23
Arctic Monkeys Debut Album
Arctic Monkeys released 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not.' It became the fastest-selling debut album in UK chart history. Sheffield teenagers who built their fanbase online changed the music industry.
Jul 1
World Cup 2006
England reached the World Cup quarter-finals again. Rooney was sent off against Portugal. England lost on penalties again. Sven resigned. The England penalty curse continued.
What was playing
70% local · 30% international
What was in cinemas
Casino Royale
Martin Campbell — Daniel Craig reinvented Bond. Darker, grittier, brilliant.
The Queen
Stephen Frears — Helen Mirren IS Elizabeth II after Diana's death. Oscar-winning.
The Last King of Scotland
Kevin Macdonald — Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin. James McAvoy. Terrifying.
This Is England
Shane Meadows — Skinhead culture in 1983. Thomas Turgoose. Stephen Graham. Raw.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Gore Verbinski — Johnny Depp's second voyage. Massive summer blockbuster.
What was on TV
Life on Mars
2006-2007 — John Simm goes back to 1973. Gene Hunt. 'You're surrounded by armed bastards!'
The IT Crowd
2006-2013 — 'Have you tried turning it off and on again?' Channel 4 comedy gem.
Doctor Who
2006 — David Tennant's first full series as the Tenth Doctor. Ratings soared.
Planet Earth
2006 — David Attenborough in HD. Most expensive nature series ever. Stunning.
Skins
2007 prep — Bristol teen drama about to revolutionize youth television.
How much things cost
Currency: GBP
Pint of milk40p
Loaf of bread72p
Pint of bitter£2.45
Average house£176,530
Litre of petrol88p
Cinema ticket£5.60
Inflation: 2.3%
Credit boom at its peak. House prices doubling in a decade. Easy money. The crash was two years away.
Then vs. Now
Inflation-adjusted values
Pint of milkONS
2006 (GBP)
40p
→
Today's value (£)
--
Loaf of breadONS
2006 (GBP)
72p
→
Today's value (£)
--
Pint of bitterBBPA
2006 (GBP)
£2.45
→
Today's value (£)
--
Average houseONS
2006 (GBP)
£176,530
→
Today's value (£)
--
Litre of petrolAA
2006 (GBP)
88p
→
Today's value (£)
--
Cinema ticketBFI
2006 (GBP)
£5.60
→
Today's value (£)
--
Technology
Launched in July — 140 characters that would change public discourse.
Wii
Nintendo's Wii launched — motion-control gaming for families.
YouTube
Google bought YouTube for $1.65bn — video sharing was the future.
MySpace peak
Most visited website in the US — bands, profiles, glitter.
HD television
BBC HD launched — Planet Earth in high definition.
Pop Culture
Fashion
Indie sleaze — skinny jeans, band tees, leather jacketsAmy Winehouse's beehive and eyeliner lookTopshop at its peak — Kate Moss collaboration
Slang
Sick— Excellent, amazing
Peng— Attractive
Allow it— Let it go, forget about it
Behavior
- Arctic Monkeys proved the internet could launch a band without record labels
- Russian assassinations on British soil felt like a Cold War thriller
- The credit boom made everyone feel rich — house prices as dinner party conversation
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