was held following the resignation of Labour's Ian Gibson over the MPs expenses row earlier in the year. 25 July – Harry Patch, the last British survivor of the First World War trenches and briefly the oldest man in the United Kingdom, dies at the age of 111. Claude Choules, a 108-year-old former Royal Navy serviceman who was born in Worcestershire but now lives in Australia, is the last surviving British veteran of the war and one of just three surviving of any nationality. 28 July – The International Rugby Board confirms that the United Kingdom has won the rights to stage both the 2013 Rugby League and the 2015 Rugby Union World Cups. 30 July – Multiple sclerosis sufferer Debbie Purdy makes legal history by winning her battle to have the law on assisted suicide clarified after the Law Lords rule in her favour. 31 July – Gary McKinnon, an English man with Asperger syndrome loses his latest High Court bid to avoid extradition to the United States to face charges of hacking into US Government computers. August 6 August – Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs, who is gravely ill, is granted release from prison on compassionate grounds. 23 August – In cricket, the Ashes series concludes with England defeating Australia 2–1. August – A metal detectorist discovers the Shrewsbury Hoard, about 10,000 Roman coins. September 7 September – Convictions and acquittals in the trial for those charged over the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot. 9 September – Westcountry Television completes the digital switchover process with the turning off of all analogue signals from the Caradon Hill transmitter. 14 September – Those convicted for their role in the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot are sentenced. October 18 October – England's Jenson Button wins the 2009 Formula One Drivers' Championship after finishing in 5th place at the Brazilian Grand Prix. English based team Brawn GP, who Button drives for, secures the Constructors' Championship at the same race, in their debut season. 22 October – British National Party leader Nick Griffin makes a controversial first appearance on the BBC One political debate programme Question Time. He later announces his intention to make a formal complaint to the BBC for the way he believed he was treated by the programme's audience, who he described as a "lynch mob" and the show's other guests. November 4 November – Granada Television begins the process of digital