The Right Honourable  Sir John Major  KG CH ACIB
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office 28 November 1990 – 2 May 1997
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Deputy	Michael Heseltine (1995-1997)
Preceded by	Margaret Thatcher
Succeeded by	Tony Blair
Chancellor of the Exchequer
In office 26 October 1989 – 28 November 1990
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Nigel Lawson
Succeeded by	Norman Lamont
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
In office 24 July 1989 – 26 October 1989
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Geoffrey Howe
Succeeded by	Douglas Hurd
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
In office 13 June 1987 – 24 July 1989
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	John MacGregor
Succeeded by	Norman Lamont
Member of Parliament for Huntingdon Huntingdonshire (1979-1983)
In office 3 May 1979 – 7 June 2001
Preceded by	David Renton
Succeeded by	Jonathan Djanogly
Born	29 March 1943(1943-03-29) (age 65) Carshalton, Surrey, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Norma Major
Profession	Banker
Religion	Anglican
Signature

Sir John Major KG CH ACIB (born 29 March 1943), is a former British politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the British Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. The Right Honourable (abbreviated as The Rt Hon) is an Honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients The Order of the Companions of Honour is a British and Commonwealth Order. The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB was founded in 1879 as the Professional body for members of the Banking profession in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. Events Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC (born 21 March 1933 is a Welsh -born British businessman and Conservative Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. Events Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 Nigel Lawson Baron Lawson of Blaby, PC (born 11 March 1932 is a British Conservative Politician who was Chancellor of the Exchequer between Norman Stewart Hughson Lamont Baron Lamont of Lerwick, PC (born 8 May 1942 is a former Conservative MP for Kingston-upon-Thames, England The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 Richard Edward Geoffrey Howe Baron Howe of Aberavon, CH, PC, QC (born 20 December 1926 known until 1992 as Sir Geoffrey Howe, is a British Douglas Richard Hurd Baron Hurd of Westwell, CH, CBE, PC (born 8 March 1930 is a senior British Conservative Politician The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is the second most senior ministerial position in HM Treasury, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 John Macgregor (1802-1858 was a Scottish shipbuilder Birth and Early Life John Macgregor was christened on the 24 August 1802 at Norman Stewart Hughson Lamont Baron Lamont of Lerwick, PC (born 8 May 1942 is a former Conservative MP for Kingston-upon-Thames, England Huntingdon is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Huntingdonshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary Constituency. Events 1491 - Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries adopting the baptismal name of João Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. David Lockhart-Mure Renton Baron Renton, KBE, QC, TD, DL, PC ( 12 August 1908 – 24 May Jonathan Simon Djanogly (born June 3, 1965) is a British Politician and Solicitor, Conservative Member of Parliament Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Carshalton is a suburb of London part of the London Borough of Sutton, located 10 miles (16 Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Dame Norma Major Lady Major, DBE (née Wagstaff previously Johnson born 12 February 1942) is the wife of Sir John Major, the former British A banker or bank is a Financial institution whose primary activity is to act as a payment agent for customers and to borrow and lend money The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients The Order of the Companions of Honour is a British and Commonwealth Order. The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB was founded in 1879 as the Professional body for members of the Banking profession in the United Kingdom. Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Leaders of the UK Conservative Party since 1834 Background Until 1922 there was no formal "Leader of the Conservative Party" The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. During his time as Prime Minister, the world went through a period of transition after the end of the Cold War. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the This included the growing importance of the European Union and the debate surrounding Britain's ratification of the Maastricht Treaty. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union, TEU) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final As Prime Minister, Major and his government were also responsible for the United Kingdom's exit from the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) after Black Wednesday on 16 September 1992. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The European Exchange Rate Mechanism, ERM, was a system introduced by the European Community in March 1979 as part of the European Monetary System (EMS In British Politics and Economics, Black Wednesday refers to the events of 16 September 1992 when the Conservative Events 1400 - Owain Glyndŵr is declared Prince of Wales by his followers Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar)

In 1997 the Conservative Party, under Major's leadership, lost the general election to Tony Blair's Labour party. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Results The election was fought under new boundaries with a net increase of eight seats compared to the 1992 election Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the This was one of the worst electoral defeats in British politics since the Great Reform Act of 1832. The politics of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland takes place in the framework of a Constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is Head The Representation of the People Act 1832, commonly known as the Reform Act 1832, was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system After the defeat he was replaced as leader of the party by William Hague, continuing as an MP until he retired from the House of Commons in the 2001 general election. William Jefferson Hague (born 26 March 1961 is a British Politician. The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords Results |} Total votes cast 26368204 All parties with more than 500 votes shown

Before serving as Prime Minister, Major was a Cabinet minister under Margaret Thatcher. In the Politics of the United Kingdom, the Cabinet is a formal body composed of the most senior government ministers chosen by the Prime Minister Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 He served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is the second most senior ministerial position in HM Treasury, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial

Further information: UK Conservative Cabinet 1990-97

Contents 1 Early life 2 Political career 3 Prime minister 3.1 The Gulf War 3.2 Soap Box election 3.3 Black Wednesday 3.4 Infighting over Europe - "the bastards" 3.5 "Sleaze" 3.6 Northern Ireland 3.7 Leadership challenge 3.8 1997 general election defeat 4 Summary of Major's premiership 5 After retirement 5.1 Major/Currie affair 5.2 Since 2005 6 Representation in the media 7 Titles and honours 7.1 Styles from birth 7.2 Honours 8 Personal life 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External links

Early life

John Major was born on 29 March 1943, the son of Tom Pascal Hubert Major-Ball, a former music-hall artiste. On November 28 1990, British Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher resigned after serving as Prime Minister for Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Music hall is a form of British theatrical Entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960 He was christened John Roy Major but only the name John is shown on his birth certificate. A birth certificate is a Vital record that documents the birth of a child He used the middle name Roy until the early 1980s. ^[1]

He was born at the St Helier Hospital, Carshalton. St Helier is a residential estate in the London boroughs of Merton and Sutton. St Helier Hospital owned by the famous Arab tycoon Fifi is a hospital in the borough of Sutton in South London Carshalton is a suburb of London part of the London Borough of Sutton, located 10 miles (16 He attended primary school at Cheam Common, and then attended Rutlish Grammar School, since converted to a comprehensive school and renamed Rutlish School, in Merton, from 1954 onwards, when he passed the eleven-plus. Primary education is the first stage of Compulsory education. Rutlish School is a Comprehensive school for boys It is in Watery Lane Merton Park, south-west London. A comprehensive school is a Secondary school and State school for children from the age of 11 to at least 16 that does not select children on the basis of academic Rutlish School is a Comprehensive school for boys It is in Watery Lane Merton Park, south-west London. The London Borough of Merton ( is a London borough in south west London. In the United Kingdom the Eleven Plus or Transfer Test is an Examination administered to some students in their last year of primary education There he had an undistinguished education. In the 1950s, his father's garden ornaments business failed, and the family were forced to move to Brixton in 1955. Brixton is an area of the London Borough of Lambeth, in inner - South London. He watched his first debate in the House of Commons in 1956, and attributes his political ambitions to that event. The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords

Major left school at sixteen in 1959, with three O-levels: They were History, English Language, and English Literature. The General Certificate of Education or GCE is a secondary-level academic qualification that Examination boards in the United Kingdom confer to students History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The term English literature refers to Literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by Writers not necessarily from He would later gain three more by correspondence course in British Constitution, Mathematics and Economics. Distance education, or distance learning, is a field of education that focuses on the Pedagogy and Andragogy, technology and instructional systems design The constitution of the United Kingdom is the set of laws and principles under which the United Kingdom is governed Mathematics is the body of Knowledge and Academic discipline that studies such concepts as Quantity, Structure, Space and Economics is the social science that studies the production distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Indeed, shortly after becoming PM, when pressed about his precise qualifications Major answered "he couldn't remember" what he had attained. Major applied to become a bus conductor after leaving school but was beaten to the post by another applicant. Train Conductor (North America The Conductor is the railway employee charged with the management of a freight passenger or various other types of Train, and is Many accounts have said this was due to his height, although early media reports claimed wrongly that this was due to poor arithmetic. His first job was as a clerk in an insurance brokerage firm 'Pratt & Sons' in 1959 after leaving school. Disliking this, he quit and for a time, he helped with his father's garden ornaments business with his brother, Terry Major-Ball. Terry Major-Ball (2 July 1932 &ndash 13 March 2007 was the elder brother of the former British Prime Minister Sir John Major, who during his brother's seven-year He also joined the Young Conservatives in Brixton at this time. The Young Conservatives was the youth wing of the United Kingdom 's Conservative Party until the organisation was replaced in 1998 by Conservative Future

After a spell of unemployment, he started working at the London Electricity Board (where his successor as PM Tony Blair also worked when young) in 1963, and decided to undertake a correspondence course in banking. The London Electricity Board was the Public sector Utility company responsible for electricity generation and electrical infrastructure maintenance prior to 1990 Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to Major took up a post as an executive at Standard Chartered Bank in May 1965 and rose quickly through the ranks; he was sent to Nigeria by the bank in 1967, and nearly died after a car crash there. Standard Chartered Bank (, is a British Bank headquartered in London with operations in more than seventy countries Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal

He is an Associate of the Institute of Bankers. The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB was founded in 1879 as the Professional body for members of the Banking profession in the United Kingdom.

Further information: UK Conservative Cabinet 1990-97

Political career

Major was interested in politics from an early age. On November 28 1990, British Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher resigned after serving as Prime Minister for Encouraged by fellow conservative Derek Stone, he started giving speeches on a soap-box in Brixton market. A soapbox is a raised Platform on which one stands to make an impromptu speech, often about a political subject Brixton Market is a street market in the centre of Brixton, south London, England, and the adjacent covered market areas in nearby arcades Reliance He stood as a candidate for Lambeth Borough Council at the age of 21 in 1964, and was unexpectedly elected in the Conservative landslide in 1968. The London Borough of Lambeth ( is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Inner London. While on the council he served as Chairman of the Housing Committee, being responsible for the building of several council housing estates. The council house is a form of public or social housing in the United Kingdom. Despite moving to a ward which was easier for the Conservatives to win, he lost his seat in May 1971.

Major was an active Young Conservative and, according to his biographer Anthony Seldon brought "youthful exuberance" to the Tories in Brixton, but was often in trouble with the professional agent Marion Standing. The Young Conservatives was the youth wing of the United Kingdom 's Conservative Party until the organisation was replaced in 1998 by Conservative Future Anthony F Seldon MA PhD FRSA MBA FRHisS is a political commentator best known as Tony Blair's biographer and the Master of Wellington College. But, again according to Seldon, the formative political influence on Major was Jean Kierans, a divorcée 13 years his elder who became his political mentor and lover. Seldon writes "She. . . made Major smarten his appearance, groomed him politically and made him more ambitious and worldly. " Their relationship lasted from 1963 to sometime after 1968.

He stood for election to Parliament in St Pancras North in both general elections of 1974, but did not win this traditionally Labour seat. St Pancras North was a Borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the In November 1976, he was selected by Huntingdonshire Conservatives as their candidate at the next election, winning the safe seat in the 1979 general election. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Huntingdonshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary Constituency. A safe seat is a seat in a legislative body (eg Congress Parliament City Council which is regarded as fully secured either by a certain Political party, the Background Callaghan had succeeded Harold Wilson as Labour Prime Minister after the latter's surprise resignation in April 1976 Following boundary changes, Major became Member of Parliament (MP) for Huntingdon in 1983 and subsequently won the seat in the 1987, 1992 and 1997 elections (his political agent in all three elections was Peter Brown). A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Huntingdon is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Results |} All parties gaining over 500 votes listed Campaign and policies The Conservatives' campaign emphasized lower taxes a strong economy and defence Results |} The turnout was 33514074 from an Electorate of 43275316 voting in a total of 651 seats Results The election was fought under new boundaries with a net increase of eight seats compared to the 1992 election In Elections in the United Kingdom, as well as in certain other similar political systems such as India 's an election agent is the person legally responsible for His majority in 1992 was an extraordinary 36,230 votes, the highest ever recorded. He stood down at the 2001 general election. Results |} Total votes cast 26368204 All parties with more than 500 votes shown

He was a Parliamentary Private Secretary from 1981 and an assistant whip from 1983. A Parliamentary Private Secretary ( PPS) is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament (MP by a senior minister in government or shadow Whip is a role in party-based politics whose primary purpose is to ensure control of the formal decision-making process in a parliamentary legislature He was made Under-Secretary of State for Social Security in 1985 and became minister of the same department in 1986. A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, in the United Kingdom government structure is a minister who is junior to a Minister of State who is in turn A minister or a secretary is a Politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional Government. He entered the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury in 1987, and in a surprise re-shuffle on 24 July 1989, a relatively inexperienced John Major was appointed Foreign Secretary, succeeding Geoffrey Howe. A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is the second most senior ministerial position in HM Treasury, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the Richard Edward Geoffrey Howe Baron Howe of Aberavon, CH, PC, QC (born 20 December 1926 known until 1992 as Sir Geoffrey Howe, is a British He spent only three months in that post before becoming Chancellor of the Exchequer after Nigel Lawson's resignation in October 1989. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial Nigel Lawson Baron Lawson of Blaby, PC (born 11 March 1932 is a British Conservative Politician who was Chancellor of the Exchequer between Major presented only one budget (the first one to be televised) in the spring of 1990. He publicised it as a budget for savings and announced the Tax-Exempt Special Savings Account (TESSA) arguing that measures were required to address the marked fall in the household savings ratio that had been apparent during the previous financial year. In the UK, the Tax-Exempt Special Savings Account ( TESSA) was one of a number tax-free savings accounts The average propensity to save (APS, also known as the savings ratio, is an Economics term that refers to the proportion of Income which is saved usually A fiscal year (or financial year, or sometimes budget year) is a period used for calculating annual ("yearly" Financial statements in Businesses

When Michael Heseltine's challenge to Margaret Thatcher's leadership of the Conservative Party forced the contest to a second round and Thatcher withdrew, Major entered the contest alongside Douglas Hurd. Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC (born 21 March 1933 is a Welsh -born British businessman and Conservative Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 The 1990 Conservative Party leadership election in the United Kingdom took place in November 1990 following the decision of former Defence and Douglas Richard Hurd Baron Hurd of Westwell, CH, CBE, PC (born 8 March 1930 is a senior British Conservative Politician Though he fell two votes short of the required winning margin of 187 in the second ballot Major's result was sufficient to secure immediate concessions from his rivals and he became Leader of the Conservative Party on 27 November 1990. Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The next day, Major was summoned to Buckingham Palace and appointed Prime Minister. Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch.

Prime minister

Further information: Major Ministry

Further information: UK Conservative Cabinet 1990-97

The Gulf War

Major served as Prime Minister during the first Gulf War of 1991, and played a key role in persuading American president George H. W. Bush to support no-fly zones. John Major was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for 6½ years from November 1990 to March 1997 On November 28 1990, British Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher resigned after serving as Prime Minister for George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12 1924 served as the forty-first President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 A no-fly zone is a territory over which Aircraft are not permitted to fly

Soap Box election

The economy slid into recession again during Major's first year in office, though the signs of this were appearing during Thatcher's final months as Prime Minister, and Major's Conservatives were widely expected to lose the 1992 election to Neil Kinnock's Labour Party. Results |} The turnout was 33514074 from an Electorate of 43275316 voting in a total of 651 seats Neil Gordon Kinnock Baron Kinnock PC (born 28 March 1942 is a British Politician. Major took his campaign onto the streets, famously delivering many addresses from an upturned soapbox as in his Lambeth days. This "common touch" approach stood in contrast to the Labour Party's seemingly slicker campaign and it chimed with the electorate, along with hard-hitting negative campaign advertising focusing on the issue of Labour's approach to taxation. Negative campaigning is trying to win an advantage by referring to negative aspects of an opponent or of a policy rather than emphasizing one's own positive attributes or preferred Major won a second period in office, albeit with the small parliamentary majority of just 21 seats.

Black Wednesday

Main article: Black Wednesday

This slim majority proved to be unmanageable however, particularly after the United Kingdom's exit from the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) on Black Wednesday (16 September 1992) - just five months into the new parliament - when billions of pounds were wasted in a futile attempt to prop up the currency's value. George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12 1924 served as the forty-first President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 The Naval Support Facility Thurmont, popularly known as Camp David, is the rustic 125-acre (0 In British Politics and Economics, Black Wednesday refers to the events of 16 September 1992 when the Conservative The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The European Exchange Rate Mechanism, ERM, was a system introduced by the European Community in March 1979 as part of the European Monetary System (EMS In British Politics and Economics, Black Wednesday refers to the events of 16 September 1992 when the Conservative Events 1400 - Owain Glyndŵr is declared Prince of Wales by his followers Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar)

After the release of Black Wednesday government documents,^[2] it became apparent that Major came very close to stepping down from office at this point, having even prepared an unsent letter of resignation addressed to the Queen. ^[3]

Major kept his economic team unchanged for seven months after Black Wednesday before requiring the resignation of Chancellor Norman Lamont, whom he replaced with Kenneth Clarke. Norman Stewart Hughson Lamont Baron Lamont of Lerwick, PC (born 8 May 1942 is a former Conservative MP for Kingston-upon-Thames, England Kenneth Harry "Ken" Clarke QC MP (born 2 July 1940) is a British Politician. Such a delay, on top of the crisis, was portrayed by Major's critics as proof of the indecisiveness that was to undermine his authority through the rest of his premiership. But, ironically, in appointing Clarke as Chancellor, Major made what was arguably the single most important appointment of his tenure.

The UK's forced withdrawal from the ERM was succeeded by a partial economic recovery with a new policy of flexible exchange rates, allowing lower interest rates, along with the unintended consequence of a devalued pound - increased sales of UK goods to export markets. In Finance, the exchange rates (also known as the foreign-exchange rate, forex rate or FX rate) between two currencies specifies how Interest is a fee paid on borrowed capital Assets lent include Money, Shares, Consumer goods through Hire purchase, major assets Unintended consequences are outcomes that are not (or not limited to what the actor intended in a particular situation ^[4]

Further information: UK Conservative Cabinet 1990-97

Infighting over Europe - "the bastards"

Rather than capitalise on the economic 'good news', however, the Conservative Party soon fell into political infighting over the subject of Europe: On Europe, Major took a moderate approach but he found himself undermined by the Eurosceptic wing of the party and the Cabinet. On November 28 1990, British Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher resigned after serving as Prime Minister for Euroscepticism Euro (disambiguation --> has become a general term for opposition to the process In particular, his policy towards the European Union aroused opposition as the Government attempted to ratify the Maastricht Treaty. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union, TEU) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final Although the Labour opposition supported the treaty, they were prepared to tactically oppose certain provisions in order to weaken the government. This opposition included passing an amendment that required a vote on the social chapter aspects of the treaty before it could be ratified. Several Conservative MPs voted against the Major Government and the vote was lost. The Maastricht Rebels were British Members of Parliament (MPs belonging to the then governing Conservative Party who refused to support the government of John Major hit back by calling another vote on the following day (23 July 1993), which he declared a vote of confidence. Events 1632 - Three hundred colonists bound for New France depart from Dieppe France. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) A Motion of Confidence is a motion of support proposed by a government in a Parliament or other assembly of elected representatives to give members of parliament (or He won by forty votes, but the damage had been done to his authority in parliament.

Later that day, Major gave an interview to ITN's Michael Brunson. ITN ( Independent Television News) is a major news and content provider with headquarters in the United Kingdom. Michael Brunson OBE (born 12 August 1940 in Norwich) is a well-known British political journalist During an unguarded moment when he thought that the microphones had been switched off, Brunson asked why he did not sack the ministers who were conspiring against him. He replied: "Just think it through from my perspective. You are the prime minister, with a majority of eighteen. . . where do you think most of the poison is coming from? From the dispossessed and the never-possessed. Do we want three more of the bastards out there? What's Lyndon B. Johnson's maxim?" Major later said that he had picked the number three from the air and that he was referring to "former ministers who had left the government and begun to create havoc with their anti-European activities",^[5] but many journalists immediately suggested that the three were Peter Lilley, Michael Portillo and Michael Howard, who were three of the more prominent "Eurosceptics" within his Cabinet at the time. Peter Bruce Lilley (born 23 August 1943, Hayes, Kent, England) is a British Conservative Party politician who Michael Denzil Xavier Portillo (born 26 May 1953 is a British Journalist, broadcaster, former Conservative Party Politician and Cabinet Michael Howard QC (born 7 July 1941 is a British Politician, a Conservative MP since the 1983 General Election for the constituency of Euroscepticism Euro (disambiguation --> has become a general term for opposition to the process Throughout the rest of Major's premiership the exact identity of the three would be blurred, with John Redwood's name frequently appearing in a list along with two of the others. John Alan Redwood (born 15 June 1951 in Dover, Kent) is a British Conservative Party Politician and Member The tape of this conversation was leaked to the Daily Mirror and widely reported, embarrassing Major. The Daily Mirror, often referred to simply as The Mirror, is a British Tabloid daily Newspaper founded in 1903 (The maxim referred to is Johnson's famous comment about J. Edgar Hoover: Johnson had once sought a way to remove Hoover from his post as head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), but upon realising that the problems involved in such a plan were insurmountable, he accepted Hoover's presence philosophically, reasoning that it would be "better to have him inside the tent pissing out, than outside pissing in"). WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Postnominal initials

"Sleaze"

At the 1993 Conservative Party Conference, Major began the "Back to Basics" campaign, which he intended to be about the economy, education, policing, and other such issues. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Back to Basics was an ill-fated attempt to relaunch the government of British Prime Minister John Major in 1993. However, it was interpreted by many (including Conservative cabinet ministers) as an attempt to revert to the moral and family values that the Conservative Party were often associated with. Family values is a political and social concept used in various cultures to describe values that are believed to be traditional in that culture and in support of the idea Back to Basics, however, became synonymous with scandal -- often exposed by Tabloid newspapers such as The Sun. A scandal is a widely Publicized incident that involves Allegations of wrongdoing, disgrace or moral outrage A tabloid is a Newspaper industry term which refers to a smaller newspaper format per spread to a weekly or semi-weekly alternative newspaper that focuses on local-interest The Sun is a Tabloid daily newspaper published in the United Kingdom and Ireland with the highest circulation of any daily English-language David Mellor, a cabinet minister was exposed as having an extramarital affair. David John Mellor QC (born 12 March 1949 is a British Conservative Politician and Barrister, broadcaster journalist and football The wife of the Earl of Caithness committed suicide amongst rumours of the Earl committing adultery. The title Earl of Caithness has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and has a very complex history David Ashby was 'outed' by his wife after sleeping with men. David Glynn Ashby (born 14 May, 1940) was the British Conservative Member of Parliament for North West Leicestershire from A string of other conservative MPs including Alan Amos, Tim Yeo and Michael Brown all were involved in sexual scandals. Alan Thomas Amos (born 10 November 1952 is a British Labour politician and former Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Hexham Timothy Stephen Kenneth Yeo (born 20 March 1945 in Lewisham) is a British Conservative politician Member of Parliament Michael or Mike Brown may refer to In politics: Michael Brown (Liberal Democrats donor (born 1966 Scottish businessman convicted for There was also the spectacularly bizarre autoerotic death of Stephen Milligan. Autoeroticism is the practice of stimulating oneself sexually Stephen David Wyatt Milligan ( 12 May 1948 – 7 February 1994) was a British politician and Journalist.

Other debilitating scandals included Cash for Questions, in which it was revealed that several Conservative MPs had been given money by Mohamed Al Fayed to ask questions in the House of Commons. The cash-for-questions affair was one of the biggest political scandals of the 1990s in the United Kingdom. The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords Graham Riddick, David Tredinnick, Tim Smith and Neil Hamilton were all exposed in the scandal. Graham Edward Galloway Riddick (b 26 August 1955, Long Preston, North Yorkshire) was the Conservative Party Member of Parliament David Tredinnick may refer to several people David Tredinnick (politician (born 1950 British politician and opposition backbencher David Timothy John Smith, known as Tim Smith, (born 5 October, 1947) is a British Conservative politician Neil Hamilton may refer to Neil Hamilton (actor (1899–1984 American actor Later, David Willetts resigned as Paymaster General after he was accused of rigging evidence to do with Cash for Questions. David Linsay Willetts (born 9 March 1956 is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Havant, in the United Kingdom. HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom.

Defence Minister Jonathan Aitken (whose Parliamentary Aide was Stephen Milligan) was accused of secretly doing deals with leading Saudi princes. Jonathan William Patrick Aitken (born 30 August 1942 is a former Conservative Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom and British government minister He denied all accusations and promised to wield the "sword of truth" in libel proceedings which he brought against the Guardian newspaper. At an early stage in the trial however, it became apparent that he had lied on oath with the result that he was subsequently convicted of perjury and sentenced to a term of imprisonment.

Northern Ireland

John Major opened talks with the Provisional IRA upon taking office. The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Óglaigh na hÉireann ( IRA; also referred to as the PIRA, the Provos, or by some of its supporters as the Yet when he declared to the House of Commons in November 1993 that "to sit down and talk with Mr. Adams and the Provisional IRA. Gerry Adams, MLA, MP (Gearóid Mac Ádhaimh born 6 October 1948 is an Irish Republican politician and abstentionist Westminster . . would turn my stomach",^[6] Sinn Féin gave the media an outline of the secret talks indeed held regularly since that February. Sinn Féin () is a political party in Ireland. The current party led by Gerry Adams was formed following a split in January 1970 The Downing Street Declaration was issued on 15 December 1993 by Major and Albert Reynolds, the Irish prime minister; an IRA ceasefire followed in 1994. The Downing Street Declaration was a joint declaration issued on December 15, 1993 by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, John Major and Events 533 - Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Albert Reynolds (Ailbhe Mac Raghnaill born 4 November 1932 served as the eighth Taoiseach of Ireland, serving one term in office from 1992 until 1994 The Taoiseach (ˈtiːʃəx in English t̪ˠiːʃʲəx (plural Taoisigh ( or) in Irish) also referred to as An Taoiseach ( t̪ˠiːʃʲəx is the the In the House of Commons Major refused to sign-up to the first draft of the "Mitchell Principles" which resulted in the ending of the ceasefire. For other persons with a similar name see George Mitchell. George John Mitchell, GBE (born August 20, 1933

In March 1995, Major refused to answer the phone calls of United States President Bill Clinton, for several days, because of anger at Clinton's decision to invite Gerry Adams to the White House for Saint Patrick's Day. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States Gerry Adams, MLA, MP (Gearóid Mac Ádhaimh born 6 October 1948 is an Irish Republican politician and abstentionist Westminster See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence Saint Patrick's Day (Lá ’le Pádraig or Lá Fhéile Pádraig) colloquially St ^[7]

However, Major paved the way for the Good Friday Agreement, although it was signed after he left office. The Agreement, most often referred to as the Belfast Agreement (Comhaontú Bhéal Feirste Belfast Greeance or the Good Friday Agreement (Comhaontú Aoine an

Leadership challenge

On 22 June 1995, tired of continual threats of leadership challenges that never arose, Major resigned as Leader of the Conservative Party and announced he would be contesting the resulting leadership election. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 The 1995 Conservative leadership election was initiated when incumbent leader and Prime Minister John Major resigned as leader on June 22 1995 John Redwood, the Secretary of State for Wales stood against him. John Alan Redwood (born 15 June 1951 in Dover, Kent) is a British Conservative Party Politician and Member The Secretary of State for Wales (Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru is the head of the Wales Office within the United Kingdom cabinet. Major won by 218 votes to Redwood's 89 (with 12 spoiled ballots, eight abstentions and two MPs abstaining) – easily enough to win in the first round, but only three more than the target he had privately set himself. ^[8] (The Conservative Party has since changed its rules to allow a simple vote of no confidence in the leader, rather than requiring a challenger to stand (this mechanism was used to remove Iain Duncan Smith from the leadership in later years)). A motion of no confidence (also vote of no confidence, censure motion, no-confidence motion, or confidence motion) is a Parliamentary motion George Iain Duncan Smith, PC, MP, (born 9 April 1954 is a British politician

1997 general election defeat

His re-election as leader of the party however failed to restore his authority. Despite efforts to restore (or at least improve) the popularity of the Conservative party, Labour remained far ahead in the opinion polls as the 1997 election loomed. An opinion poll is a survey of Public opinion from a particular sample. By December 1996, the Conservatives had actually lost their majority in the House of Commons. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Major managed to survive to the end of the Parliament, but called an election on 17 March 1997 as the five-year limit for its timing approached. Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Major delayed the election in the hope that a still improving economy would help the Conservatives win a greater number of seats, but it did not.

Few then were surprised when Major's Conservatives lost the 1997 general election to Tony Blair's "New Labour", though the immense scale of the defeat was not widely predicted: the Conservative party suffered the worst electoral defeat since the Great Reform Act of 1832. Results The election was fought under new boundaries with a net increase of eight seats compared to the 1992 election Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the The Representation of the People Act 1832, commonly known as the Reform Act 1832, was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system In the new parliament, Labour held 418 seats, the Conservatives 165, and the Liberal Democrats 46, giving the Labour party a majority of 179.

John Major himself was re-elected in his constituency of Huntingdon with a majority of 18,140. Huntingdon is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. However, 179 other Conservative MPs were defeated in 1997, including present and former Cabinet ministers such as Norman Lamont, Sir Malcolm Rifkind and, most importantly, Michael Portillo. Norman Stewart Hughson Lamont Baron Lamont of Lerwick, PC (born 8 May 1942 is a former Conservative MP for Kingston-upon-Thames, England Sir Malcolm Leslie Rifkind KCMG QC (born 21 June 1946 is a British Conservative Politician and Member of Parliament for Michael Denzil Xavier Portillo (born 26 May 1953 is a British Journalist, broadcaster, former Conservative Party Politician and Cabinet

At about noon on 2 May 1997, Major officially returned his seals of office as Prime Minister to Queen Elizabeth II. Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II Shortly before his resignation, he gave his final statement from Number Ten, in which he said "when the curtain falls, it is time to get off the stage". Major then famously told the press that he intended to go with his family to The Oval to watch cricket. The Oval PavilionJPG|250px|right|thumb|The Members Pavilion]] The Oval is an international Cricket ground in Kennington, London Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries

Following his resignation as Prime Minister, Major briefly became Leader of the Opposition and remained in this post until the election of William Hague as leader of the Conservative Party in June 1997. The Leader of the Opposition (sometimes known as the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons) in the United Kingdom is the politician who leads William Jefferson Hague (born 26 March 1961 is a British Politician. His Resignation Honours were announced in August 1997. The 1997 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours were officially announced in two supplements to the London Gazette of 1 August 1997 (published

Major continued as an MP until he retired from the House of Commons in the 2001 general election, a fact he announced on the Breakfast show with David Frost. The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords Results |} Total votes cast 26368204 All parties with more than 500 votes shown Sir David Paradine Frost, OBE (born 7 April 1939) is an English Satirist and Television presenter, famed as both a ^[9]

Summary of Major's premiership

John Major's mild-mannered style and moderate political stance made him potentially well-placed to act as a conciliatory leader of his party. Conflict raged within the Conservative Party during his leadership, however, especially over the question of how far Britain should become integrated with the European Union. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Major never succeeded in reconciling the relatively small group of "Euro-rebels" among his MPs to his European policy, and episodes such as the Maastricht Rebellion inflicted serious political damage on him and his government. The Maastricht Rebels were British Members of Parliament (MPs belonging to the then governing Conservative Party who refused to support the government of John During the 1990s, there was also bitterness on the right wing of the Conservative Party at the manner in which Lady Thatcher had been removed from office; this did not make Major's task any easier. Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925

Further information: UK Conservative Cabinet 1990-97

On the other hand, it was during Major's premiership that the British economy recovered from the recession of 1990-1992. On November 28 1990, British Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher resigned after serving as Prime Minister for Conservatives subsequently spoke of Tony Blair's government inheriting a "golden legacy" in 1997, and both parties from 1992 onwards presided over the longest period of economic growth in British history. Economic growth is the increase in the amount of the goods and services produced by an economy over time

Paddy Ashdown, the leader of the Liberal Democrats during Major's term of office, once described him in the House of Commons as a "decent and honourable man". Jeremy John Durham Ashdown Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC, (born 27 February 1941 commonly known as Paddy Ashdown, is a The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the Few observers doubted that he was an honest man, or that he made sincere and sometimes successful attempts to improve life in Britain and to unite his deeply divided party. He was also, however, perceived as a weak and ineffectual figure, and his approval ratings for most of his time in office were low, particularly after "Black Wednesday" in September 1992. In British Politics and Economics, Black Wednesday refers to the events of 16 September 1992 when the Conservative

The late former Labour MP Tony Banks said of Major in 1994 that "He was a fairly competent chairman of Housing [on Lambeth Council]. Anthony Louis Banks Baron Stratford ( 8 April 1943 &ndash 8 January 2006) known as Tony Banks, was a British politician Every time he gets up now I keep thinking, 'What on earth is Councillor Major doing?' I can't believe he's here and sometimes I think he can't either. "^[10]

After retirement

Since leaving office Major has tended to take a low profile retirement, indulging his love of cricket as president of Surrey County Cricket Club. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English domestic Cricket structure representing the historic county of He held the position until 2002. He has been a member of Carlyle Group's European Advisory Board since 1998 and was appointed Chairman of Carlyle Europe in May 2001. The Carlyle Group is a global Private equity investment firm based in Washington D ^[11] He stood down in August 2004.

In March 2001, he gave the tribute to (Lord) Colin Cowdrey at his memorial service in Westminster Abbey. Michael Colin Cowdrey Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, Kt, CBE ( December 24, 1932 - December 4, 2000) was an English A funeral is a Ceremony marking a person's Death. Funerary customs comprise the complex of Beliefs and practices used by a Culture to remember The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church ^[12] In 2005, he was elected to the Committee of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), historically the governing body of the sport, and still guardian of the laws of the game. Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC is a private members' club founded in 1787 ^[13]

Following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, Major was appointed a special guardian to Princes William and Harry, with responsibility for legal and administrative matters. For actual Princes of Wales called Henry see Henry Prince of Wales.

Major/Currie affair

Major's post retirement low-profile was disrupted by the revelation by Edwina Currie in September 2002 that, prior to his promotion to the Cabinet, Major had had a four-year extramarital affair with her. Edwina Currie Jones née Cohen (born 13 October 1946) is a former British Member of Parliament. A sex scandal is a Scandal involving allegations or information about Embarrassing Sexual activities, such as Adultery, being made public ^[14][15] Commentators were quick to refer to Major's previous "Back to Basics" platform to throw charges of hypocrisy. Hypocrisy (or the state of being a hypocrite) is the act of preaching a certain belief religion or way of life but not in fact holding these same virtues oneself In a press statement Major said that he was "embarrassed" about the affair and that his wife had forgiven him.

Since 2005

In February 2005, it was reported that Major and Norman Lamont delayed the release of papers on Black Wednesday under the Freedom of Information Act. Norman Stewart Hughson Lamont Baron Lamont of Lerwick, PC (born 8 May 1942 is a former Conservative MP for Kingston-upon-Thames, England In British Politics and Economics, Black Wednesday refers to the events of 16 September 1992 when the Conservative ^[16] Major denied doing so, saying that he had not heard of the request until the scheduled release date and had merely asked to look at the papers himself. The former prime minister told BBC News he and former chancellor Norman Lamont had been the victims of "whispering voices" to the press. ^[17] He later publicly approved the release of the papers. ^[18]

According to the Evening Standard, Major has become a prolific after-dinner speaker. The London Evening Standard is an English Tabloid regional local newspaper published and sold in London and surrounding areas of southeast A public speaker is a person who makes speeches in Public settings The Independent alleges that he earns over £25,000 per engagement, and is described by his agency as providing "insights and his own opinions on the expanding European Union, the future of the world in the 21st century, and also about Britain". The Independent is a British compact Newspaper published by Tony O'Reilly 's Independent News & Media. ^[19]

In December 2006, Major led calls for an independent inquiry into Tony Blair's decision to invade Iraq, following revelations made by Carne Ross, a former British senior diplomat, that contradict Blair's case for the invasion. The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1 2003 was spearheaded by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia Carne Ross is founder and director of Independent Diplomat a diplomatic advisory group ^[20] He was touted as a possible Conservative candidate for the Mayor of London elections in 2008, but turned down an offer from Conservative leader David Cameron. The Mayor of London is an elected politician who along with the London Assembly of 25 members is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London (see The London mayoral election 2008 for the office of Mayor of London was held on 1 May, 2008 and was won by Conservative Party candidate David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966 is a British Politician and the current leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of Her Majesty's A spokesperson for Major said "his political future is behind him". ^[21]

Representation in the media

During his leadership of the Conservative Party, Major was portrayed as honest ("Honest John") but unable to rein in the philandering and bickering within his party. Major's appearance was noted in its greyness, his prodigious philtrum, and large glasses, all of which were exaggerated in caricatures. The philtrum ( Greek philtron (φιλτρον from philein (φιλειν "to love to kiss" also known as the infranasal depression For example, in Spitting Image, Major's puppet was changed from a circus performer to that of a grey man who ate dinner with his wife in silence, occasionally saying "nice peas, dear". Spitting Image was a British satirical Puppet show that ran on the ITV television network from 1984 to 1996 The media (particularly The Guardian cartoonist Steve Bell) used the allegation by Alastair Campbell that he had observed Major tucking his shirt into his underpants to caricature him wearing his pants outside his trousers,^[22] as a pale grey echo of both Superman and Supermac, a parody of Harold Macmillan. The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. Steve Bell (born 26 February 1951 is an English political Cartoonist, whose work appears in The Guardian and other publications This is about the political associate of Tony Blair for others see Alistair Campbell (disambiguation. Undergarments are clothes worn under other clothes often next to the skin A caricature is either a Portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness or in literature a description Superman is a fictional Comic book Superhero widely considered to be one of the most recognized of such characters and an American Cultural icon This article is about the depiction as "Supermac" of British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. (Maurice Harold Macmillan 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894 &ndash 29 December 1986 was a British Conservative Politician

Private Eye parodied Sue Townsend's The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, age 13¾ to write The Secret Diary of John Major, age 47¾, featuring "my wife Norman" and "Mr. Dr. Mawhinney" as recurring characters. Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical Magazine, edited by Ian Hislop. Susan Lillian "Sue" Townsend (born 2 April 1946) is a British Novelist, best known as the author of the Adrian Mole Adrian Albert Mole (born April 2, 1967) is the fictional Protagonist in a series of books by English author Sue Townsend. Prime Minister parodies are a long-running feature of British satirical magazine Private Eye, which have been included in the majority of issues since the magazine's Dame Norma Major Lady Major, DBE (née Wagstaff previously Johnson born 12 February 1942) is the wife of Sir John Major, the former British Brian Stanley Mawhinney Baron Mawhinney PC (born 26 July 1940 is a British Conservative Party politician For the daytime equivalent see Recurring status. A recurring character is a Fictional character, usually in a Prime time The magazine still runs one-off specials of this diary (with the age updated) on occasions when Sir John is in the news, such as on the breaking of the Edwina Currie story or the publication of his autobiography. The magazine also ran a series of cartoons called 101 Uses for a John Major, in which Major was illustrated serving a number of bizarre purposes, such as a train-spotter's anorak.

John Major's Brixton roots were used in a campaign poster during the Conservative Party's 1992 election campaign: "What does the Conservative Party offer a working class kid from Brixton? They made him Prime Minister. Working class is a term used in academic Sociology and in ordinary conversation to describe depending on context and speaker those employed in specific fields or types "^[23]

Major was often mocked for his nostalgic evocation of what sounded like the lost England of the 1950s. ^[24] He is known to have once said:

"Fifty years on from now, Britain will still be the country of long shadows on cricket grounds, warm beer, invincible green suburbs, dog lovers and pools fillers"^[25]

Major complained in his memoirs that these words (which drew upon a passage in the socialist writer George Orwell's "The Lion and the Unicorn") had been misrepresented as being more naive and romantic than he had intended. Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950 who used the Pseudonym George Orwell, was an English writer

John Major endured the popular nickname of Barnhead. This is thought to have been due to his customary hairstyle, which, at a push, resembled a Dutch Barn. A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace

Though he is not mentioned by name, the beginning of the sixth book of the Harry Potter series includes the muggle (non-magical) Prime minister. Since the sixth book is assumed to take place in 1996, it's likely it was John Major that was shown in the book. Though because his name is never stated, and the fact that when the Minister of Magic mentions the Prime Minister's predecessor said 'He tried to throw me out of the window' (John Major's predecessor was a woman, Margaret Thatcher), it's entirely possible that the Prime Minister in the books was, like the story, fictional himself.

Titles and honours

Styles from birth

• John Major, (1943 – 1979)
• John Major, Esq, MP (1979 – 1987)
• The Rt Hon John Major, MP, PC (1987 – 1999)
• The Rt Hon John Major, CH, MP, PC (1999 – 2001)
• The Rt Hon John Major, CH, PC (2001 – 2005)
• The Rt Hon Sir John Major, KG, CH, PC (2005 – )

Honours

• Lord of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council (1987)
• Member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council (1987 - present)
• Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (1999)
• Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (2005)

In the New Year's Honours List of 1999, John Major was made a Companion of Honour for his work on the Northern Ireland Peace Process. The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients The Right Honourable (abbreviated as The Rt Hon) is an Honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. The Order of the Companions of Honour is a British and Commonwealth Order. Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. The Order of the Companions of Honour is a British and Commonwealth Order. The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients The Order of the Companions of Honour is a British and Commonwealth Order. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of ^[26] In a 2003 interview he spoke about his hopes for peace in the region. ^[27]

On 23 April 2005, Major was made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter by Queen Elizabeth II. Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II He was installed at St. George's Chapel, Windsor on 13 June. Windsor (ˈwɪnzə/ /ˈwɪndzə is a suburban town and tourist destination in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Membership of the Order of the Garter is limited in number to 24, and is an honour traditionally bestowed on former British Prime Ministers and a personal gift of Her Majesty the Queen. The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, and ^[28]

Major has so far declined the customary life peerage awarded to former Prime Ministers on standing down from Parliament. In the United Kingdom, life peers are created members of the Peerage whose titles may not be inherited (those whose titles are inheritable are known as Hereditary The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords ^[29]

Personal life

Major married Norma Johnson (now Dame Norma Major, DBE) on 3 October 1970. Dame Norma Major Lady Major, DBE (née Wagstaff previously Johnson born 12 February 1942) is the wife of Sir John Major, the former British Dame Norma Major Lady Major, DBE (née Wagstaff previously Johnson born 12 February 1942) is the wife of Sir John Major, the former British The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Events 42 BC - First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. She was a teacher and a member of the Young Conservatives. They met on polling day for the Greater London Council elections in London. Election Day in the United Kingdom is by tradition a Thursday but the date for general elections is not fixed by law The Greater London Council (GLC was the top-tier Local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986 London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. They became engaged after only ten days. ^[30] They had two children; a son, James, and a daughter, Elizabeth. James Major (born 1974 is the son of former British Prime Minister John Major. They have a holiday home on the coast of North Norfolk, near Weybourne, that requires round-the-clock police surveillance. North Norfolk is a local government district in Norfolk, United Kingdom. Weybourne is a fishing resort on the North Norfolk and has the postcode prefix of NR25 ^[31]

Major's elder brother, Terry, who died in 2007, became a minor media personality during Major's period in Downing Street, writing an autobiography and newspaper columns, and appearing on TV shows such as Have I Got News For You. Terry Major-Ball (2 July 1932 &ndash 13 March 2007 was the elder brother of the former British Prime Minister Sir John Major, who during his brother's seven-year An autobiography, from the Greek αὐτός autos "self" βίος bios "life" and γράφειν graphein "to write" Have I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. He faced brickbats about his brother but always remained loyal.

His son James married and divorced buxom glamour model Emma Noble. Previously she modelled tacky prizes alongside Bruce Forsyth on The Price is Right game show.

Like father like son, James also dated a woman far older than himself prior to his marriage to Ms Noble - he even disregarded that she was married at the time.

References

Further reading

• Major, John (1999) – Autobiography (London: Harper Collins, ISBN 0-00-257004-1)
• Major, John (2007) – More Than A Game: The Story of Cricket's Early Years (London: Harper Collins, ISBN 978-0-00-718364-7)

External links

• John Major Web-Site
• John Major's "bastard" quote from The Observer
• The Public Whip – John Major MP voting record
• Ubben Lecture at DePauw University
• More about John Major on the Downing Street website. The Observer is a British Newspaper published on Sundays In about the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Downing Street is the street in London, England, which for over two hundred years has contained the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers
• 'Prime-Ministers in the Post-War World: John Major', lecture by Vernon Bogdanor at Gresham College on 21st June 2007 (with video and audio files available for download). Vernon Bogdanor CBE, FBA (born 1943 is professor of government at Oxford University, England, and a Fellow of Brasenose College. Gresham College is an unusual institution of higher learning off Holborn in central London.
• Recordings and Photos of the visit by Sir John to the College Historical Society for the Inaugural Meeting. History Foundation The College Historical Society was founded by Edmund Burke in 1770 with James Reid as its first Auditor when Burke's Club (founded
• List of books and articles relating to John Major on Royal Historical Society Bibliography.

Political offices
Preceded by Tony Newton	Minister of State for Social Security 1986 – 1987	Succeeded by Nicholas Scott
Preceded by John MacGregor	Chief Secretary to the Treasury 1987 – 1989	Succeeded by Norman Lamont
Preceded by Sir Geoffrey Howe	Foreign Secretary 1989	Succeeded by Douglas Hurd
Preceded by Nigel Lawson	Chancellor of the Exchequer 1989 – 1990	Succeeded by Norman Lamont
Preceded by Margaret Thatcher	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 28 November 1990 – 2 May 1997	Succeeded by Tony Blair
Preceded by Tony Blair	Leader of the Opposition 1997	Succeeded by William Hague
Preceded by George H. W. Bush United States	Chair of the G8 1991	Succeeded by Helmut Kohl Germany
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by David Renton	Member of Parliament for Huntingdonshire 1979 – 1983	Constituency abolished
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Huntingdon 1983 – 2001	Succeeded by Jonathan Djanogly
Party political offices
Preceded by Margaret Thatcher	Leader of the Conservative Party 1990 – 1997	Succeeded by William Hague

Antony Harold Newton Baron Newton of Braintree, OBE PC, known as Tony Newton, (born August 29, 1937) is a British Conservative Sir Nicholas Paul Scott JP ( 5 August 1933 &ndash 6 January 2005) was a British Conservative Politician John Macgregor (1802-1858 was a Scottish shipbuilder Birth and Early Life John Macgregor was christened on the 24 August 1802 at The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is the second most senior ministerial position in HM Treasury, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Norman Stewart Hughson Lamont Baron Lamont of Lerwick, PC (born 8 May 1942 is a former Conservative MP for Kingston-upon-Thames, England Richard Edward Geoffrey Howe Baron Howe of Aberavon, CH, PC, QC (born 20 December 1926 known until 1992 as Sir Geoffrey Howe, is a British The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the Douglas Richard Hurd Baron Hurd of Westwell, CH, CBE, PC (born 8 March 1930 is a senior British Conservative Politician Nigel Lawson Baron Lawson of Blaby, PC (born 11 March 1932 is a British Conservative Politician who was Chancellor of the Exchequer between The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial Norman Stewart Hughson Lamont Baron Lamont of Lerwick, PC (born 8 May 1942 is a former Conservative MP for Kingston-upon-Thames, England Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to The Leader of the Opposition (sometimes known as the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons) in the United Kingdom is the politician who leads William Jefferson Hague (born 26 March 1961 is a British Politician. George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12 1924 served as the forty-first President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Helmut Josef Michael Kohl (born 3 April 1930 is a German conservative politician and statesman Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories David Lockhart-Mure Renton Baron Renton, KBE, QC, TD, DL, PC ( 12 August 1908 – 24 May Huntingdonshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary Constituency. Background Callaghan had succeeded Harold Wilson as Labour Prime Minister after the latter's surprise resignation in April 1976 Results The Conservatives won with a majority of 144 seats|} Total votes cast 30661309 Huntingdon is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Results The Conservatives won with a majority of 144 seats|} Total votes cast 30661309 Results |} Total votes cast 26368204 All parties with more than 500 votes shown Jonathan Simon Djanogly (born June 3, 1965) is a British Politician and Solicitor, Conservative Member of Parliament Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. William Jefferson Hague (born 26 March 1961 is a British Politician.

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