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Portrait of John Major

Prime Ministers · 20th century

John Major

1943– · British

Conservative

In office: 1990–1997

Sir John Major succeeded Margaret Thatcher in November 1990 and unexpectedly won the 1992 general election with over 14 million votes, a record for any British party. His government was badly damaged by Black Wednesday, when sterling left the Exchange Rate Mechanism, and by bitter divisions over the Maastricht Treaty. He also laid foundations for the Northern Ireland peace process before losing heavily to Tony Blair in 1997.

How to spot them

  • ▸Left school at 16; grew up in Brixton; father a former music-hall and circus performer
  • ▸Black Wednesday, 16 September 1992
  • ▸The Citizen's Charter and the Cones Hotline
  • ▸'Back to Basics'; 'put up or shut up'
  • ▸Campaigned from a soapbox in 1992

In office

Black Wednesday and exit from the Exchange Rate Mechanism (1992)

Sterling forced out of the ERM on 16 September 1992 despite interest-rate rises

The Maastricht Treaty negotiations and opt-outs (1991–1993)

Secured opt-outs from the single currency and the Social Chapter; ratification split his party

The Citizen's Charter and the Cones Hotline (1991–1992)

Public-service standards initiative, including a much-mocked hotline to report unnecessary roadworks cones

The 'Back to Basics' campaign (1993)

Conference theme undermined by a string of ministerial scandals

Launch of the National Lottery (1994)

First draw held in November 1994

The Downing Street Declaration (1993)

Joint declaration with Irish Taoiseach Albert Reynolds on Northern Ireland

'Put up or shut up' leadership re-election (1995)

Resigned as party leader to force a contest, then beat John Redwood

Key ideas

  • Replaced the poll tax with council tax (1993)
  • Privatised British Rail and the coal industry
  • Led Britain in the 1991 Gulf War coalition

Quick-fire facts

  • •Born in 1943 in Carshalton, Surrey; his father Tom Major-Ball had been a trapeze artist and music-hall performer
  • •Left Rutlish School at 16 and later worked in banking
  • •Served briefly as Foreign Secretary (1989) and Chancellor (1989–1990) under Thatcher
  • •Won 14.09 million votes in 1992, the most ever cast for a UK party
  • •MP for Huntingdonshire and then Huntingdon 1979–2001
  • •A keen cricket lover; wrote More Than a Game (2007) and My Old Man (2012), about music hall
  • •Made a Companion of Honour in 1999 and a Knight of the Garter in 2005

Drill it — 8 cards

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Sources