John Major
Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. He served as a member of the Cabinet under Margaret Thatcher as Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1987–1989), Foreign Secretary (1989) and Chancellor of the Exchequer (1989–1990).
Sir John Major | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.jpg) John Major in 1995 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister of the United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 28 November 1990 – 2 May 1997 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | Elizabeth II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Michael Heseltine (1995–97) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Margaret Thatcher | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Tony Blair | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader of the Opposition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 2 May 1997 – 19 June 1997 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | Elizabeth II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Michael Heseltine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Tony Blair | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | William Hague | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader of the Conservative Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 27 November 1990 – 19 June 1997 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Viscount Whitelaw (1990–91) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Margaret Thatcher | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | William Hague | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of Parliament for Huntingdon (Huntingdonshire, 1979–1983) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 3 May 1979 – 14 May 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | David Renton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Jonathan Djanogly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 29 March 1943 St Helier, Surrey, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Conservative | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse(s) | Norma Johnson (m. 1970) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parents | Tom Major-Ball (father) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Terry Major-Ball (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Rutlish School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Lua error in Module:Official_website at line 90: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Early life and career
Major was born at St Helier Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital for Children in St Helier, London, in England and left school at the age of 16.[1][2] He became a Conservative councillor in 1968. At the 1979 general election, Major was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Huntingdonshire (Huntingdon after 1983).
Prime Minister
After holding several cabinet positions, Major was elected to replace Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister and party leader.[3] On taking office, he saw British action in the Gulf War (1991) and his party's narrow re-election in the 1992 general election.
After this, the Conservatives under Major became unpopular because of the "Black Wednesday" stock market crash in late 1992 and how they became divided over the issue of European Union. Beaten at the 1997 general election, Major stood down as Prime Minister for Tony Blair of the Labour Party, and was replaced as Conservative leader by William Hague. He stood down as an MP at the 2001 general election.
Personal life
Major married Norma Johnson (now (Dame) Norma Major ) on 3 October 1970. She was a teacher, and a member of the Young Conservatives. They became engaged after only ten days.[4] They have two children; a son, James, and a daughter, Elizabeth. They have a holiday home on the coast of north Norfolk, near Weybourne.[5]
He is a keen follower of cricket, motor racing, and also a supporter of Chelsea Football Club.[6][7]
Major has so far declined a life peerage on standing down from Parliament.[8]
John Major Media
260 Longfellow Road, Worcester Park, where John Major was raised from birth to the age of twelve
St Matthew's Church, Brixton where John and Norma Major married in 1970
A demonstration against the deployment of cruise missiles at RAF Molesworth in the early 1980s
Prime Minister John Major and President George H. W. Bush participate in a press availability at Camp David
Prime Minister John Major and President Bill Clinton deliver press statements outside Downing Street in 1995
Major and Clinton at the White House in 1994
Major talks with Lieutenant General Michael Walker in 1996
Major (left) with Queen Elizabeth II at Chatham House in 2012
Major delivering a speech at Chatham House in 2010
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References
- ↑ Major, John (2000). John Major: The Autobiography. London: HarperCollins. p. 30. ISBN 978-0-00-653074-9.
- ↑ Seldon, Anthony (1998). Major – A Political Life. London: Phoenix. p. 18. ISBN 978-0-7538-0145-1.
- ↑ Malcolm Rifkind (15 August 1999). Major has every right to shop Lady Thatcher. London: Independent Newspapers. https://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/major-has-every-right-to-shop-lady-thatcher-1112948.html. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
- ↑ "Profile at". Number10.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
- ↑ Brogan, Benedict (21 March 2002). Protection bill for John Major rises to £1.5m. London. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/03/22/nmaj22.xml. Retrieved 3 July 2007.[dead link]
- ↑ "Insert". Manutd.com. Archived from the original on 2012-09-29. Retrieved 2012-08-08.
- ↑ "Celebrity Fans". The Shed. Chelsea F.C. Archived from the original on 23 July 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
- ↑ "Major to turn down peerage". BBC News (BBC). 8 October 2000. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/962335.stm. Retrieved 15 August 2006.
Other websites
Media related to John Major at Wikimedia Commons
News related to John Major at Wikinews
Quotations related to John Major at Wikiquote- John Major at the Notable Names Database
- "Archival material relating to John Major". UK National Archives.
