View source for John Major

{{short description|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990 to 1997}}
{{About other people|the former prime minister}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix    = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name                = Sir John Major
| honorific_suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KG|CH}}
| image               = Prime Minister John Major (cropped).jpg
| alt                 = Major, 49, in a photograph.
| caption             = Major in 1995
| office              = [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]]
| monarch             = [[Elizabeth II]]
| deputy              = [[Michael Heseltine]] (1995{{nbnd}}1997)
| term_start          = 28 November 1990
| term_end            = 2 May 1997
| predecessor         = [[Margaret Thatcher]]
| successor           = [[Tony Blair]]
| office2             = [[Leader of the Conservative Party (UK)|Leader of the Conservative Party]]
| deputy2             = [[Viscount Whitelaw]] (1990{{nbnd}}1991)
| term_start2         = 27 November 1990
| term_end2           = 19 June 1997
| predecessor2        = Margaret Thatcher
| successor2          = William Hague
{{Collapsed infobox section begin|last = yes|Senior political offices
| titlestyle       = border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder
| embed            = yes
| office1             = [[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]]
| monarch1            = Elizabeth II
| primeminister1      = Tony Blair
| term_start1         = 2 May 1997
| term_end1           = 19 June 1997
| predecessor1        = Tony Blair
| successor1          = [[William Hague]]
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
{{Collapsed infobox section begin|last = yes|Ministerial offices
| titlestyle       = border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder
| embed            = yes
| office3             = [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]]
| primeminister3      = Margaret Thatcher
| term_start3         = 26 October 1989
| term_end3           = 28 November 1990
| predecessor3        = [[Nigel Lawson]]
| successor3          = [[Norman Lamont]]
| office4             = [[Foreign Secretary (United Kingdom)|Foreign Secretary]]
| primeminister4      = Margaret Thatcher
| term_start4         = 24 July 1989
| term_end4           = 26 October 1989
| predecessor4        = [[Geoffrey Howe]]
| successor4          = [[Douglas Hurd]]
| office5             = [[Chief Secretary to the Treasury]]
| primeminister5      = Margaret Thatcher
| term_start5         = 13 June 1987
| term_end5           = 24 July 1989
| predecessor5        = [[John MacGregor, Baron MacGregor of Pulham Market|John MacGregor]]
| successor5          = Norman Lamont
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
{{Collapsed infobox section begin |last = yes |Junior ministerial offices
| titlestyle       = border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder
| embed            = yes
| office           = [[Minister of State for Social Security]]
| primeminister    = Margaret Thatcher
| term_start       = 10 September 1986
| term_end         = 13 June 1987
| predecessor      = [[Tony Newton, Baron Newton of Braintree|Tony Newton]]
| successor        = [[Nicholas Scott]]
| office1          = [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for&nbsp;Social Security]]
| primeminister1   = Margaret Thatcher
| term_start1      = 2 September 1985
| term_end1        = 10 September 1986
| predecessor1     = [[John Patten, Baron Patten|John Patten]]
| successor1       = [[Nicholas Lyell]]
| office2          = [[Lord Commissioner of the Treasury]]
| primeminister2   = Margaret Thatcher
| term_start2      = 3 October 1984
| term_end2        = 1 November 1985
| predecessor2     = [[Alastair Goodlad]]
| successor2       = [[Tim Sainsbury]]
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}
}}
{{collapsed infobox section begin|last=yes|[[Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom)|Shadow Cabinet]] portfolios
|titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| office           = [[Shadow Foreign Secretary]]
| leader           = ''Himself''
| term_start       = 2 May 1997
| term_end         = 19 June 1997
| predecessor      = [[Robin Cook]]
| successor        = [[Michael Howard]]
| office2          = [[Shadow Secretary of State for Defence]]
| leader2          = ''Himself''
| term_start2      = 2 May 1997
| term_end2        = 19 June 1997
| predecessor2     = [[David Clark, Baron Clark of Windermere|David Clark]]
| successor2       = [[George Young, Baron Young of Cookham|Sir George Young]]
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}
}}
| parliament6         = United Kingdom
| constituency_MP6    = [[Huntingdon (UK Parliament constituency)|Huntingdon]]
| prior_term6         = [[Huntingdonshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Huntingdonshire]] (1979–1983)
| term_start6         = 3 May 1979
| term_end6           = 14 May 2001
| predecessor6        = [[David Renton]]
| successor6          = [[Jonathan Djanogly]]
| birth_name          = <!-- Parameter not needed, as birth name is identical to common name; i.e. as described in early life section, his birth certificate says only "John Major"-->
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1943|3|29}}
| birth_place         = [[St Helier, Surrey]], England
| party               = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| spouse              = {{Marriage|[[Norma Major|Norma Johnson]]|3 October 1970}}
| children            = 2
| father              = [[Tom Major-Ball]]
| relatives           = [[Terry Major-Ball]] (brother)
| education           = [[Rutlish School]]
| signature           = Signature of John Major.svg
| website             = {{Official website}}
| module              = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=John Major on the 25th Anniversary of the Downing Street Declaration.ogg|title=John Major's voice|type=speech|description=Major's comments on the 25th anniversary of the [[Downing Street Declaration]]<br />Recorded 11 December 2018}}
}}
{{John Major sidebar}}

'''Sir John Major''' (born 29 March 1943) is a British retired politician who served as [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]] and [[Leader of the Conservative Party (UK)|Leader of the Conservative Party]] from 1990 to 1997. He previously held various [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]] positions under [[Margaret Thatcher]]. Major was [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Huntingdon (UK Parliament constituency)|Huntingdon]], formerly [[Huntingdonshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Huntingdonshire]], from 1979 to 2001. Since stepping down, Major has focused on writing and his business, sporting, and charity work, and commentating on political developments.

Major left school before 16, worked as an insurance clerk, joined the [[Young Conservatives (UK)|Young Conservatives]] in 1959, and became a highly active member. He was elected to [[Lambeth London Borough Council]] in 1968 and, a decade later, to parliament as a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] MP at the [[1979 United Kingdom general election|1979 general election]]. Major held junior government positions under Thatcher from 1984 to 1987, including [[parliamentary private secretary]] and [[assistant whip]]. He served as [[Chief Secretary to the Treasury]] from 1987 to 1989, Foreign Secretary in 1989, and Chancellor from 1989 to 1990. Following Thatcher's resignation in 1990, Major stood in the [[1990 Conservative Party leadership election|1990 Conservative leadership election]] and emerged victorious, becoming prime minister.

Major's mild-mannered style and moderate political stance contrasted with Thatcher. Major created the [[Citizen's Charter]], replaced the [[Poll tax (Great Britain)|Poll Tax]] with the [[Council Tax]], committed British troops to the [[Gulf War]], took charge of the UK's negotiations over the [[Maastricht Treaty]], led the country during the [[Early 1990s recession|early 1990s economic crisis]], withdrew the [[Pound sterling|pound]] from the [[European Exchange Rate Mechanism]] on [[Black Wednesday]], promoted the socially conservative [[Back to Basics (campaign)|back to basics campaign]], [[Privatisation of British Rail|privatised the railways]] and coal industry, and played a pivotal role in creating [[Northern Ireland peace process|peace in Northern Ireland]].<ref name="Watt2">{{cite web |last=Watt |first=Nicholas |date=17 May 2011 |title=John Major started process that has culminated with Queen's visit to Dublin |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/wintour-and-watt/2011/may/17/queen-ireland |access-date=12 November 2022 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> Two years into [[Premiership of John Major|his premiership]], Major led the Conservatives to a [[1992 United Kingdom general election|fourth consecutive electoral victory]], winning more than 14 million votes, which remains the highest won by a British political party. In 1995, Major resigned as party leader, amid internal divisions over [[UK membership of the EU]], parliamentary scandals and questions over his economic credibility. Despite winning the [[1995 Conservative Party leadership election|1995 leadership election]], his government remained unpopular, and lost its majority.<ref>{{cite web |date=13 December 1996 |title=The Major minority |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/the-major-minority-1314246.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/the-major-minority-1314246.html |archive-date=13 June 2022 |access-date=23 October 2017 |website=The Independent}}</ref> The [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] pulled ahead of the Conservatives in every local election during Major's premiership, which increased after [[Tony Blair]] became Labour leader in [[1994 Labour Party leadership election|1994]]. The Conservatives were defeated by Labour in a landslide in the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]], ending 18 years of Conservative government.

After Blair became prime minister, Major served as [[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]] while the [[1997 Conservative Party leadership election|leadership election]] to replace him took place, won by [[William Hague]]. Major remained in the House of Commons as a backbencher, regularly attending and contributing in debates, until he stood down at the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001 election]], to focus on writing and his business, sporting and charity work. Major has maintained a low profile, occasionally making political interventions. He supported the unsuccessful [[Britain Stronger in Europe]] campaign for the UK to remain in the [[European Union]], and has often criticised [[Brexit]] since the [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|2016 referendum]]. Major was appointed a [[Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter]] (KG) in 2005 for services to politics and charity, and became a member of the [[Order of the Companions of Honour]] in 1999 for his work on the Northern Ireland peace process. Though public favourability of Major has improved since he left office, his premiership is viewed as average in [[Historical rankings of prime ministers of the United Kingdom|historical rankings]] and public opinion of British prime ministers. {{As of|2025}}, he is the [[List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom by age#List of prime ministers|oldest living former British prime minister]].{{TOC limit|3}}

== Early life and education (1943&ndash;1959) ==
[[File:260_Longfellow_Road.png|thumb|left|260 Longfellow Road, Worcester Park, where John Major was raised from birth to the age of twelve]]
John Major was born on 29 March 1943 at [[St Helier Hospital|St Helier Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital for Children]] in [[St Helier, London|St Helier]], Surrey, to Gwen Major (''née'' Coates, 1905–1970) and former [[music hall]] performer [[Tom Major-Ball]] (1879–1962), who was 63 years old when Major was born.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sole.org.uk/johnmajor.htm |title=Ex Prime Minister Sir John Major and his Sewell Ancestors |publisher=Sole.org.uk |access-date=22 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030417/http://www.sole.org.uk/johnmajor.htm |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was christened "John Roy Major" but only "John Major" was recorded on his [[birth certificate]];<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=V%2FaNpVve33l1lx1XfR4O5g&scan=1|title=Index entry|access-date=2 January 2018|website=FreeBMD|publisher=ONS}}</ref>{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=8–9}} he used his middle name until the early 1980s.<ref name="number2">{{cite web|url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/history-and-tour/prime-ministers-in-history/john-major |title=John Major |website=History and Tour |publisher=[[10 Downing Street]] |access-date=31 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011051246/http://www.number10.gov.uk/history-and-tour/prime-ministers-in-history/john-major |archive-date=11 October 2008 }}</ref> His birth had been a difficult one, with his mother suffering from [[pleurisy]] and [[pneumonia]] and John requiring several blood transfusions due to an infection, causing permanent scarring to his ankles.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=8}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=9}}

The Major family—including John, his parents, and his two older siblings [[Terry Major-Ball|Terry]] and Pat){{refn|group=nb|John also had two other half-siblings from his father's affairs which he was not to learn of until much later.<ref>{{harvnb|Major|2000|pp=4, 6}}.</ref>}}—lived at 260 Longfellow Road, [[Worcester Park]], Surrey, a middle-class area where Major's father ran a garden ornaments business and his mother worked in a local library and as a part-time dance teacher.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=8}} John Major later described the family's circumstances at this time as being "comfortable but not well off".{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=8}} Following a German [[V-1 flying bomb]] attack in the area in 1944 which killed several people, the Majors moved to the village of [[Saham Toney]], Norfolk, for the remainder of the [[World War II|war]].{{sfn|Major|2000|p=8}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=9}}

John began attending primary school at Cheam Common School from 1948.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=10}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=11}} His childhood was generally happy, and he enjoyed reading, sports (especially [[cricket]] and [[association football|football]]) and keeping pets, such as his rabbits.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=10–12}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=11, 15}} In 1954 John passed the [[11+]] exam, enabling him to go to [[Rutlish School]], a grammar school in [[Merton Park]], though to John's chagrin his father insisted that he register as 'John Major-Ball'.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=14}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=12–13}}

The family's fortunes took a turn for the worse, with his father's health deteriorating,{{refn|group=nb|Tom Major had planned to move the family to [[Canada]] in his retirement, but his immigration application was rejected due to his failing eyesight.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=15}}}} and the business in severe financial difficulties.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=15}} A recalled business loan which the family were unable to repay forced Tom Major to sell the house in Worcester Park in May 1955, with the family moving to a cramped, rented top-floor flat at 144 [[Coldharbour Lane, Brixton]].{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=13}}{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=16–17}}{{refn|group=nb|Major was later to learn that the flat was in fact owned by his half-brother Tom Moss.<ref>{{harvnb|Major|2000|pp=17–18}}.</ref>}} With his parents distracted by their reduced circumstances, John's difficulties at Rutlish went unnoticed.

Acutely conscious of his straitened circumstances in relation to the other pupils, Major was something of a loner and consistently under-performed except in sports, especially [[cricket]], coming to see the school as "a penance to be endured".{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=20–21}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=13, 16}} Major left school just before his 16th birthday in 1959 with just three [[General Certificate of Education|O-level]] passes in History, English Language and English Literature, to his parents' disappointment.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH |url=https://johnmajorarchive.org.uk/biography/ |access-date=12 November 2022 |website=Johnmajorarchive.org}}</ref>{{sfn|Major|2000|p=25}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=14}}{{refn|group=nb|In the 1999 BBC documentary ''The Major Years'', Major can be seen getting visibly upset when recalling this episode.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e4UZaMgIxE| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/8e4UZaMgIxE| archive-date=11 December 2021 | url-status=live|title=Major Takes Over 1 of 3| date=19 June 2012|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>}}

Major's interest in politics stems from this period, and he avidly kept up with current affairs by reading papers on his commutes from Brixton to Wimbledon.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=19}} In 1956 Major met local MP [[Marcus Lipton]] at a local church fair and was invited to watch his first debate in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]], where [[Harold Macmillan]] presented his only Budget as [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]].{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=25–26}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=18–19}} Major has attributed his political ambitions to this event.<ref name="number2"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Harold MacMillan's only budget|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/budget97/background/bud1945_79.shtml|work=BBC News|access-date=1 August 2012}}</ref>

== Early post-school career (1959&ndash;1979) ==
Major's first job was as a clerk in the London-based insurance brokerage firm [[Alexander Forbes Group Holdings|Price Forbes]] in 1959, but he found the job dull and offering no prospects and eventually quit.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=26–27}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=16}} Major began working with his brother Terry at the garden ornaments business; this had been sold in 1959, enabling the family to move to a larger residence at 80 Burton Road, Brixton.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=27–28}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=18}} Major's father died on 27 March 1962.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=29}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=18}} John left the ornaments business the following year to care for his ill mother, though when she got better he was unable to find a new job and was unemployed for much of the latter half of 1962, a situation he says was "degrading".{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=18}}

After Major became prime minister, it was misreported that his failure to get a job as a bus conductor resulted from his failing to pass a maths test; he had in fact passed all of the necessary tests but had been passed over owing to his height.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=30}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=18}} In the meantime he studied for a qualification in banking via [[correspondence course]].<ref>{{cite web|title=LSBF Great Minds Series :Sir John Major on Vocational Education| date=23 June 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9lOE3nBe6I| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/k9lOE3nBe6I| archive-date=11 December 2021 | url-status=live|via=YouTube|access-date=9 March 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=21}} Eventually in December 1962 he found a job working at the [[London Electricity Board]] (LEB) in [[Elephant and Castle]].{{sfn|Major|2000|p=30}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=18}}

In 1959, Major had joined the [[Young Conservatives (UK)|Young Conservatives]] in Brixton. He soon became a highly active member; this helped increase his confidence following the failure of his school days.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=28}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=19}} Encouraged by fellow Conservative Derek Stone, he started giving speeches on a [[soap-box]] in [[Brixton Market]].{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=28–29}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=18}} According to his biographer [[Anthony Seldon]], Major brought "youthful exuberance" to the Tories in Brixton, but was sometimes in trouble with the professional agent Marion Standing.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=19}} Major stood as a Councillor in the [[1964 Lambeth London Borough Council election]] for [[Larkhall (Lambeth ward)|Larkhall]] ward at the age of 21 in 1964, losing to Labour.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=31}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=21}} He also assisted local Conservative candidates Kenneth Payne in the [[1964 United Kingdom general election|1964 general election]] and [[Piers Dixon]] in the [[1966 United Kingdom general election|1966 general election]].{{sfn|Major|2000|p=31}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=21–22}} Another formative influence on Major in this period was Jean Kierans, a divorcée 13 years his elder with two children who lived opposite the family on Burton Road, who became his mentor and lover. Seldon writes "She&nbsp;... made Major smarten his appearance, groomed him politically, and made him more ambitious and worldly."{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=21}} Major later moved in with Kierans when his family left Burton Road in 1965;{{sfn|Major|2000|p=33}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=21–22}} their relationship lasted from 1963 to sometime after 1968.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/the-young-john-major-and-the-older-woman-1571704.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/the-young-john-major-and-the-older-woman-1571704.html |archive-date=13 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=The young John Major and the older woman|date=6 February 1995|website=The Independent|access-date=6 February 2019}}</ref>

[[File:St Matthew's church, Brixton - geograph.org.uk - 1396586.jpg|thumb|right|St Matthew's Church, Brixton where John and Norma Major married in 1970]]
Major left the LEB and took up a post at [[District Bank]] in May 1965,{{sfn|Major|2000|p=32}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=21}} though he soon left this to join [[Standard Bank (historic)|Standard Bank]] the following year, largely because the latter offered the chance to work abroad.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=33}} In December 1966 he was sent for a long secondment in [[Jos, Nigeria]], which he enjoyed immensely, though he was put off by the casual racism of some of the ex-pat workers there.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=23}} In May 1967 he was involved in a serious car crash in which he broke a leg and had to be flown home.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=35–37}}<ref>{{cite web|title=John Major car crash in Nigeria |url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/unreported-world/articles/nigeria-reporters-blog |website=Channel 4 News |access-date=1 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100406135514/http://www.channel4.com/programmes/unreported-world/articles/nigeria-reporters-blog |archive-date=6 April 2010 }}</ref> Leaving hospital, he split his time between Jean Kierans' house and a small rented flat in [[Mayfair]], working at Standard Bank's London office and resuming his banking diploma and activities with the Young Conservatives in his spare time.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=37–38}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=25}}

Major stood again as Councillor in the [[1968 Lambeth London Borough Council election]], this time for [[Ferndale (Lambeth ward)|Ferndale ward]]. Though a Labour stronghold, the Conservatives received a huge boost following [[Enoch Powell]]'s anti-immigration '[[Rivers of Blood speech]]' in April 1968 and Major won, despite strongly disapproving of Powell's views.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=38–40}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=27–28}} Major took a major interest in housing matters, with Lambeth notorious for overcrowding and poor-quality rented accommodation. In February 1970 Major became Chairman of the Housing Committee, being responsible for overseeing the building of several large [[council estates]].{{sfn|Major|2000|p=45}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=29}}{{refn|group=nb|Major was later to express regret for his support for large-scale tower block estates. In April 1992 Labour-run Lambeth Council rebuffed plans for a plaque commemorating Major in the borough, stating that there was already "sufficient monument to John Major in the form of the Stockwell Park and Moorlands Estates".<ref>{{harvnb|Seldon|1998|p=32}}.</ref>}} He also promoted more openness at the council, initiating a series of public meetings with local residents.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=47–49}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=32–33}} Major also undertook fact-finding trips to the Netherlands, Finland and the [[Soviet Union]].{{sfn|Major|2000|p=44}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=31}} Despite the Lambeth housing team being well-regarded nationally, Major lost his seat in the [[1971 Lambeth London Borough Council election]].{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=34–35}}

Major met [[Norma Major|Norma Johnson]] at a Conservative party event in Brixton in April 1970, and the two became engaged shortly thereafter, marrying at [[St Matthew's Church, Brixton|St Matthew's Church]] in Brixton on 3&nbsp;October 1970.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=50–51}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=37}} John's mother died shortly before in September at the age of 65.<ref>GRO Register of Births: JUN 1905 7a 741 Gainsborough&nbsp;– Gwendoline Minnie Coates, mmn = unknown.</ref><ref>GRO Register of Deaths: Sep 1970 5a 1807 Croydon&nbsp;– Gwendoline Minnie Major, DoB about 1905.</ref>{{sfn|Major|2000|p=50}} John and Norma moved into a flat at Primrose Court, [[Streatham]], which John had bought in 1969,{{sfn|Major|2000|p=43}} and had their first child, Elizabeth, in November 1971.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=52–53}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=38}} In 1974 the couple moved to a larger residence at West Oak, [[Beckenham]], and had a second child, James, in January 1975.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=56}} Meanwhile, Major continued to work at Standard Bank (renamed [[Standard Chartered]] from 1975), having completed his banking diploma in 1972.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=52}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=40}} Major was promoted to head of the PR department in August 1976, and his duties necessitated the occasional foreign trip to East Asia.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=39–40, 47}}

Despite his setback at the 1971 Lambeth Council election, Major continued to nurse political ambitions, and with help from friends in the Conservative Party managed to get onto the Conservative Central Office's list of potential MP candidates.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=52}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=41–42}} Major was selected as the Conservative candidate for the Labour-dominated [[St Pancras North (UK Parliament constituency)|St Pancras North]] constituency, fighting both the [[February 1974 United Kingdom general election|February]] and [[October 1974 United Kingdom general election|October 1974]] general elections, losing heavily both times to Labour's [[Albert Stallard]].{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=54–55}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=44–45}} Major then attempted to get selected as a candidate for a more promising seat, and despite numerous attempts was unsuccessful until December 1976.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=56–57}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=46–47}} Growing increasingly frustrated, Major resolved to make one last attempt, applying for selection to the safe Conservative seat of [[Huntingdonshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Huntingdonshire]] and finally he succeeded.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=60}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=47}} Major was in some ways an odd choice, being a born-and-bred Londoner in a largely rural constituency still home to many landed families; however, he was seen as being the most likely to win-over the increasingly large numbers of upwardly mobile London over-spill families living in the area, and he was helped to familiarise himself with the area by local MP [[David Renton]].{{sfn|Major|2000|p=61}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=48–49}}

In 1977 the Major family purchased a house at De Vere Close in the village of [[Hemingford Grey]].{{sfn|Major|2000|p=60}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=50}} Major took on a less demanding job at Standard Chartered, and started working part-time in 1978 so that he could devote more time to his constituency duties.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=50}}

== Early parliamentary career (1979&ndash;1987) ==
Major won the Huntingdon seat by a large margin in the [[1979 United Kingdom general election|1979 general election]], which brought the Conservatives led by [[Margaret Thatcher]] to power.<ref name=craig1>[[F. W. S. Craig]] (1984), ''British Parliamentary Election Results, 1974–1983.'' Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services.</ref> He made his [[maiden speech]] in the House of Commons on 13 June 1979, voicing his support for the government's budget.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mr Major's Maiden Speech – 13 June 1979|url=http://www.johnmajorarchive.org.uk/1979-1983-parliament/mr-majors-maiden-speech-13-june-1979/|website=John Major official site|date=13 June 1979|access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref>{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=70–71}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=52}} Major assiduously courted contacts at all levels of the party in this period, joining the informal 'Guy Fawkes club' of Conservative MPs and attending various [[Parliamentary committees of the United Kingdom|Committees]].{{sfn|Major|2000|p=67}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=54–55}} He became Secretary of the Environment Committee and also assisted with work on the [[Housing Act 1980]], which allowed [[council house]] tenants the [[Right to Buy]] their homes.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=53}} At this time Major lived in De Vere Close, Hemingford Grey.

[[File:Demo at RAF Molesworth- early 1980s.jpg|thumb|right|A demonstration against the deployment of [[cruise missile]]s at [[RAF Molesworth]] in the early 1980s]]
Major's first promotion came when he was appointed as a [[Parliamentary private secretary]] in January 1981 to [[Patrick Mayhew]] and [[Timothy Raison]], both [[Ministers of State]] at the [[Home Office]].{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=56}} Seeking to gain more exposure to foreign affairs, he joined several Labour Party MPs on a fact-finding trip to the Middle East in April 1982. The group met with [[King Hussein of Jordan]] and [[Yasser Arafat]] of the [[Palestinian Liberation Organisation]] in Lebanon; in Israel they were briefly caught in the middle of a shooting incident between Israeli troops and a Palestinian rock-thrower.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=74–75}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=54}}

Major later became an [[whip (politics)|assistant whip]] in January 1983, responsible for East Anglian MPs.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=77}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=57–59}} During this period Major became also involved in the response to protests at [[RAF Molesworth]], which lay in his constituency; various peace groups were opposed to the siting of [[cruise missile]]s at the base and had established a permanent 'peace camp' there. Major addressed public meetings opposed to the protesters, organised by parish councillors, and also met [[Bill Westwood]] and separately [[Michael Heseltine]] to discuss the issue. The protesters were evicted in February 1984.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=71–72}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brad.ac.uk/library/media/library/specialcollections/documents/CwlMACLDApr2010.pdf|title=University of Bradford Papers of Ian and Jennifer Hartley on the Molesworth Peace Camp|website=brad.ac.uk|access-date=23 April 2020|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234436/http://www.brad.ac.uk/library/media/library/specialcollections/documents/CwlMACLDApr2010.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
Major comfortably won re-election to the now slightly enlarged seat of [[Huntingdon (UK Parliament constituency)|Huntingdon]] at the [[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983 general election]].{{sfn|Major|2000|p=80}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=61}} Shortly thereafter he and Norma moved to a larger house (Finings) in [[Great Stukeley]]; Major generally spent his weekends there, and weekdays at a rented flat in Durand Gardens, [[Stockwell]].{{sfn|Major|2000|p=82}} Major was invited to join the prestigious 'Blue Chip' group of rising stars in the Conservative Party,{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=60}} and he was promoted to Treasury Whip in October 1984.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=81}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=62}} It was later revealed (in 2002) that during this period Major had conducted an affair with [[Edwina Currie]], a Conservative [[backbencher]] and later [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Health and Social Security]]; the affair ended in 1988.<ref name=BBCSept28affair>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2286008.stm "Major and Currie had four-year affair"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051228195906/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2286008.stm |date=28 December 2005 }}, ''[[BBC News Online]]'', 28 September 2002.</ref><ref name=BBCOct2002>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/2291467.stm "Currie interview in full"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060117064428/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/2291467.stm |date=17 January 2006 }}, ''[[BBC News Online]]'', 2 October 2002.</ref> Major narrowly avoided the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army|IRA]]'s [[Brighton hotel bombing]] in October 1984, having left the hotel only a few hours before the bomb went off.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=83}} Also in this period, Major stood in for a Foreign Office minister on a trip to South America, visiting [[Colombia]], [[Peru]] and [[Republic of Venezuela|Venezuela]].{{sfn|Major|2000|p=83}}

In September 1985, Major was made [[Parliamentary under-secretary of state]] for the [[Department of Health and Social Security]] (DHSS), before being promoted to become [[Minister of State]] in the same department in September 1986.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=86, 92}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=63, 65}} The large size of the DHSS granted Ministers a greater degree of responsibility than in other departments,{{refn|group=nb|The department was later split into two separate ministries for Health and Social Security in 1988.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=UK Department of Health |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/UK-Department-of-Health |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>}} with Major assisting with work on the Social Security Act 1986 and improving provision for disabled people.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=93–94}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=64}} Major began to gain a bigger profile, giving his first speech at the Conservative Party Conference in October 1986.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=92–93}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=66}} He first attracted major national media attention in January 1987 over [[cold weather payment]]s to the elderly, when Britain was in the depths of a severe winter.<ref>{{cite web|last=Deer|first=Brian|title=Ministers rig cold cash for old|url=http://briandeer.com/social/john-major.htm|website=The Sunday Times (London) |date=11 January 1987|access-date=3 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite Hansard | house=House of Commons | url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1987/jan/20/severe-weather-payments|title=Severe Weather Payments | date = 20 January 1987 | column_start = 747 | column_end = 754 }}</ref> Amidst intense media criticism, Major discussed the issue with Margaret Thatcher and an increase in the payments was approved.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=95}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=66–67}}

== In Cabinet (1987&ndash;1990) ==
===Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1987&ndash;1989)===
Following the [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987 general election]], in which Major retained his seat with an increased majority,{{sfn|Major|2000|p=96}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=69–70}} he was promoted to the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]] as [[Chief Secretary to the Treasury]], making him the first MP of the 1979 intake to reach the Cabinet.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=98}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=71}}{{refn|group=nb|Major was also appointed to the [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|Privy Council]] at this time.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=71}}}} The then-Chancellor [[Nigel Lawson]] generally made significant decisions with little input from others, and Major was put in charge of agreeing departmental budgets with the [[Secretary of State (United Kingdom)|Secretaries of State]].{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=74}} These discussions went well, and for the first time in several years budgets were agreed without recourse to the external adjudication of the so-called '[[Star Chamber#Recent history|Star Chamber]]'.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=105}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=77}} Major successfully concluded a second round of such spending reviews in July 1988.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=109}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=70–80}}

Whilst Chief Secretary Major took part in discussions over the future funding of the [[NHS]], against the background of an NHS strike in February 1988 over pay, resulting in the 'Working for Patients' [[white paper]] and subsequent [[National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990]].{{sfn|Major|2000|p=107}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=78}} Major also insisted, in discussions with Thatcher, that government assistance should be provided to support the sale of [[Short Brothers]] to [[Bombardier Inc.|Bombardier]], an aerospace company and major employer in Northern Ireland which might otherwise have collapsed.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=110}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=82}}

===Foreign Secretary (July–October 1989)===
In 1987–1988, it became clear that Major had become a 'favourite' of Thatcher's and he was widely tipped for further promotion.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=81–82}} Nevertheless, Major's appointment to [[Foreign Secretary (United Kingdom)|Foreign Secretary]] in July 1989 came as a surprise due to his relative lack of experience in the Cabinet and unfamiliarity with international affairs.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=111–112}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=89}} Major found the prospect daunting, and unsuccessfully attempted to convince Thatcher to allow him to stay on at the Treasury.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=111–112}} There were also fears within the [[Foreign & Commonwealth Office]] (FCO) that Major would be Thatcher's 'hatchet-man', as her relations with the department under [[Geoffrey Howe]] had been poor and characterised by mutual distrust.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=87}} Major accepted the job and began to settle into the department, living in an upstairs room at the FCO and devolving decision making where necessary, though he found the increased security burdensome and disliked the extensive ceremonial aspects of the role.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=114–116}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=89–90}}

Amongst Major's first acts as Foreign Secretary was to cancel the sale of [[BAE Systems Hawk|Hawk aircraft]] to [[Ba'athist Iraq|Iraq]], over concerns they would be used for internal repression.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=117–118}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=94}} He represented Britain at the Paris Peace Conference to determine the future of [[Cambodia]].{{sfn|Major|2000|p=118}} Major also met with US secretary of state [[James Baker]], with whom he primarily discussed the issue of [[Vietnamese boat people]], and with [[Qian Qichen]], [[Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China|Foreign Minister]] of China, becoming the first senior Western politician to meet with a Chinese official since the [[1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre|violent crackdown]] of pro-democracy protesters in [[Tiananmen Square]] the previous month.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=118–120}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=91–92}} Discussions focused primarily on the future of [[British Hong Kong|Hong Kong]], which Britain was scheduled to hand over to China in 1997.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=94}}

Major spent most of a summer holiday that year in Spain conducting extensive background reading on foreign affairs and British foreign policy.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=120–121}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=92}} Upon his return to the UK he and Thatcher met with French president [[François Mitterrand]], in which the future direction of the [[European Community]] was discussed.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=121}} In September 1989, Major delivered a speech at the [[United Nations General Assembly]], in which he pledged to support Colombia's effort to tackle the drugs trade and reiterated Britain's opposition to the [[apartheid]] regime in South Africa.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=122–123}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=93–94}} Major also met US president [[George H. W. Bush]] in Washington, D.C.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=93}} and [[Domingo Cavallo]], the Argentine [[foreign minister]], the first such meeting since the end of the [[Falklands War]] seven years earlier.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=123}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=94}}

Major's last major summit as Foreign Secretary was the [[1989 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting|Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting]] (CHOGM) in [[Malaysia]]. The meeting was dominated by the issue of [[Economic sanctions|sanctions]] on South Africa, with Britain being the only country to oppose them, on the grounds that they would end up hurting poorer South Africans far more than the apartheid regime at which they were aimed.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=125–126}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=96–97}} The summit ended acrimoniously, with Thatcher controversially and against established precedent issuing a second final communiqué stating Britain's opposition to sanctions, with the press seizing on the apparent disagreement on the matter between Major and Thatcher.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=125–128}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=96–97}}

=== Chancellor of the Exchequer (1989–1990) ===
After just three months as Foreign Secretary Major was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer on 26 October 1989 following the sudden resignation of [[Nigel Lawson]], who had fallen out with Thatcher over what he saw as her excessive reliance on the advice of her Economic Adviser [[Alan Walters]].{{sfn|Major|2000|p=130}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=100–101}}<ref name=19891027guardian>{{cite news|last=Travis |first=Alan |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1989/oct/27/past.christopherhuhne |title=Lawson sparks reshuffle |work=The Guardian |date= 27 October 1989|access-date=18 October 2009 |location=London}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Walters resigned soon after.<ref>{{cite web |title=Obituary – Sir Alan Walters |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/jan/06/sir-alan-walters-obituary |work=The Guardian|date=6 January 2009|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>}} The appointment meant that, despite only being in the Cabinet for a little over two years, Major had gone from the most junior position in the Cabinet to holding two of the [[Great Offices of State]]. Major made tackling inflation a priority, stating that tough measures were needed to bring it down and that "if it isn't hurting, it isn't working."{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=101}}{{sfn|Turner|2013|p=22}} He delivered his first [[Autumn Statement]] on 15 November, announcing a boost in spending (mainly for the NHS) and with interest rates to be kept as they were.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=140–141}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=104}}

As Chancellor, Major presented only [[1990 United Kingdom budget|one Budget]], the first to be televised live, on 20 March 1990.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=106}} He publicised it as a 'budget for savers', with the creations of 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]]. Major also abolished the composite rate tax and [[stamp duty]] on share trades, whilst increasing taxes on alcohol, cigarettes and petrol.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=146}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=105–106}} Tax cuts were also made which benefited football associations, the aim being to increase funding on safety measures following the [[Bradford City stadium fire]] and [[Hillsborough disaster]].{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=146–147}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=106}} Extra funding was also made available to Scotland in order to limit the impact of the [[Community Charge]] (widely dubbed the 'Poll Tax'), which had been introduced there that year.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=148}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=106}}

The European Community's push for full [[Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union|Economic and Monetary Union]] (EMU) was another important factor in Major's time as Chancellor; in June 1990 he proposed that instead of a single European currency there could instead be a 'hard [[European Currency Unit|ECU]]',{{refn|group=nb|The European Currency Unit was a notional unit of account based on a weighted 'basket' of major European currencies. It was replaced with the physical Euro currency in 1999.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Brief History of the ECU, the Predecessor of the Euro |url=http://fx.sauder.ubc.ca/ECU.html |publisher=UBC Sauder School of Business|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>}} which different national currencies could compete against and, if the ECU was successful, could lead to a single currency.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=150–151}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=107–108}} The move was seen as a wrecking tactic by France and Germany, especially when the increasingly [[Euroscepticism in the United Kingdom|Euro-sceptic]] Thatcher announced her outright opposition to EMU, and the idea was abandoned.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=152}} More successfully, Major managed to get the new [[European Bank for Reconstruction and Development]] (EBRD) located in London.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=149}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=107}}

By early 1990, Major had become convinced that the best way to combat inflation and restore macroeconomic stability would be if the British pound were to join the [[European Exchange Rate Mechanism]] (ERM), and he and [[Douglas Hurd]] (Major's successor as Foreign Secretary) set about trying to convince a reluctant Thatcher to join it.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=155}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=110–112}}<ref>Edmund Dell, ''The Chancellors: A History of the Chancellors of the Exchequer, 1945–90'' (Harper Collins, 1997), pp. 541–50.</ref> The move was supported by the [[Bank of England]], the Treasury, most of the Cabinet, the Labour Party, several major business associations and much of the press.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=111}}{{sfn|Turner|2013|p=84}} With the '[[Lawson Boom]]' showing signs of running out of steam, exacerbated by rising oil prices following Iraq's [[invasion of Kuwait]] in August 1990, there were fears of a potential recession and pressure to cut interest rates.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=159–160}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=113}} Thatcher finally agreed on 4 October, and Britain's entry into the ERM at a rate of [[Deutsche Mark|DM]] 2.95 to £1.00 (with an agreed 6% floating 'band' either side) was announced the following day.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=163}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=113–114}} An interest rate cut of 1% (from 15%) was also announced on the same day.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=164}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=113}}

The rest of Major's Chancellorship prior to the leadership contest was largely uneventful; he considered granting the Bank of England operational independence over monetary policy, with the ability to set interest rates, but decided against it.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=154}}{{refn|group=nb|This was later enacted under Labour Chancellor [[Gordon Brown]] in 1998.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chancellor announces new framework for monetary policy |url=http://archive.treasury.gov.uk/press/1997/p40_97.html |publisher=HM Treasury |date=6 May 1997 |access-date=27 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720163816/http://archive.treasury.gov.uk/press/1997/p40_97.html |archive-date=20 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>}} He also agreed a restructuring and write-off of some [[Third World debt]] at a Commonwealth Finance Ministers meeting in [[Trinidad and Tobago]] in September 1990.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=165}}

====Conservative Party leadership contest====
{{Main|1990 Conservative Party leadership election}}

Opposition within the Conservative Party to Margaret Thatcher had been brewing for some time, focusing on what was seen as her brusque, imperious style and the [[Poll tax (Great Britain)|poll tax]], which was facing serious opposition across the country. In December 1989, she had survived a [[1989 Conservative Party leadership election|leadership bid]] by [[Sir Anthony Meyer, 3rd Baronet|Anthony Meyer]]; though she won easily, 60 MPs had not voted for her, and it was rumoured that many more had had to be strong-armed into supporting her.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2009/02/father-thatcher-european |title=The stalking horse |last=Meyer |first=Ashley |date=26 February 2009 |work=New Statesman |access-date=8 January 2013}}</ref><ref name="GH6Dec1989">{{cite news |last1=Parkhouse |first1=Geoffrey |title=Bruising Win for Thatcher |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19891206&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=22 December 2019 |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=6 December 1989 |page=1}}</ref><ref name="89election">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/5/newsid_2528000/2528339.stm|access-date=1 November 2008|title=5 December 1989: Thatcher beats off leadership rival|work=On This Day 1950–2005}}</ref> By early 1990, it was clear that bills for many under the new poll tax regime would be higher than anticipated, and opposition to the Tax grew, with a non-payment campaign gaining much support and an anti-poll tax demonstration in [[Trafalgar Square]] in March ending in [[Poll tax riots|rioting]].<ref name="Revealed">{{citation|title=Revealed: How police panic played into the hand of the poll tax rioters|last=Verkaik|first=Robert|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/revealed-how-police-panic-played-into-the-hands-of-the-poll-tax-rioters-523918.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110230921/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/revealed-how-police-panic-played-into-the-hands-of-the-poll-tax-rioters-523918.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 November 2012|date=21 January 2006|work=The Independent|page=10|access-date=17 May 2008}}</ref> The Conservatives lost the [[1990 Mid Staffordshire by-election]] to Labour and the [[1990 Eastbourne by-election]] to the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]], both Conservative seats, causing many Conservative MPs to worry about their prospects at the upcoming general election, due in 1991 or 1992.<ref name="Times 92">{{cite book|title=The Times Guide to the House of Commons April 1992|date=1992|publisher=Times Book|location=London|isbn=0-7230-0497-8|page=286}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Seldon |first1=Anthony |first2=Daniel |last2=Collings |title=Britain under Thatcher |date=2014 |publisher=Routledge |page=60}}</ref>{{sfn|Major|2000|p=173}} Thatcher's staunch anti-European stance also alienated pro-Europe Conservatives.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=175–176}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=113}} On 1 November, the pro-European deputy prime minister [[Geoffrey Howe]] resigned, issuing a fiercely critical broadside against Thatcher in the House of Commons on 13 November.<ref name="Observer">{{cite news |first=Andrew |last=Rawnsley |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/oct/10/geoffrey-how-the-cabinet-ally-who-became-thatchers-assassin |title=Geoffrey Howe, the close cabinet ally who became Thatcher's assassin |work=The Observer |date=10 October 2015 |access-date=11 March 2019}}</ref>{{sfn|Major|2000|p=179}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=120}}

The day after Howe's speech [[Michael Heseltine]], Thatcher's former [[Secretary of State for Defence]] who had acrimoniously resigned in 1986 over the [[Westland affair]], challenged Thatcher for the leadership of the Conservative Party.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=181}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=120}} Both John Major and Foreign Secretary [[Douglas Hurd]] supported Thatcher in the first round. Major was at home in Huntingdon recovering from a pre-arranged wisdom tooth operation during the first leadership ballot, which Thatcher won but not by the required threshold, necessitating a second round.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=182–185}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=121–122}} Following discussions with her cabinet, in which many stated that though supporting her they doubted she could win, Thatcher withdrew from the contest and announced that she would resign as prime minister once a new leader had been elected.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/22/newsid_2549000/2549189.stm|work=BBC News|title=1990: Thatcher quits as prime minister|date=22 November 1990}}</ref> Major subsequently announced on 22 November that he would stand in the second ballot, with Thatcher's backing.{{sfn|Major|2000|p=187}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=123}} Major's platform was one of moderation on Europe, a review of the poll tax, and the desire to build a "classless society".{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=191–193}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=125–126}}

Unlike in the first ballot, a candidate only required a simple majority of Conservative MPs to win, in this case 187 of 372 MPs. The ballot was held on the afternoon of 27 November; although Major obtained 185 votes, 2 votes short of an overall majority, he polled far enough ahead of both Hurd and Heseltine to secure their immediate withdrawal.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=198–199}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=127}} With no remaining challengers, Major was formally named Leader of the Conservative Party that evening and was duly appointed prime minister the following day.{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=200–201}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=128}}<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/27/newsid_2528000/2528847.stm|work=BBC News|title=1990: Tories choose Major for Number 10|date=27 November 1990}}</ref> At 47, he was the youngest prime minister since [[Lord Rosebery]] some 95 years earlier.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=131}}

== Prime Minister (1990–1997) ==
{{main|Premiership of John Major}}

=== First Major ministry (1990–1992) ===
{{main|First Major ministry}}
[[File:President George H. W. Bush and Prime Minister John Major.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister John Major and President [[George H. W. Bush]] participate in a press availability at Camp David|left]]
Major became [[prime minister of the United Kingdom|prime minister]] on 28 November 1990 when he accepted [[Elizabeth II|the Queen]]'s invitation to form a government, succeeding [[Margaret Thatcher]]. He inherited a [[majority government]] from Margaret Thatcher who had been the prime minister for the previous eleven years. The Conservatives' popularity was low, with some [[Opinion polling for the 1992 United Kingdom general election|polling]] showing [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]'s [[Neil Kinnock]] with a 23% lead over the Tories in April 1990 following the introduction of the Community Charge (poll tax).<ref name="auto">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/background/pastelec/ge92lab.htm |title=The 1992 General Election |work=BBC News |access-date=13 July 2021}}</ref> By the time of Major's appointment, Labour's lead had shrunk to 14%.<ref name="auto"/> However, by 1991, the Conservatives had narrowly retaken Labour in the polls.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1991/06/12/major-conservatives-in-deep-political-trouble-in-britain/228a0733-cdc1-4432-a3c2-e03f786665d8/ |title=MAJOR, CONSERVATIVES IN DEEP POLITICAL TROUBLE IN BRITAIN |first=Glenn |last=Frankel |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=12 June 1991 |access-date=13 June 2021}}</ref>

Major's first ministry was dominated by the [[early 1990s recession]] which was believed to be caused by high interest rates, falling house prices and an overvalued exchange rate.<ref name="GDP and special events in history">{{cite news|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/articles/gdpandspecialeventsinhistory/2016-11-25 |title=GDP and special events in history |publisher=Office for National Statistics |date=25 November 2016 |access-date=13 July 2021}}</ref> The high interest rates led to more saving, less spending and less investment in the UK's sectors.<ref name="GDP and special events in history"/> Falling house prices stalled construction in the housing sector. Economic growth was not re-established until early 1993.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/26/newsid_2503000/2503271.stm |title=1993: Recession over – it's official |work=BBC News |access-date=13 July 2021}}</ref> By December 1991, unemployment was at 2.5 million (compared to 1.6 million 18 months earlier).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/1991-11-13/debates/0ad350f5-5904-491a-9eab-17139c707639/Unemployment |title=Unemployment |author=Lord Rochester |publisher=Hansard.UK Government |date=13 November 1991 |access-date=13 July 2021}}</ref> Additionally, inflation was in double digits and interest rates reached 15%.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/gallery/2009/jan/22/recession-margaretthatcher |title=The last recession in 1990/91 |first=Julia |last=Kollewe |work=The Guardian |date=23 January 2009 |access-date=13 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/business/uk-economy-historic-recessions-a4520961.html |title=Every UK recession to have taken place in modern history: From the three-day week to the 2008 crash and the coronavirus crisis |first=Alex |last=Lawson |work=Evening Standard |date=12 August 2020 |access-date=13 July 2021}}</ref> However, opinion polling for Major's government remained stable during this period.
[[File:President Bill Clinton and British Prime Minister John Major delivering press statements in the East Room of the White House (36) (cropped).jpg|thumb|Prime Minister John Major and President [[Bill Clinton]] deliver press statements at the White House in 1993]]
On 10 March 1992, Chancellor of the Exchequer [[Norman Lamont]] delivered his budget speech to the House of Commons, which included tax cuts widely perceived to achieve votes at the forthcoming general election. The next day, as universally expected, Major called [[1992 United Kingdom general election|an election]] for 9 April. To the surprise of many pollsters, the Conservatives won a majority at the 9 April election, with 336 seats, and earning 41.9% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |first=Martin |last=Kettle |date=4 April 2005 |title=Pollsters taxed |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/apr/04/electionspast.past3 |access-date=12 August 2021 |work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Past elections: 1992 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/electionspast/page/0,,1450583,00.html |access-date=12 August 2021 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> With a high turnout, the Conservatives earned over 14 million votes which remains a record in any UK general election.<ref>{{cite web |date=18 August 2021 |title=UK Election Statistics: 1918–2021: A century of elections |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7529/CBP-7529.pdf |access-date=12 November 2022 |website=House of Commons Library}}</ref> This was the Conservatives' fourth consecutive election victory. [[Neil Kinnock]] was replaced by [[John Smith (Labour Party leader)|John Smith]] as Labour leader and [[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]] in 1992.<ref>{{cite magazine |first1=Sidney |last1=Blumenthal |first2=Richard |last2=Avedon |date=28 January 1996 |title=THE NEXT PRIME MINISTER |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1996/02/05/the-next-prime-minister |access-date=12 August 2021 |magazine=The New Yorker}}</ref>

=== Second Major ministry (1992–1997) ===
{{main|Second Major ministry}}
On 16 September 1992, the [[pound sterling]] crashed out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism after the Chancellor of the Exchequer [[Norman Lamont]] had invested heavily in trying to keep it there, adjusting interest rates four times in one day.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/16/newsid_2519000/2519013.stm |title=1992: UK CRASHES OUT OF THE ERM |work=BBC News |access-date=12 August 2021}}</ref> This event would later be called [[Black Wednesday]]. Despite the recession finally ending in 1993, the Conservatives' popularity did not improve. Major's second ministry was also defined by conflicts within the Conservative Party regarding [[European Union|Europe]] following the government's defeat on the [[Maastricht Treaty]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/0dee56c0-fdfa-11e8-ac00-57a2a826423e |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/0dee56c0-fdfa-11e8-ac00-57a2a826423e |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Brexit: the Conservatives and their thirty years' war over Europe |first=Robert |last=Shrimsley |work=Financial Times |date=14 December 2018 |access-date=12 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=11 December 1991 |title=European Council (Maastricht) |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1991/dec/11/european-council-maastricht |access-date=17 May 2011 |website=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]}}</ref>[[File:President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister John Major.jpg|left|thumb|Major and Clinton at the White House in 1994]]
On 12 May 1994, John Smith died from a heart attack and was replaced by [[Tony Blair]] who continued Labour's modernisation under the slogan of "[[New Labour]]".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-10518842 |title=The rise and fall of New Labour |work=BBC News |date=3 August 2010 |access-date=12 August 2021}}</ref> Some polling at the end of 1994 and the start of 1995 had Labour with a vote share of over 60%. The Tories remained divided over this era and in an attempt to silence his critics, Major resigned as Party leader. In the [[1995 Conservative Party leadership election|leadership election]], Major comfortably beat [[John Redwood]] in June 1995.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/pm-assails-malcontent-redwood-1588458.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/pm-assails-malcontent-redwood-1588458.html |archive-date=13 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=PM assails 'malcontent' Redwood |first=Donald |last=Macintyre |work=The Independent |date=23 October 2011 |access-date=12 August 2021}}</ref> Following a string of by-election defeats, the Conservatives' majority of 21 had been eroded by 13 December 1996.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/07/world/tories-slip-into-minority-labor-silent-on-forcing-election.html |title=Tories Slip Into Minority; Labor Silent on Forcing Election |first=Warren |last=Hoge |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=7 December 1996 |access-date=12 August 2021}}</ref>

In the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 election]] on 1 May 1997, Labour won a 179-seat majority, ending their eighteen years in opposition.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/labour-party-returns-to-power-in-britain |title=Labour Party returns to power in Britain |publisher=History |date=9 February 2010 |access-date=12 August 2021}}</ref> This was the worst general election result since the First World War at the time for the Conservatives (the Conservatives would suffer a much larger defeat 27 years later in [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024]]), seeing the loss of all the party's seats in Wales and Scotland. On the morning of 2 May 1997, on his final departure from Downing Street to offer his resignation to [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]], Major announced his intention to step down as leader of the Conservative Party, stating in his exit speech that "when the curtain falls, it's time to get off the stage". He was succeeded as prime minister by [[Tony Blair]].

== Final years in Parliament (1997&ndash;2001) ==
[[File:British Prime Minister John Major talks with Lieutenant General Michael Walker, Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps.jpg|thumb|Major talks with Lieutenant General Michael Walker in 1996]]
Speculation over Major's leadership had continued since his re-election in 1995, and intensified as it became increasingly likely that the Conservatives would suffer a landslide defeat in the upcoming general election. During this period, [[Michael Portillo]] had frequently been touted as the favourite to replace Major, but [[Portillo moment|lost his seat]] in the election, thus eliminating him from the running. Although many Conservative MPs wanted Major to resign as leader immediately because of the 1997 election loss, there was a movement among the grassroots of the party, encouraged by his political allies, to have him stay on as leader until the autumn. [[Lord Cranborne]], his chief of staff during the election, and the chief whip, [[Alastair Goodlad]], both pleaded with him to stay on: they argued that remaining as leader for a few months would give the party time to come to terms with the scale of defeat before electing a successor.{{sfn|Snowdon|2010|pp=38–39}} Major refused, saying: "It would be terrible, because I would be presiding with no authority over a number of candidates fighting for the crown. It would merely prolong the agony."{{sfn|Snowdon|2010|p=39}}

Major served as Leader of the Opposition for seven weeks while the [[1997 Conservative Party leadership election|leadership election]] to replace him was underway. He formed [[Major shadow cabinet|a temporary Shadow Cabinet]], but with seven of his Cabinet ministers having lost their seats at the election, and with few senior MPs left to replace them, several MPs had to hold multiple briefs.{{sfn|Snowdon|2010|p=39}}<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite news |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmwib/wb970517/oppo.htm |title=Weekly Information Bulletin: 17th May 1997 |publisher=House of Commons |date=17 May 1997 |access-date=26 April 2020 |archive-date=26 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026032137/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmwib/wb970517/oppo.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Major himself served as [[shadow foreign secretary]] (having served as foreign secretary for three months in 1989) and [[Shadow Secretary of State for Defence]], and the office of [[Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland]] was left vacant until after the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001 general election]] as the party no longer had any Scottish MPs.{{sfn|Snowdon|2010|p=39}}<ref name=autogenerated2 /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1545049.stm |title=Tories appoint new Scottish chairman |publisher=BBC |date=14 September 2001 |access-date=26 April 2020}}</ref> Major's resignation as Conservative leader formally took effect on 19 June 1997 after the election of [[William Hague]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gulfnews.com/today-history/june-19-1997-tories-pick-young-hague-1.2045680 |title=June 19, 1997: Tories pick young Hague| work=Gulf News |date=18 June 2007 |access-date=26 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/115223.stm|title=Hague's first year – a chronology|publisher=BBC|date=18 June 1998|access-date=26 April 2020}}</ref>

Major's [[1997 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours|Resignation Honours]] were announced on 1 August 1997.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=54850 |supp=y|pages=8911–8914|date=2 August 1997}}<br />{{London Gazette|issue=54851 |supp=y|pages=8909–8910|date=2 August 1997}}</ref> He remained active in Parliament, regularly attending and contributing in debates.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-john-major/index.html|work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]|title=Mr John Major (Hansard)}}</ref> He stood down from the House of Commons at the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001 general election]], having announced his retirement from Parliament on 10 March 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.johnmajorarchive.org.uk/1997-2001-parliament/mr-majors-announcement-of-his-retirement-from-the-house-of-commons-10-march-2000/ |title=Mr Major's Announcement of his Retirement from the House of Commons – 10 March 2000|publisher=John Major official site |date=10 March 2000 |access-date=26 April 2020}}</ref> [[Jonathan Djanogly]] took over as MP for Huntingdon, retaining the seat for the Conservatives at the 2001 election.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2091354.stm |title=Profile – Jonathan Djangoly|publisher=BBC |date=22 October 2002|access-date=26 April 2020}}</ref>

Like some post-war former prime ministers (such as [[Edward Heath]]), Major turned down a [[Peerages in the United Kingdom|peerage]] when he retired from the House of Commons in 2001. He said that he wanted a "firebreak from politics" and to focus on writing and his business, sporting and charity work.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/962335.stm |title=Major to turn down peerage |work=BBC News |date=8 October 2000 |access-date=16 August 2013}}</ref>

==Post-parliamentary life (2001&ndash;present)==
[[File:John Major at the Hist Inaugural.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Major at [[The Hist]] in [[Dublin]], 2007]]
Since leaving office, Major has tended to maintain a low profile in the media, occasionally commentating on political developments in the role of an elder statesman.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sir John Major's speeches|url=http://www.johnmajorarchive.org.uk/speeches-by-date|publisher=John Major|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref> In 1999 he published [[John Major: The Autobiography|an autobiography]], covering his early life and time in office, which was generally well received.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Major: The Autobiography|url=https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/john-major-the-autobiography-john-major?variant=32609561542734|website=[[HarperCollins]]|access-date=12 March 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/books-of-the-year-5323197.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/books-of-the-year-5323197.html |archive-date=13 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Books of the year – 1999 |work=The Independent| date=20 November 1999|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref> Major went on to write a book about the history of cricket in 2007 (''[[More Than a Game: The Story of Cricket's Early Years]]''{{--)}}<ref>{{cite book|title=More Than A Game: The Story of Cricket's Early Years|first=John|last=Major|date=1 May 2007|publisher=HarperPress|id={{ASIN|000718364X|country=uk}}}}</ref> and a book about music hall (''[[My Old Man: A Personal History of Music Hall]]''{{--)}} in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/sep/12/my-old-man-john-major-review |title=My Old Man review |work=The Guardian|first=Simon |last=Callow| date=12 September 2012|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref>

Major has further explored his love of cricket as President of [[Surrey County Cricket Club]] from 2000 to 2001<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kiaoval.com/main-news/nightwatchman-sir-john-major-man-and-boy/ |title=Kia Oval – John Major |date=26 July 2017 |access-date=26 April 2020 |archive-date=3 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803031841/https://www.kiaoval.com/main-news/nightwatchman-sir-john-major-man-and-boy/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> (and Honorary Life Vice-president since 2002).<ref>{{cite web |first=Rich |last=Evans |date=17 May 2019 |title='Cricket is a universal healer' – Sir John Major |url=https://www.wisden.com/cricket-interviews/exclusive-cricket-is-a-universal-healer-sir-john-major |access-date=31 March 2025 |publisher=Wisden}}</ref> In March 2001 he gave the tribute to cricketer [[Colin Cowdrey]] at his memorial service in [[Westminster Abbey]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/1250896.stm |title=Cowdrey remembered |work=BBC News |date=30 March 2001 |access-date=17 April 2010}}</ref> In 2005 he was elected to the Committee of the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]], historically the governing body of the sport, and still guardian of the laws of the game. Major left the committee in 2011, citing concerns with the planned redevelopment of [[Lord's Cricket Ground]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Sir John Major's speeches|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/16191411|publisher=BBC|date= 14 December 2011|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=John Major in peace talks on MCC land row|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/john-major-in-peace-talks-on-mcc-land-row-7543508.html|website=Evening Standard|date= 7 March 2012|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref>

John Major has also been actively engaged in charity work, being President of [[Asthma UK]],<ref name="Chatham"/> and a Patron of the Prostate Cancer Charity, [[Sightsavers|Sightsavers UK]], [[Mercy Ships]], Support for Africa 2000,<ref name="Chatham"/> Afghan Heroes,<ref name="Nicholas Watt">{{cite news |url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/358871/John-Major-lends-home-to-give-heroes-a-holiday|title=John Major lends home to give heroes a holiday|first=Nicholas |last=Watt |work=Daily Express |date=18 November 2012 |access-date=27 April 2020}}</ref> and Consortium for Street Children.<ref>{{cite web |date=2019 |title=Meet the CSC Team |url=https://www.streetchildren.org/about-us/meet-the-team/ |access-date=25 June 2023 |website=Consortium for Street Children}}</ref> In February 2012, Major became chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust,<ref name=TF>{{cite press release|title=The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust |publisher=Australian Government Publishing Service |date=7 February 2012 |url=http://www.pm.gov.au/press-office/queen-elizabeth-diamond-jubilee-trust |access-date=15 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606234311/http://www.pm.gov.au/press-office/queen-elizabeth-diamond-jubilee-trust |archive-date=6 June 2012 }}</ref> which was formed as part of the [[Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II]] and is intended to support charitable organisations and projects across the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]], focusing on areas such as cures for diseases and the promotion of culture and education.<ref name=TF /> Major was a Patron of the sight loss and learning disability charity [[SeeAbility]] from 2006 to 2012 and has been a vice-president since 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH (Vice President) |url=https://www.seeability.org/FAQs/john-major |website=SeeAbility |access-date=13 August 2018 |archive-date=13 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813175332/https://www.seeability.org/FAQs/john-major |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:HM The Queen formally launched the Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs at Chatham House (15207911973).jpg|thumb|Major (left) with [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]] at Chatham House in 2012]]

Major has also pursued a variety of business interests, taking up appointments as senior adviser to [[Credit Suisse]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Why do European companies bother to hire ex-politicians?|url=https://www.economist.com/news/business/21728975-month-gerhard-schr-der-starts-new-job-rosneft-why-do-european-companies-bother|access-date=15 September 2017|newspaper=[[The Economist]]|date=14 September 2017}}</ref><ref name="Credit Suisse">{{cite news|title=Sir John Major|url=https://www.credit-suisse.com/sites/salon/en/login/overview/opinion-leaders/john-major.html|publisher=Credit Suisse|access-date=28 April 2020|archive-date=2 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802172316/https://www.credit-suisse.com/sites/salon/en/login/overview/opinion-leaders/john-major.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> chairman of the board of senior advisers at [[Global Infrastructure Partners]],<ref name="Chatham"/><ref name="Credit Suisse"/> Global Adviser to [[AECOM]],<ref name="Credit Suisse"/> Chairman of the International Advisory Board of the [[National Bank of Kuwait]],<ref name="Chatham"/> and Chairman of the European Advisory Council of the [[Emerson Electric Company]].<ref name="Chatham"/><ref name="void">{{cite web|title=Into the void|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/feb/03/past.conservatives|first=John |last=Harris|website=The Guardian|date= 3 February 2007|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref> He was a member of [[the Carlyle Group]]'s European Advisory Board from 1998 and was appointed Chairman of Carlyle Europe in May 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thecarlylegroup.com/eng/news/l5-news716.html |title=John Major appointed European Chairman of the Carlyle Group |date=14 May 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030813221404/http://www.thecarlylegroup.com/eng/news/l5-news716.html |archive-date=13 August 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The rebirth of John|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/aug/02/past.conservatives|first=Nicholas |last=Watt|website=The Guardian|date= 2 August 2002|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref><ref name="rebirth"/> He stood down from the Group circa 2004–05.<ref name="void"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Carlyle begins roadshow for float of private equity pioneer|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/carlyle-begins-roadshow-for-float-of-private-equity-pioneer-7648376.html|first=Stephen |last=Foley|website=The Independent|date= 17 April 2012|access-date=28 April 2020|archive-date=23 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120823103858/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/carlyle-begins-roadshow-for-float-of-private-equity-pioneer-7648376.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Major was also a director at the bus manufacturers the Mayflower Corporation from 2000 to 2003, which was liquidated in 2004 due to funding issues.<ref name="Companies"/><ref>{{cite web|title=John Major to face Mayflower questions|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2004/apr/05/politics.economicpolicy|first=Stephen |last=Foley|website=The Independent|date= 5 April 2004|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref>

Following the death of [[Princess Diana]] in 1997, Major was appointed a special guardian to Princes [[William, Prince of Wales|William]] and [[Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex|Harry]], with responsibility for legal and administrative matters.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/apr/24/royal-wedding-guest-list-invitations |title=Royal wedding guest list includes friends, family&nbsp;– and a few dictators |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=24 April 2011 |access-date=24 April 2011 |first=Stephen |last=Bates}}</ref> As a result of this, Major was the only current or former prime minister out of the five then still alive invited to the [[wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle]] in May 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=Royal wedding 2018: Prince Harry and Meghan married at Windsor |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44175216 |publisher=BBC |date=19 May 2018|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref> Major has also attended the funerals of notable political figures, such as [[Death and state funeral of Nelson Mandela|Nelson Mandela]] in December 2013,<ref>{{cite web |title=Nelson Mandela: UK to send huge political delegation to South Africa |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/09/nelson-mandela-uk-political-delegation-south-africa |website=The Guardian |date=9 December 2013|access-date=28 April 2020|author-first1=Rowena|author-last1=Mason}}</ref> former US first lady [[Barbara Bush]] at [[St. Martin's Episcopal Church (Houston)|St. Martin's Episcopal Church]] in [[Houston]], Texas on 21 April 2018<ref>{{cite web |title=Dignitaries from around the world attend funeral service of Barbara Bush |url=https://williams.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/dignitaries-from-around-the-world-attend-funeral-service-of-barbara-bush|website=Roger Williams |date=20 April 2018|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref> and the [[state funeral of George H. W. Bush]] on 5 December 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=Former British PM John Major will attend Bush's funeral service |url=https://edition.cnn.com/politics/live-news/george-hw-bush-funeral#h_5139cce8b717ec8a75efb251b1b4fe6f |publisher=CNN |date=3 December 2018|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref>

===Revelation of affair ===
In 1993 Major sued two magazines, ''[[New Statesman]] and Society'' and ''[[Scallywag (magazine)|Scallywag]]'', as well as their distributors, for reporting rumours of an affair with Clare Latimer, a Downing Street caterer, even though at least one of the magazines had said that the rumours were false. The allegations of an affair with Latimer were indeed proven false. However, an affair with Edwina Currie came out a decade later and both of these publications considered legal action to recover their costs when that happened.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2286916.stm |title=Major faces legal action over affair |work=BBC News |date=29 September 2002 |access-date=17 April 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Steve |last=Platt |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/sue-grab-it-and-run-the-country-the-major-libel-case-was-a-farce-with-a-darker-side-says-steve-platt-editor-of-the-new-statesman-1483606.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/sue-grab-it-and-run-the-country-the-major-libel-case-was-a-farce-with-a-darker-side-says-steve-platt-editor-of-the-new-statesman-1483606.html |archive-date=13 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Sue, grab it and run the country: The Major libel case was a farce with a darker side, says Steve Platt, editor of the New Statesman |work=The Independent |access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref>

In September 2002, it was revealed that, prior to his elevation to the Cabinet, Major had had a four-year-long [[extramarital affair]] with [[Edwina Currie]], from 1984 to 1988.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2286008.stm |title=Major and Currie had four-year affair |work=BBC News  |date=28 September 2002 |access-date=17 April 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,,801852,00.html |title=The Major-Currie affair&nbsp;– what the papers say |work=The Guardian |location=London |date= 30 September 2002|access-date=17 April 2010 }}</ref> Commentators were quick to refer to Major's previous '[[Back to Basics (campaign)|Back to Basics]]' platform to throw charges of hypocrisy at him. An obituary of [[Tony Newton, Baron Newton of Braintree|Tony Newton]] in ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' claimed that if Newton had not kept the affair a closely guarded secret, "it is highly unlikely that Major would have become prime minister".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/politics-obituaries/9168088/Lord-Newton-of-Braintree.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/politics-obituaries/9168088/Lord-Newton-of-Braintree.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=obituaries:Lord Newton of Braintree|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=26 March 2012|access-date=1 April 2012|location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In a press statement, Major said that he was "ashamed" by the affair and that his wife had forgiven him. In response, Currie said "he wasn't ashamed of it at the time and he wanted it to continue."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mandrake/7921158/John-Major-Edwina-Currie-and-me-by-Clare-Latimer.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mandrake/7921158/John-Major-Edwina-Currie-and-me-by-Clare-Latimer.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=John Major, Edwina Currie and me, by Clare Latimer |work=The Telegraph |date=1 August 2010 |access-date=28 April 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The affair was the subject of a 2004 theatre play<ref>{{cite web |date=11 November 2004 |title=What if the John and Edwina affair had been revealed earlier? |url=https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/theatre/what-john-edwina-affair-been-4847913 |access-date=26 July 2025 |website=Surrey Live }}</ref> and a 2022 TV documentary by [[5 (British TV channel)|Channel 5]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.channel5.com/geo-restriction.html|title=No access outside UK|website=www.channel5.com|accessdate=2 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvzoneuk.com/post/c5-scandals-ann1|title=CHANNEL 5 EXPLORES POLITICAL SCANDALS FOR NEW SERIES|date=5 October 2022|website=TV Zone UK|accessdate=2 August 2025}}</ref>

===Political engagement===
[[File:John Major Chatham House Prize 2010.jpg|thumb|right|Major delivering a speech at [[Chatham House]] in 2010]]
Major has become an active after-dinner speaker, earning over £25,000 per engagement for his "insights and his own opinions" on politics and other matters according to his agency.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article2300374.ece |title=Forty million dollar Bill: Earning power of an ex-leader |date=24 February 2007 |work=The Independent |location=London |access-date=28 June 2007 |first=Daniel |last=Bentley |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015064614/http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article2300374.ece |archive-date=15 October 2007}}</ref> Major is also actively involved in various [[think tank]]s: he is the chair of the Panel of senior advisers at [[Chatham House]] (having previously served as a president of Chatham House),<ref name="Chatham">{{cite news|title=The Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH|url=https://www.chathamhouse.org/about/governance/rt-hon-sir-john-major-kg-ch|publisher=Chatham House|access-date=9 January 2022}}</ref> a member of the International Advisory Boards of the [[Peres Center for Peace]] in Israel,<ref name="Chatham"/> the [[InterAction Council]],<ref name="Chatham"/> the [[James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy|Baker Institute]] in Houston,<ref name="Atlantic">{{cite web|title=AP people – John Major|url=https://atlanticpartnership.org/people/the-rt-hon-john-major-ch/|website=Atlantic Partnership|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref> and a Patron of the Atlantic Partnership.<ref name="Chatham"/><ref name="Atlantic"/> Major was also a director with the [[Ditchley Foundation]] from 2000 to 2009,<ref name="Companies">{{cite web|title=Appointments – John Major|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/X7J4WS2Y7sowOUXRiaiM7J1Jv7c/appointments|website=Companies House|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Rt Hon Sir John Major, KG, CH|url=https://www.ditchley.com/rt-hon-sir-john-major-kg-ch|website=Ditchley Foundation|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref> and a president of the influential centre-right think tank the [[Bow Group]] from 2012 to 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bow Group President Sir John Major reflects on 20 years of the Northern Irish Peace Process and his role in it|url=https://www.bowgroup.org/news/bow-group-president-sir-john-major-reflects-20-years-northern-irish-peace-process-and-his-role|website=Bow Group|access-date=28 April 2020|archive-date=20 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200420071121/https://www.bowgroup.org/news/bow-group-president-sir-john-major-reflects-20-years-northern-irish-peace-process-and-his-role|url-status=dead}}</ref>

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 2000|Freedom of Information Act]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4248855.stm |title=Treasury releases 1992 ERM papers |work=BBC News  |date=9 February 2005 |access-date=13 March 2011}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.johnmajorarchive.org.uk/2001-2010/mr-majors-statement-on-erm-paper-release-4-february-2005/|title=Mr Major's Statement on ERM Paper Release |publisher=John Major Archive |date=4 February 2005|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref> He told [[BBC News]] that he and Lamont had been the victims of "whispering voices" to the press.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4238937.stm |title=Major denies blocking ERM papers |agency=BBC News |date=5 February 2005 |access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref> He later publicly approved the release of the papers.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4250399.stm |title=Major welcomes ERM papers release |work=BBC News |date=9 February 2005 |access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref>

In December 2006, Major led calls for an independent inquiry into Blair's decision to [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invade Iraq]], following revelations made by [[Carne Ross]], a former British senior diplomat, that contradicted Blair's case for the invasion.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2079340.ece |title=John Major leads calls for inquiry into conflict |date=16 December 2006 |work=The Independent |location=London |access-date=17 December 2006 |first1=Colin |last1=Brown |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070108174201/http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2079340.ece |archive-date=8 January 2007 }}</ref>

He was touted as a possible Conservative candidate for the [[2008 London mayoral election|Mayor of London elections in 2008]], but turned down an offer from the Leader of the Conservatives at the time, [[David Cameron]]. A spokesperson for Major said "his political career is behind him".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1717355.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815033400/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1717355.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 August 2011|title=Cameron snubbed again as Major rules out mayor race|date=28 April 2007|work=[[The Times]] |location=London |access-date=3 May 2008 |first=Philip |last=Webster}}</ref>
[[File:John Major 2014.jpg|left|thumb|257x257px|Major delivering a speech at The Role of the Nation State in Addressing Global Challenges in 2014]]
Following the 2010 general election, Major announced his support for the [[Cameron–Clegg coalition]], and stated that he hoped for a "[[liberal conservative]]" alliance beyond 2015, criticising Labour under [[Ed Miliband]] for playing "party games" rather than serving the national interest.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11981011|title=Ed Miliband asks Lib Dems to help draw up Labour policy|agency=BBC News|date=13 December 2010|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11852628|title=Sir John Major urges Tory and Lib Dem pact to continue|agency=BBC News|date=27 November 2010|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref> Nevertheless, in 2013 Major expressed his concern at the seeming decline in [[social mobility]] in Britain: "In every single sphere of British influence, the upper echelons of power in 2013 are held overwhelmingly by the privately educated or the affluent middle class. To me, from my background, I find that truly shocking."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24896266|title=Private school influence in public life 'shocking' says Major|agency=BBC News|date=11 November 2013|access-date=29 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/11/john-major-shocked-elite-social-mobility|title=John Major 'shocked' at privately educated elite's hold on power|work=The Guardian|date=11 November 2013|access-date=29 April 2020}}</ref>

During the [[2014 Scottish independence referendum]] Major strongly encouraged a "No" vote, stating that a vote for independence would be damaging both for Scotland and the rest of the UK. This was similar to his stance on devolution in Scotland before referendums were held on the subject both there and in Wales in 1997.<ref>{{cite news|last=Stacey |first=Kiran |url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/4aceef46-6679-11e3-aa10-00144feabdc0.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/4aceef46-6679-11e3-aa10-00144feabdc0.html |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |title=Scots independence threat to UK influence, says Sir John Major |work=Financial Times |date=16 December 2013 |access-date=31 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-25145961 |title=Scottish independence: Former prime minister John Major gives warning |agency=BBC News |date=28 November 2013 |access-date=31 January 2014}}</ref>
[[File:Queen Elizabeth II with her British Prime Ministers, Diamond Jubilee 2012.jpg|thumb|Major with Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Minister [[David Cameron]], and former prime ministers [[Tony Blair]] and [[Gordon Brown]]]]
Major was a vocal supporter for the Remain campaign in the [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|2016 referendum]] on British membership of the European Union. Major supported a [[Proposed referendum on the Brexit withdrawal agreement|second referendum]] over [[Brexit]], stating that the leave campaign put out a "fantasy case" during the referendum campaign, adding that to describe a second vote as undemocratic was "a rather curious proposition" and that he could see no "intellectual argument" against redoing the ballot.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sir John Major condemns Boris Johnson for 'routine attacks' on PM without 'any coherent' Brexit plan|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-latest-boris-johnson-john-major-negotiations-a8560751.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-latest-boris-johnson-john-major-negotiations-a8560751.html |archive-date=13 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=10 July 2019|work=[[The Independent]]|date=29 September 2018}}</ref> Major feared Brexit would make the UK poorer and could endanger the peace settlement in Northern Ireland.<ref>{{cite news|title=John Major calls for Commons vote on second referendum|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/feb/28/john-major-calls-for-commons-vote-on-second-referendum|access-date=10 July 2019|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=28 February 2018}}</ref>

On 30 August 2019, it was announced that Major intended to join [[R (Miller) v The Prime Minister and Cherry v Advocate General for Scotland|a court case by Gina Miller]] against the [[2019 British prorogation controversy|proroguing of Parliament]] by the prime minister at the time, [[Boris Johnson]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/uk/live-news/brexit-talks-challenge-intl-gbr/index.html |title=Boris Johnson faces Brexit challenges as he steps up talks with EU: Live updates |agency=CNN |date=30 August 2019}}</ref> In the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election]] Major urged voters to vote tactically against candidates supporting [[Boris Johnson]] when those candidates wanted a hard Brexit. Major said Brexit is, "the worst foreign policy decision in my lifetime. It will affect nearly every single aspect of our lives for many decades to come. It will make our country poorer and weaker. It will hurt most those who have least. Never have the stakes been higher, especially for the young. Brexit may even break up our historic United Kingdom."<ref>{{cite news|title=General election: Former Tory PM John Major urges people to vote against Boris Johnson's candidates|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-general-election-campaign-john-major-conservatives-vote-a9235436.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-general-election-campaign-john-major-conservatives-vote-a9235436.html |archive-date=13 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Independent|date=December 2019|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref> In early 2020, after the UK formally left the EU with [[Brexit withdrawal agreement|an initial deal]], Major expressed his concerns about a future trading deal with the EU being "flimsy".<ref>{{cite news|title=John Major warns rushed UK-EU trade deal will be 'flimsy'|url=https://www.ft.com/content/dd9b1d66-4de2-11ea-95a0-43d18ec715f5 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/dd9b1d66-4de2-11ea-95a0-43d18ec715f5 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=Financial Times|date=13 February 2020|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref>

In February 2022, Major made a speech at the [[Institute for Government]] think-tank in London, in which he criticised Johnson over the [[Partygate]] scandal, suggesting that he ought to resign, and also the proposed policy for those seeking asylum which he called "un-British".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-uk-reputation-partygate-john-major/ |title=Boris Johnson 'shredding' UK's reputation with Partygate saga, says former PM Major |last=Honeycombe-Foster |first=Matt |date=10 February 2022 |website=Politico Europe |publisher=Axel Springer SE |access-date=20 June 2022}}</ref> In July 2022, immediately following Johnson's announcement he intended to resign as prime minister but would stay until a successor was chosen, Major called for Johnson's immediate replacement and removal "for the overall wellbeing of the country".<ref>{{cite news |date=7 July 2022 |title=Former UK PM Major: Boris Johnson must go now, for good of the country |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/former-uk-pm-major-boris-johnson-must-go-now-good-country-2022-07-07/ |access-date=7 July 2022}}</ref>

In February 2023, Major made a speech at the [[Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee]], where he said that Brexit was "a colossal mistake" and that Johnson agreed to the Brexit protocol knowing it was "a mess".<ref>{{cite news |date=11 February 2023 |title=Brexit 'colossal mistake', John Major tells MPs |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-mistake-john-major-tories-b2277386.html |access-date=15 February 2023 |website=The Independent}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Carroll |first1=Rory |date=7 February 2023 |title=Boris Johnson agreed Brexit protocol knowing it was a 'mess', says John Major |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/feb/07/boris-johnson-agreed-brexit-protocol-knowing-it-was-mess-says-john-major |access-date=15 February 2023 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

==Assessment and legacy==
[[File:Sir John Major - geograph.org.uk - 1367859.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Bust of Major by [[Shenda Amery]] in Huntingdon Library]]
Major's mild-mannered style and moderate political stance contrasted with that of Thatcher and made him theoretically well placed to act as a conciliatory and relatively uncontroversial leader of his party. In spite of that, conflict raged within the parliamentary Conservative Party, particularly over the extent of Britain's integration with the European Union. Major never succeeded in reconciling the ‘Euro-rebels’ among his MPs to his European policy, who, although relatively few in number, wielded great influence because of his small majority and their wider following among Conservative activists and voters.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=736–737}} Episodes such as the Maastricht Rebellion, led by [[Bill Cash]] and Margaret Thatcher, inflicted serious political damage on him and his government. The additional bitterness on the [[right wing]] of the Conservative Party at the manner in which Margaret Thatcher had been deposed did not make Major's task any easier, with many viewing him as a weak and vacillating leader.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=736–737}} Ongoing sleaze-related scandals among leading Conservative MPs did Major and his government no favours either, decreasing support for the party amongst the public.

His task became even more difficult after the election in 1994 of the modernist and highly media-savvy Tony Blair as [[1994 Labour Party leadership election|Labour leader]], who mercilessly exploited Conservative divisions whilst shifting Labour to the centre, thus being perceived by some as making it much more electable.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/7593554.stm |work=BBC News | title=Who has been UK's greatest post-war PM? | date=16 September 2008}}</ref> Whilst few observers doubted that Major was an honest and decent 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 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, which destroyed the Conservatives' reputation for effective economic management.<ref>{{cite news|title=30 January 1997: 'Weak, weak, weak'|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/historic_moments/newsid_8188000/8188574.stm|work=BBC News|access-date=19 July 2012|date=31 October 2009}}</ref>

Major defended his government in his memoirs, focusing particularly on how under him the British economy had recovered from the recession of 1990–1993. He wrote that "during my premiership interest rates fell from 14% to 6%; unemployment was at 1.75&nbsp;million when I took office, and at 1.6&nbsp;million and falling upon my departure; and the government's annual borrowing rose from £0.5&nbsp;billion to nearly £46&nbsp;billion at its peak before falling to £1&nbsp;billion".{{sfn|Major|2000|p=689}} Major's Chancellor [[Ken Clarke]] stated in 2016 that Major's reputation looked better as time went by, in contrast to that of Tony Blair's which appeared to be in decline.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rice|first1=Michael|title=In Depth BBC Interview: Ken Clarke|via=YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox24s3NylMI&t=1808s| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526061255/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox24s3NylMI&gl=US&hl=en| archive-date=26 May 2019 | url-status=dead|access-date=26 July 2017}}</ref> [[Paddy Ashdown]], the [[Leader of the Liberal Democrats]] during Major's term of office, was more sympathetic, writing in 2017 that Major was "one of the most honest, brave and sincere men to ever be Prime Minister" and that his time in office compares favourably with that of his successor Tony Blair.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ashdown |first=Paddy |editor1-last=Hickson |editor1-first=Kevin |editor2-last=Williams |editor2-first=Ben |title=John Major – An Unsuccessful Prime Minister? Reappraising John Major |publisher=Biteback Publishing  |date=2017 |pages=309 |chapter=19. A View from the Centre |isbn=978-1-785-90271-0}}</ref>
[[File:John Major (28235958716).jpg|thumb|268x268px|Major at a fundraising event in [[Central London]] in 2009]]
Writing shortly after he left office, the historian and journalist [[Paul Johnson (writer)|Paul Johnson]] wrote that Major was "a hopeless leader" who "should never have been Prime Minister".{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=735}} The sentiments echoed that of much of the press at the time, which was generally hostile to Major, especially after Black Wednesday. The journalist [[Peter Oborne]] was one such figure, though writing in 2017 he stated that he now regrets his negative reporting, stating that he himself and the press in general were "grossly unfair to Major" and that this was motivated at least in part by snobbery at Major's humble upbringing.<ref>{{cite book |last=Oborne |first=Peter |editor1-last=Hickson |editor1-first=Kevin |editor2-last=Williams |editor2-first=Ben |title=John Major – An Unsuccessful Prime Minister? Reappraising John Major |publisher=Biteback Publishing |date=2017 |page=xi |chapter=Foreword |isbn=978-1-785-90271-0}}</ref> In 2012 Oborne had written that Major's government looks ever more successful as time goes by.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/9185917/Its-time-to-give-John-Major-the-credit-we-so-cruelly-denied-him.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/9185917/Its-time-to-give-John-Major-the-credit-we-so-cruelly-denied-him.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=It's time to give John Major the credit we so cruelly denied him |work=The Daily Telegraph |date= 4 April 2012|access-date=5 February 2013 |location=London |first=Peter |last=Oborne}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Oborne singled out Major's achievements in the Northern Irish peace process, boosting the economy, keeping Britain out of the Eurozone, and his reforms of public services as being worthy of praise.<ref>{{cite book |last=Oborne |first=Peter |editor1-last=Hickson |editor1-first=Kevin |editor2-last=Williams |editor2-first=Ben |title=John Major – An Unsuccessful Prime Minister? Reappraising John Major |publisher=Biteback Publishing |date=2017 |pages=xiii–xiv |chapter=Foreword |isbn=978-1-785-90271-0}}</ref> Others remain unconvinced, however, and, writing in 2011, the BBC's Home editor [[Mark Easton]] judged that "Majorism" had made little lasting impact.<ref name=intro-cam>{{cite news|last=Easton|first=Mark|title=Introducing Cameronism|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14115047|access-date=11 July 2011|work=BBC News UK|date=11 July 2011|author-link=Mark Easton|quote="Majorism and [[Brownism]] are unconvincing stubs. History appears to have decided they may have re-upholstered the settee and scattered a few cushions but they didn't alter the [[feng shui]] of the room."}}</ref>

In academic circles Major's legacy has generally been better received. Mark Stuart, writing in 2017, stated that Major is "the best ex-Prime Minister we have ever had", praising him for initiating the Northern Ireland peace process, peacefully handing Hong Kong back to China, creating the [[National Lottery (United Kingdom)|National Lottery]] and leaving a sound economy to Labour in 1997.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nottspolitics.org/2017/04/10/john-major-at-25-the-best-ex-prime-minister-weve-ever-had/ |title=John Major at 25: the best ex-Prime Minister we've ever had? |publisher=School of Politics & International Relations, University of Nottingham |access-date=16 July 2020 |date=10 April 2017 |archive-date=19 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719210302/https://nottspolitics.org/2017/04/10/john-major-at-25-the-best-ex-prime-minister-weve-ever-had/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Dennis Kavanagh]] likewise states that Major did relatively well considering the unbridgeable divides that existed in the Conservative Party in the 1990s, chiefly over Europe, whilst also delivering economic growth, a more user-focused public sector and the basis of peace settlement in Northern Ireland.<ref name="Kavanagh">{{cite news|url=https://journals.openedition.org/osb/717 |title=John Major's political legacy |first=Dennis |last=Kavanagh| publisher=Observatoire de la société britannique |year= 2009 |access-date=16 July 2020}}</ref> He also notes that Major's unexpected 1992 election victory effectively sealed in the Thatcher-era reforms and forced the Labour Party to ditch most of its more socialist-tinged policies, thereby permanently shifting the British political landscape to the centre ground.<ref name="Kavanagh"/> Anthony Seldon largely agrees with this assessment, adding that Major's deep dislike of discrimination contributed to the continuing decline in racism and [[homophobia]] in British society, and that his proactive foreign policy stance maintained Britain's influence in the world at a time of profound global change.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=738–744}} He also notes that Major faced a deeply unfavourable set of circumstances: most of the obvious and pressing Conservative reforms (e.g. reining in the power of trade unions and privatising failing industries) had already been completed under Thatcher, the swift nature of his rise to power left him little time to formulate policy positions and upon becoming prime minister he was immediately thrust into having to deal with the [[Gulf War]] and a major recession. Furthermore, the narrow majority achieved after the 1992 election left him exposed to internal Conservative rebellions, which only worsened as time went by, abetted by a hostile press, as it became clear the Conservatives would lose the next election.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=739–741}} Seldon concludes that "Major was neither non-entity nor failure. His will be judged an important if unruly premiership at the end of the Conservative century, completing some parts of an earlier agenda while in some key respects helping to define a Conservatism for the 21st century."{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=743}} Seldon reiterated these views in his contribution to the 2017 volume ''John Major: An Unsuccessful Prime Minister?''<ref>{{cite book |last=Seldon|first=Anthony|editor1-last=Hickson |editor1-first=Kevin |editor2-last=Williams |editor2-first=Ben |title=John Major – An Unsuccessful Prime Minister? Reappraising John Major |publisher=Biteback Publishing  |date=2017 |pages=325–39 |chapter=22. An Overall Assessment |isbn=978-1-785-90271-0}}</ref>

Political historian Robert Taylor, in his 2006 [[biography]] of Major, concurs with many of these points, summing up that "In the perspective provided by the years of New Labour government since May 1997, John Major's record as Prime Minister looked much better than his many critics liked to suggest... Britain's most extraordinary Conservative Prime Minister bequeathed an important legacy to this party and his country to build on. One day both yet may come to recognise and appreciate it."<ref>{{cite book |last=Taylor |first=Robert |title=20 British Prime Ministers of the 20th century – Major |publisher=Haus Publishing  |date=2006 |pages=115, 126 |isbn=978-1-904-95072-1 |ref=none}}</ref> Noted political historian [[Dick Leonard]], however, writing in 2004, was more harsh in his assessment, concluding that Major was "A man of evident decent instincts, but limited abilities: as Prime Minister he pushed these abilities to the limit. It was not enough."<ref>{{cite book |last=Leonard |first=Dick |title= A Century of Premiers: Salisbury to Blair |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan  |date=2004 |page=341 |isbn= 978-0-230-51150-7}}</ref>

==Representation in the media==
[[File:John Major (6357734833).jpg|thumb|Major at Chatham House in 2011]]
During his leadership of the Conservative Party, Major was portrayed as honest ("Honest John")<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/honest-john-versus-tricky-tony-1283252.html |title=Honest John versus Tricky Tony... |work=The Independent |first=Andrew |last=Marr |authorlink=Andrew Marr |date=15 January 1997 |access-date=17 April 2020 |archive-date=17 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417194916/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/honest-john-versus-tricky-tony-1283252.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/honest-john-gives-it-to-us-straight-stale-buns-and-all-hc0rnm5s88w |title=Honest John gives it to us straight – stale buns and all |work=[[The Times]] |date=13 June 2012 |access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref> but unable to exert effective control over his fractious party. However, his polite, easy-going manner was initially well received by both his supporters and his critics.{{sfn|Turner|2013|pp=20–21}} Major's appearance was noted for its greyness, his prodigious [[philtrum]], and large glasses, all of which were exaggerated in caricatures. For example, in ''[[Spitting Image]]'', Major's puppet was changed from a circus performer to that of a literally grey man who ate dinner with his wife in silence, occasionally saying "nice peas, dear", while at the same time nursing an unrequited crush on his colleague [[Virginia Bottomley]] – an invention, but an ironic one in view of his affair with Edwina Currie, which was not then a matter of public knowledge. By the end of his premiership his puppet would often be shown observing the latest fiasco and ineffectually murmuring "oh dear".{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=204–205}}{{sfn|Turner|2013|p=19}} Long-standing Conservative MP Enoch Powell, when asked about Major, stated "I simply find myself asking – does he really exist?",{{sfn|Turner|2013|p=18}} whereas Labour's [[Alastair Campbell]] dismissed him as a "piece of lettuce that passes for prime minister"<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/over-the-top-look-whos-talking-but-maybe-campbell-has-a-point-on-the-press-777320.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/over-the-top-look-whos-talking-but-maybe-campbell-has-a-point-on-the-press-777320.html |archive-date=13 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Over the top? Look who's talking. But maybe Campbell has a point on the press |work=The Independent |first=Vincent |last=Graff |date=3 February 2008 |access-date=16 July 2020}}</ref> and Labour MP [[Tony Banks, Baron Stratford|Tony Banks]] said of Major in 1994 that, "He was a fairly competent Chairman of Housing on Lambeth Council. 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."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/g2/story/0,,1682818,00.html|title=The Right Hon wag|date= 10 January 2006|access-date=17 September 2006|work=The Guardian |location=London | first=Iain | last=Dale}}</ref>

The media (particularly ''[[The Guardian]]'' cartoonist [[Steve Bell (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,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/cartoons/stevebell/0,MFEM,802577,00.html |title=If only we had known back then |work=The Guardian |location=London |first=Steve |last=Bell |author-link=Steve Bell (cartoonist) |date=1 October 2002 |access-date=17 September 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060223223113/http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/stevebell/0%2CMFEM%2C802577%2C00.html |archive-date=23 February 2006 }}</ref> as a pale grey echo of both [[Superman]] and [[Supermac (cartoon)|Supermac]], a parody of Harold Macmillan.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cartoons.ac.uk/cartoonist-biographies/a-b/SteveBell.html |title=British Cartoon Archive – Steve Bell|publisher=University of Kent|access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref>{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=204}} Bell also used the humorous possibilities of the [[Cones Hotline]], a means for the public to inform the authorities of potentially unnecessary [[traffic cone]]s, which was part of the [[Citizen's Charter]] project established by John Major. Major was also satirised by Patrick Wright with his book ''101 Uses for a John Major'' (based on a comic book of some 10 years earlier called ''[[101 Uses for a Dead Cat]]''{{--)}}, in which Major was illustrated serving a number of bizarre purposes, such as a train-spotter's anorak or as a flag-pole.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://openlibrary.org/works/OL17896779W/101_Uses_for_a_John_Major|title=101 Uses for a John Major|publisher=Open Library |access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/w/wright_patrick.htm|title=Patrick Wright|publisher=Lambiek Comiclopedia |access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bryant |first=Nick |date=2010-03-04 |title=Uses for a former PM |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/nickbryant/2010/03/101_uses_for_former_australian.html |access-date=2025-11-11 |website=[[BBC]] |language= |quote=Private Eye, the British satirical magazine, used to run a series called "101 uses for a John Major", a hilarious collection of cartoons which was modelled on "101 uses for a dead cat".}}</ref>

''[[Private Eye]]'' parodied [[Sue Townsend]]'s ''The Secret Diary of [[Adrian Mole]], age 13¾'' to run a regular column ''[[Prime Minister parodies (Private Eye)#John Major: The Secret Diary of John Major (aged 47¾)|The Secret Diary of John Major, age 47¾]]'', in which Major was portrayed as naïve and childish, keeping lists of his enemies in a Rymans Notebook called his "Bastards Book", and featuring "my wife Norman" and "[[Brian Mawhinney|Mr Dr Mawhinney]]" as [[recurring character]]s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04bwhqf|title=When Adrian Mole became Prime Minister |publisher=BBC|date=13 October 2016 |access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref>{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=204}} The magazine still runs one-off specials of this diary (with the age updated) on occasions when Major is in the news, such as on the breaking of the Edwina Currie story or the publication of his autobiography.

The impressionist comedian [[Rory Bremner]] often mocked John Major, for example depicting him as 'John 90', a play on 1960s puppet show ''[[Joe 90]]'';<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdnxvspLH28| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/MdnxvspLH28| archive-date=11 December 2021 | url-status=live|title=John Major As John 90| date=10 June 2009|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=205}} his impersonation was so accurate that he managed to fool the MP [[Richard Body]] that he was really speaking to Major in a [[prank phone call]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/media/rory-bremner-prank-pm-calls-bring-down-government-revealed-1353264|title=Rory Bremner's impression of John Major was so good, there were fears he could 'bring down the government' |first=Adam| last=Sherwin|publisher=The i|date=2 January 2020 |access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref> The incident prompted [[Cabinet Secretary (United Kingdom)|Cabinet Secretary]] [[Robin Butler]] to warn Channel 4 head [[Michael Grade]] against any further calls for fear that state secrets could be inadvertently leaked.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.civilserviceworld.com/articles/news/cabinet-secretary-%E2%80%98voiced-security-fears-over-rory-bremner%E2%80%99s-impersonation-john-major|title=Cabinet secretary 'voiced security fears' over Rory Bremner's impersonation of John Major |first=Jim |last=Dunton|publisher=Civil Service World|date=3 January 2020 |access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref>

Major was often mocked for his nostalgic evocation of what sounded like the lost Britain of the 1950s {{crossreference|(see [[Merry England]])}};{{Sfn|Taylor|2006|p=29}} for example, his famous speech stating that "Fifty years from now Britain will still be the country of long shadows on county grounds, warm beer, invincible green suburbs, dog lovers and pools fillers and – as George Orwell said – 'old maids bicycling to Holy Communion through the morning mist'."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.johnmajorarchive.org.uk/1990-1997/mr-majors-speech-to-conservative-group-for-europe-22-april-1993/ |title=Mr Major's Speech to Conservative Group for Europe |publisher=John Major official site |date=22 April 1993 |access-date=21 April 2020}}</ref> Major complained in his memoirs that these words (which drew upon a passage in [[George Orwell]]'s essay ''[[The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius|The Lion and the Unicorn]]''{{--)}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-other-works/the-lion-and-the-unicorn-socialism-and-the-english-genius/ |title=The Lion and the Unicorn |date=26 April 2011 |newspaper=Orwell Foundation |access-date=21 April 2020}}</ref> had been misrepresented as being more naive and romantic than he had intended, and indeed his memoirs were dismissive of the common conservative viewpoint that there was once a time of moral rectitude; Major wrote that "life has never been as simple as that". Throughout his time in office Major was often acutely sensitive to criticism of him in the press; his biographer Anthony Seldon posits this to an inner vulnerability stemming from his difficult childhood and adolescence.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=204–205}} After leaving office, Major stated that "Perhaps up to a point I was too sensitive about some of the things in the press, I'm happy to concede that. But, the politicians who are said to have hides like rhinos and be utterly impervious to criticism, if they're not extinct, they are very rare and I freely confess I wasn't amongst them."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.johnmajorarchive.org.uk/1997-2001-parliament/john-majors-contributions-in-the-the-major-years-15-october-1999/ |title=John Major's Contributions in the 'The Major Years' – 15 October 1999 |publisher=John Major official site |date=15 October 1999 |access-date=3 May 2020}}</ref>

Major has been depicted on screen by [[Keith Drinkel]] in ''[[Thatcher: The Final Days]]'' (1991),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9efda0d1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180527230547/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9efda0d1|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 May 2018|title=Keith Drinkel|publisher=British Film Institute|access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref> [[Michael Maloney]] in ''[[Margaret (2009 film)|Margaret]]'' (2009),<ref name="Cinema">{{cite news|url=https://www.cinemaparadiso.co.uk/films/collections/drama-films-and-tv/historical-british-prime-ministers-on-screen|title=Historical British Prime Ministers On Screen|publisher=Cinema Paradiso|access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref> [[Robin Kermode]] in ''[[The Iron Lady (film)|The Iron Lady]]'' (2011),<ref name="Cinema"/> Marc Ozall in the TV series ''[[The Crown (TV series)|The Crown]]'' (fourth season), [[Gordon Griffin]] in ''Westminster on Trial'' and Roger Sansom in ''[[On the Record (British TV programme)|On the Record]]''. Footage of Major's 1992 election win is used in [[Patrick Keiller]]'s 1994 documentary film ''London''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/ntlout17-the-audience|title=The Audience|publisher=Royal National Theatre|access-date=21 April 2020}}</ref> Major was also one of the prime ministers portrayed in the 2013 stage play ''[[The Audience (2013 play)|The Audience]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.timeout.com/london/film/london|title=Review – London|work=Time Out|access-date=22 April 2020}}</ref> Less flatteringly, Major was the subject of the song ''John Major – Fuck You'' by Scottish punk band [[Oi Polloi]].<ref>Oi Polloi – 'John Major, Fuck You' – YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCGuciAmOY4`</ref>

Major was portrayed by [[Jonny Lee Miller]] in the [[The Crown (season 5)|fifth season]] of [[The Crown (TV series)|''The Crown'']] in 2022. Major called the series a "barrel-load of nonsense" for a fictitious storyline in which the then [[Prince Charles]] lobbies Major in 1991, attempting to oust Queen Elizabeth II from power. [[Netflix]] defended the series as a "fictional dramatisation".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sinmaz |first1=Emine |title=John Major dismisses The Crown as a 'barrel-load of nonsense' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/oct/16/john-major-dismisses-the-crown-as-a-barrel-load-of-nonsense |access-date=18 October 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=16 October 2022}}</ref>

Though Major's name was unmentioned, he was the Muggle Prime Minister in the [[Harry Potter]] series.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hp-lexicon.org/2018/07/07/the-prime-minister/#:~:text=We%20never%20learn%20the%20name%20of%20the%20Muggle,Minister%20of%20the%20United%20Kingdom%20was%20John%20Major | title=The Prime Minister | date=7 July 2018 }}</ref>

In April 1992 John Major, in a nod to his occasional nostalgic descriptions of a relatively lowly background for a Conservative leader, was humorously depicted as a youth runnning away from a tediously dull life in the circus in order to train as an accountant. The Comic Strip Presents The Red Nose of Courage, a one hour television profile of Major, had the memorable scene of the then Prime Minister trying to explain to his unconvinced father [[Alexi Sayle]] the Circus boss that he was unable to muck out Jumbo the Elephant and the other circus animals the previous night because of an international summit with the USA and Russia.  The show was broadly sympathetic to John Major despite the heavy satire.

==Personal life==
[[File:Major00.jpg|thumb|right|upright|alt=a smiling, clean-shaven middle-aged white man with grey hair, wearing sunglasses|Major at a 2008 cricket match]]

=== Marriage to Norma Johnson ===
Major married Norma Johnson (now [[Dame Norma Major]]) on 3 October 1970 at St Matthew's Church, Brixton.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2013/07/take-a-video-tour-of-1992-brixton-with-john-major-archive-footage/ |title=Take a video tour of 1992 Brixton with John Major|access-date=3 January 2014|date=24 July 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=50–51}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=37}} She was a teacher and a member of the Young Conservatives. They met on [[Election Day (United Kingdom)|polling day]] for the [[Greater London Council]] elections in London, and became engaged after only ten days.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/history-and-tour/prime-ministers-in-history/john-major/ |title=Profile at |publisher=10 Downing Street |access-date=17 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324051535/http://www.number10.gov.uk/history-and-tour/prime-ministers-in-history/john-major |archive-date=24 March 2010 }}</ref> They have two children: a daughter, Elizabeth (born November 1971){{sfn|Major|2000|pp=52–53}}{{sfn|Seldon|1998|p=38}} and a son, James (b. January 1975).{{sfn|Major|2000|p=56}} They continue to live at their constituency home, Finings, in [[Great Stukeley|Great Stukeley, Huntingdonshire]].<ref name="rebirth">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/aug/02/past.conservatives|title=The rebirth of John|first=Nicholas |last=Watt |work=The Guardian |date=2 August 2002 |access-date=27 April 2020}}</ref> They also own a flat in London and a [[holiday home]] on the [[Norfolk]] coast at [[Weybourne, Norfolk|Weybourne]], which they have in the past invited ex-soldiers to use for free as part of the Afghan Heroes charity.<ref name="rebirth"/><ref name="Nicholas Watt"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/john-major-buys-3m-riverside-flat-6329902.html|title=John Major buys £3m riverside flat|first=Laura |last=Smith|work=Evening Standard |date=11 November 2002 |access-date=27 April 2020}}</ref> As with all former prime ministers, Major is entitled to round-the-clock police protection.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1388473/Protection-bill-for-John-Major-rises-to-1.5m.html |title=Protection bill for John Major rises to £1.5m |access-date=12 March 2024 |last=Brogan |first=Benedict |date=22 March 2002 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10500996 |title=Tony Blair police protection costs under scrutiny |access-date=27 April 2020 |publisher=BBC|date=4 July 2010}}</ref>

=== Children ===
Major's daughter, Elizabeth Major, a veterinary nurse, married Luke Salter on 26 March 2000 at All Saints' Church, [[Somerby, Leicestershire|Somerby]], having been in a relationship with him since 1988.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/691356.stm |title=John Major's daughter weds |agency=BBC News |date=26 March 2000 |access-date=13 March 2011}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated3">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/348932.stm |title=The miraculous Major-Balls |agency=BBC News  |date=21 May 1999 |access-date=13 March 2011}}</ref> Salter died on 22 November 2002 from cancer.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2505099.stm |title=Major's son-in-law dies |agency=BBC News |date=22 November 2002 |access-date=13 March 2011}}</ref> His son, James Major, a former retail manager and nightclub promoter, married gameshow hostess [[Emma Noble]] on 29 March 1999 in the Chapel Crypt at Westminster Abbey.<ref name="autogenerated3" /><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/355843.stm|title=Family wedding for Major minor |agency=BBC News |date=29 May 1999 |access-date=5 June 2008}}</ref> They had a son, Harrison, born July 2000, who was later diagnosed with [[autism]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/856593.stm |title=Major minor goes home |agency=BBC News|date=29 July 2000 |access-date=5 June 2008}}</ref> The marriage ended in an acrimonious divorce in 2003, with Noble accusing Major of "unreasonable behaviour".<ref name="MajvMaj">{{cite news |title=Noble Vs Major: Sir John and Lady Major deny claims they are ignoring their autistic grandchild |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/noble-vs-major-sir-john-and-lady-major-deny-claims-they-are-ignoring-their-autistic-grandchild-929875.html |access-date=27 April 2020|work=The Independent |location=London |first=Rachel |last=Shields |date=14 September 2008}}</ref> James later married Kate Postlethwaite (née Dorrell), the mother of his second son.

=== Siblings ===
Major's elder brother, [[Terry Major-Ball|Terry]], who died in 2007, became a minor media personality during Major's period in Downing Street, writing a 1994 autobiography, ''Major Major: Memories of an Older Brother'', and appearing on TV shows such as ''[[Have I Got News for You]]''.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries/story/0,,2063169,00.html|title=Terry Major-Ball – Obituary|first=Dennis|last=Barker|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=23 April 2007 | location=London}}</ref><ref name="Independent">{{cite news|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2474439.ece|title=Terry Major-Ball – Obituary|work=[[The Independent]]|date=23 April 2007|location=London|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001083018/http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2474439.ece|archive-date=1 October 2007}}</ref> John's sister, Patricia Dessoy, kept a much lower profile; she died in 2017.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chardandilminsternews.co.uk/announcements/deaths/deaths/15346025.patricia__dessoy/|title=Patricia Dessoy Obituary|work=Chard & Ilminster News|date=11 June 2017|access-date=27 April 2020}}</ref> After leaving office Major became aware that his father fathered two half-siblings extramaritally: Tom Moss and Kathleen Lemmon.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/may/21/willwoodward|title=Hunt for Major's long lost brother|work=The Guardian|date=21 May 1999|access-date=27 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1999/oct/04/conservatives1999.conservatives2|title=Family tree sprouts another branch|work=The Guardian|date=4 October 1999|access-date=27 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/major-steals-the-show-with-secret-siblings-1.234449|title=Major steals the show with 'secret siblings'|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=4 October 1999|access-date=27 April 2020}}</ref>

Research conducted by Paul Penn-Simkins, a genealogist formerly employed as a researcher at the [[College of Arms]] and as a heraldic consultant at [[Christie's]], and subsequently corroborated by Lynda Rippin, a genealogist employed by Lincolnshire Council, showed that John Major and Margaret Thatcher were fifth cousins once removed, both descending from the Crust family, who farmed at Leake, near [[Boston, Lincolnshire]].<ref>''In the Blood: God, Genes and Destiny'', Steve Jones, Harper Collins, 1996, pp. 63, 72, 90.</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Catherine |last=Milner |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/major-and-thatcher-how-they-are-related-so-it-really-is-in-the-genes-thanks-to-a-genealogist-and-a-1436119.html |title=Major and Thatcher: how they are related: So it really is in the genes. Thanks to a genealogist, and a merchant seaman from Boston, Lincs, we can reveal that Mr Major and Baroness Thatcher are fifth cousins (once removed). Catherine Milner reports |work=The Independent |date=14 May 1994 |access-date=4 September 2017 |archive-date=5 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905003543/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/major-and-thatcher-how-they-are-related-so-it-really-is-in-the-genes-thanks-to-a-genealogist-and-a-1436119.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Brozan |first=Nadine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/17/style/chronicle-119091.html |title=Chronicle |journal=The New York Times |date=17 May 1994 |access-date=4 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Catherine |last=Milner |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/official-major-is-related-to-thatcher-and-so-am-i-1436062.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/official-major-is-related-to-thatcher-and-so-am-i-1436062.html |archive-date=13 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Official: Major is related to Thatcher . . . and so am I |work=The Independent |date= 14 May 1994|access-date=4 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Catherine |last=Milner |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/major-and-thatcher-theyre-both-related-to-me-says-mr-crust-1436120.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/major-and-thatcher-theyre-both-related-to-me-says-mr-crust-1436120.html |archive-date=13 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Major and Thatcher: they're both related to me, says Mr Crust |work=The Independent |date= 14 May 1994|access-date=4 September 2017}}</ref>

=== Sports ===
Major has been keen on sports since his youth, most notably cricket;{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=22–24}} he is also a supporter of [[Chelsea F.C.]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://theshed.chelseafc.com/celebs.shtml |title=The Shed&nbsp;– Celebrity Fans |publisher=Chelsea F.C. |access-date=17 April 2010 |archive-date=23 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100723091542/http://theshed.chelseafc.com/celebs.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{sfn|Major|2000|p=21}} and a Patron of [[British Gymnastics]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.british-gymnastics.org/news-and-events/news/latest-news/3529-sir-john-major-becomes-british-gymnastics-patron |title=Sir John Major becomes British Gymnastics Patron |access-date=3 December 2013 |publisher=British Gymnastics |archive-date=7 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207085222/http://www.british-gymnastics.org/news-and-events/news/latest-news/3529-sir-john-major-becomes-british-gymnastics-patron |url-status=dead }}</ref> He also enjoys gardening, listening to music and reading, [[Anthony Trollope]] being among his favourite authors.{{sfn|Seldon|1998|pp=200–201}}{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=10–11}} Major is a [[Christian]], though his upbringing was never especially religious and he states that he is "a believer at a distance".{{sfn|Major|2000|pp=13–14}} He shied away from the topic when in office, stating that "I have always been a little wary of politicians who parade their faith, and prefer a little English reserve on the subject."<ref>{{cite news|first=Philip |last=Giddings|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a83sxsXgiJwC&q=I+have+always+been+a+little+wary+of+politicians+who+parade+their+faith%2C+and+prefer+a+little+English+reserve+on+the+subject.&pg=PA29|title=John Major – The Autobiography review |publisher=Third Way |date= December 1999}}</ref>

==Honours==
[[File:The Queen and John Major 09 Jun 1999 (7139078257).jpg|thumb|Major receiving the insignia of a [[Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour]] from the Queen at Buckingham Palace, 1999]]

In the [[1999 New Year Honours|1999 New Year Honours List]], Major was made a [[Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour]] for his work on the [[Northern Ireland peace process]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1998/12/98/new_year_honours/245096.stm |title=Major leads honours list for peace |work=BBC News |date=31 December 1998 |access-date=13 March 2011}}</ref>

On 23 April 2005, Major was bestowed with a knighthood as a [[Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter]] by [[Queen Elizabeth&nbsp;II]]. He was installed at [[St George's Chapel, Windsor]], on 13 June. Membership of the [[Order of the Garter]] is limited in number to 24, and as a personal gift of the Monarch is an honour traditionally bestowed on former prime ministers.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4475235.stm |title=Former PM Major becomes Sir John |work=BBC News |date=22 April 2005 |access-date=17 April 2010}}</ref>

On 20 June 2008, Major was granted the Freedom of the [[City of Cork]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.corkcity.ie/news/archivednews2008/mainbody,10937,en.html |title=Freedom of the City 2008 |publisher=Corkcorp.ie |date=20 June 2008 |access-date=17 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123032022/http://corkcity.ie/news/archivednews2008/mainbody,10937,en.html |archive-date=23 November 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/john-major-touched-to-receive-freedom-of-cork-1.1269098 |title=John Major 'touched' to receive freedom of Cork |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=19 June 2008 |access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref> He was also granted the Outstanding Contribution to Ireland award in [[Dublin]] on 4 December 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.johnmajorarchive.org.uk/2010-2014/sir-john-majors-speech-at-joint-award-for-outstanding-contribution-to-ireland-4-december-2014/ |title=Sir John Major's Speech at Joint Award for Outstanding Contribution to Ireland |publisher=John Major official site |date=4 December 2014|access-date=26 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://businessandfinance.com/news/sir-john-major-accepts-outstanding-contribution-ireland-award-2014-business-finance-awards/ |title=Sir John Major accepts Outstanding Contribution to Ireland Award at the 2014 Business & Finance Awards |publisher=Business & Finance|date=4 December 2014|access-date=26 April 2020}}</ref>

On 8 May 2012, Major was personally decorated at the [[Tokyo Imperial Palace|Imperial Palace]] in Tokyo by the [[Emperor of Japan]] with the Grand Cordon of the [[Order of the Rising Sun]] in recognition of his invaluable contributions to [[Japan–UK relations]] through his work in the political and economic arena, and also in promoting mutual understanding. While prime minister, Major had pursued energetic campaigns aimed at boosting bilateral trade: "Priority Japan" (1991–1994) and "Action Japan" (1994–1997). The 1991 Japan Festival also took place under his premiership.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/en/webmagazine/2012/aug/major.html |title=Embassy of Japan in the UK–Japanese Government honours The Rt. Hon Sir John Major |publisher=Uk.emb-japan.go.jp |access-date=5 February 2013}}</ref> He was awarded the [[Honorary Degree]] of [[Doctor of Laws]] (LL.D) by [[Queen's University Belfast]] on 10 November 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=John Major awarded honorary degree from Queen's University for his contribution to the peace process |url=https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2023-11-10/university-honour-for-sir-john-major-one-of-founders-of-ni-peace-process |website=ITV |date=10 November 2023 |access-date=20 November 2023 }}</ref>

===Awards===
In 2008, Major won the [[British Sports Book Awards]] (Best Cricket Book) for ''More Than a Game''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sportsbookawards.com/previous-winners/|title=Previous winners |publisher=[[British Sports Book Awards]] |access-date=29 March 2020}}</ref>

===Public commemoration===
 {{multiple image
 | total_width = 350
 | footer = Two plaques commemorating John Major in South London.
 | image1 = John_Major_plaque_at_St_Helier_Hospital.png
 | alt1 = 
 | caption1 = Plaque on St Helier Hospital, Sutton
 | image2 = John_Major_plaque_in_Archbishop's_Park,_London.jpg
 | alt2 = 
 | caption2 = Plaque in Archbishop's Park, Lambeth
 }}
An [[oil painting]] of Major, painted in 1996 by [[June Mendoza]], is part of the Parliamentary collection,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/worksofart/artwork/june-mendoza/john-major--prime-minister/5344 |title=Art in Parliament: John Major MP |publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom |date=20 April 2010 |access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/about/art-in-parliament/news/2017/april/artwork-john-major/ |title=April Artwork of the Month: 'John Major MP' by June Mendoza |date=1 April 2017 |access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref> as is a bronze bust by Anne Curry, unveiled in the [[Members' Lobby]] on 16 October 2017.<ref name="Murphy">{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/exclusive-mps-splash-out-250000-of-public-money-on-vanity-portraits-9056130.html|title=Exclusive: MPs splash out £250,000 of public money on vanity portraits|last=Murphy|first=Joe|date=13 January 2014|website=[[Evening Standard]]|access-date=13 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/worksofart/artwork/anne-curry/sir-john-major/s529|title=Art in Parliament: John Major bust|publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom |date=20 April 2010 |access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-archive/acwa/johnmajor/|title=Bust of Sir John Major KG CH unveiled|publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom|access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref> There is another bust of Major in the [[Norman Shaw Buildings|Norman Shaw Building North]] by [[Neale Andrew]], sculpted in 1993 and installed in 2004; however, this is not accessible to the public.<ref>{{cite book|title= British Sculptors of the Twentieth Century|editor-first=Alan |editor-last=Windsor|year= 2017|publisher=Routledge}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmcomm/65/6507.htm|title=Twenty-seventh report of the House of Commons Commission 2004/05|publisher=Houses of Parliament|access-date=20 April 2020|archive-date=2 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802154803/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmcomm/65/6507.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

A large bust of John Major by [[Shenda Amery]] in Huntingdon Library was unveiled by his wife, Norma, in 1993.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sculptors.org.uk/artists/shenda-amery|title=SHENDA AMERY MRSS|publisher=Royal Society of Sculptors|access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref>

A painting of John Major by Diccon Swan is on display at the [[Carlton Club]], and was unveiled by his wife Norma in 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theatrex.net/xfer_msky/e_port_h/Events/2003/Diccon_archive.htm|title=Diccon Swan|publisher=Hockaday Museum of Art|date=July 2003| access-date=14 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/quotes-of-the-week-1439318.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/quotes-of-the-week-1439318.html |archive-date=13 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Quotes of the Week|work=The Independent|date=29 May 1994| access-date=14 August 2020}}</ref> The [[National Portrait Gallery, London|National Portrait Gallery]] holds two paintings of Major – the first official portrait of him as prime minister, painted by Peter Deighan in 1994,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/diana-portrait-by-irish-artist-1.117291 |title=Diana portrait by Irish artist|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=20 December 1997| access-date=20 April 2020}}</ref><ref>Fotomax Vintage Photo of Mrs. Major unveiling a Portrait of John Major Painted</ref> and one of John and Norma by [[John Wonnacott]], painted in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw09949/John-Major-Norma-Major |title=Portraits – John Major, Norma Major|publisher=National Portrait Gallery|date=20 July 1993| access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref>

There is a large John Major Suite at [[The Oval]], home to Surrey County Cricket Club; the venue also contains a painting of Major.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://events.kiaoval.com/room/john-major-room/ |title=John Major Room|publisher=Kia Oval|access-date=20 April 2020}}</ref>

There is a 'Heritage in Sutton' plaque on St Helier Hospital, where John Major was born in 1943,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk/page2902.htm|title=Plaques of London – John Major|website=Plaques of London|access-date=17 April 2020|archive-date=17 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417194914/http://www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk/page2902.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> and a plaque commemorating him in [[Archbishop's Park]] next to [[Lambeth Palace]], included as part of the Lambeth Millennium Pathway. There are also various plaques commemorating facilities opened by John Major: at Brampton Memorial Centre, [[Brampton, Cambridgeshire|Brampton]] (opened 1988),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/8409|title=Brampton Memorial Centre|publisher=Imperial War Museum|access-date=20 April 2020}}</ref> [[Hamerton Zoo Park]], Hamerton (1990),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thesabbaticalguide.com/hamerton-zoo-park/|title=Hamerton Zoo Park|publisher=The Sabbatical Guide|first=Ben |last=Reeve|date=30 December 2018|access-date=20 April 2020|archive-date=2 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802190204/https://thesabbaticalguide.com/hamerton-zoo-park/|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Cadbury World]], Birmingham (1991),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/22105927353 |title=Cadbury World plaque|publisher=flikr|date=2 November 2015| access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref> a tree commemorating the restoration of the River Mill pub, [[Eaton Socon]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://st-neots.ccan.co.uk/content/catalogue_item/tree-planted-john-major-eaton-socon-river-bank-cut-july-2018 |title=Tree planted by John Major on the Eaton Socon river bank has been cut down|publisher=Cambridgeshire Community Archive Network|date=22 July 2018| access-date=22 May 2020}}</ref> the gardens at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Huntingdon (2009),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://e-l-d.co.uk/portfolio_page/sensory-garden-hinchingbrooke-hospital/ |title=Sensory Garden for Children's Unit, Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Huntingdonshire|publisher=ELD| access-date=22 May 2020}}</ref> the North Terminal extension at [[Gatwick Airport]] (2011),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-15769869 |title=Major opens Gatwick North Terminal extension|publisher=BBC|date=17 November 2011| access-date=20 April 2020}}</ref> Huntingdonshire Football Association headquarters, Huntingdon (2015),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huntsfa.com/news/2015/sep/17/sir-john-major-opens-new-hunts-fa-headquarters|title=Sir John Major opens new Hunts FA headquarters|publisher=Hunts FA|date=17 September 2015|access-date=20 April 2020}}</ref> and [[Alconbury Weald]] cricket pitch (2019).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk/news/more-600-visitors-attend-first-ever-alconbury-weald-big-summer-bash |title=More than 600 visitors attend the first ever Alconbury Weald Big Summer Bash|publisher=Cambridge Network|date=26 June 2019| access-date=20 April 2020}}</ref>

In 2013, the town of [[Candeleda]] in Spain named a street after John Major ({{lang|es|Avenida de John Major}}{{--)}}, since Major has holidayed there for many years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.es/local-castilla-leon/20130831/abci-john-mayor-conquista-candeleda-201308311736.html?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co.uk%2F|title=John Major "conquista" Candeleda|publisher=ABC Castile y Leon|date=31 August 2013| access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40658560 |title=How to holiday like a prime minister|publisher=BBC|date=25 July 2017| access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref> Major Close, in [[Loughborough Junction]] near where John grew up, is also named after him; the street was to be called 'Sir John Major Close' but this long name breached council guidelines.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/theres-a-john-major-road-ahead-but-even-he-hasnt-noticed-6643487.html |title=There's a John Major road ahead – but even he hasn't noticed|work=Evening Standard|date=24 October 2007| access-date=18 April 2020}}</ref>

In [[type theory]], [[Homogeneous relation|heterogeneous equality]], that is, a form of equality predicate defined for pairs of elements of arbitrary type, not just from the same type, is sometimes referred to as ''John Major's equality'' (JMeq), following [[Conor McBride]]:<ref>{{cite thesis |first=Conor |last=McBride|title=Dependently Typed Functional Programs and their Proofs |url=http://strictlypositive.org/thesis.pdf |type=PhD thesis |chapter= 5.1.3|publisher= [[University of Edinburgh]]|date= 1999}}</ref>
:John Major's 'classless society' widened people's aspirations to equality, but also the gap between rich and poor. After all, aspiring to be equal to others than oneself is the politics of envy. In much the same way, <math>\simeq</math> forms equations between members of any type, but they cannot be treated as equals (ie substituted) unless they are of the same type. Just as before, each thing is only equal to itself.

===Arms===
{{Emblem table
|name = Sir John Major
|image = Coat of Arms of John Major.svg
|imagesize = 200px
|bannerimage = Garter Banner of Sir John Major.svg
|year_adopted = 2005
|crest = A Demi-stag Gules attired and unguled Or langued Azure holding between its forelegs a double-warded Key Or wards 'M' upwards and ribboned Gules Azure and Argent<ref>{{cite web |url=http://heraldry-scotland.com/copgal/displayimage.php?album=33&pos=24 |title=Sir John Major KG |publisher=[[Heraldry Society of Scotland]] |access-date=16 December 2015 |archive-date=22 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222091902/http://heraldry-scotland.com/copgal/displayimage.php?album=33&pos=24 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|coronet =
|escutcheon = Chequy Vert and Azure over all a Portcullis Or in chief three Torteaux Gules<ref>{{cite web |last=Brennan |first=Ian G |url=http://www.heraldicsculptor.com/gartcres.html |title=Garter Crests |website=Heraldicsculptor.com |access-date=16 December 2015}}{{self-published source|date=September 2017}}</ref>
|supporters =
|motto = ''Adeste comites'' (Rally round, comrades)
|other_elements = [[Order of the Garter|Garter circlet]] and appended [[Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour]] insignia<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=The Companion |issue=9 |edition=Spring 2009 |editor=College of St. George |pages=4–5 |title=Sir John Major KG, CH, PC |url=https://www.stgeorges-windsor.org/assets/files/Companion/Companion9.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100508183838/https://www.stgeorges-windsor.org/assets/files/Companion/Companion9.pdf |archive-date=8 May 2010}}</ref>
|banner = The banner of John Major's arms used as Knight Companion of the Garter at [[St George's Chapel]].

}}

==See also==
*[[1997 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours]]
*[[Electoral history of John Major]]
*[[First Major ministry]]
*[[Second Major ministry]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=nb}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Works cited===
{{refbegin|30em|indent=y}}
* {{cite journal
  | last    = Bennett
  | first   = Gillian
  | year    = 1996
  | title   = 'Camera, Lights Action!': The British General Election 1992 as Narrative Event
  | journal = Folklore
  | volume  = 107
  | issue   = 1–2
  | pages   = 94–97
  | doi     = 10.1080/0015587x.1996.9715921
  | issn    = 0015-587X
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last1      = Major
  | first1     = John
  | year       = 2000
  | title      = John Major: The Autobiography
  | location   = London
  | publisher  = HarperCollins
  | isbn       = 978-0-00-257004-6
  | url-access = registration
  | url        = https://archive.org/details/johnmajor00john
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last1        = Seldon
  | first1       = Anthony
  | author-link1 = Anthony Seldon
  | year         = 1998
  | orig-year     = 1997
  | title        = Major: A Political Life
  | location     = London
  | publisher    = Phoenix Books
  | isbn         = 978-0-7538-0145-1
  | url          = https://books.google.com/books?id=gVRxPwAACAAJ
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last       = Snowdon
  | first      = Peter
  | author-link = Peter Snowdon
  | year       = 2010
  | title      = Back from the Brink: The Extraordinary Fall and Rise of the Conservative Party
  | location   = London
  | publisher  = HarperPress
  | isbn       = 978-0-00-730884-2
  | url        = https://books.google.com/books?id=xVYYpnzCU0UC
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last1     = Taylor
  | first1    = Robert
  | year      = 2006
  | title     = Major
  | location  = London
  | publisher = Haus Publishing
  | isbn      = 978-1-904950-72-1
  | url       = https://books.google.com/books?id=IBIDJcDKjEUC
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last      = Turner
  | first     = Alwyn W.
  | title     = A Classless Society: Britain in the 1990s
  | publisher = Aurum Press Ltd
  | date      = 2013
  | isbn      = 978-1-78131-068-7
  }}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin|30em|indent=y}}
* {{cite book
  | last      = Anderson
  | first     = Bruce
  | title     = John Major: The Making of the Prime Minister
  | publisher = Fourth Estate Classic House
  | year      = 1991
  | isbn      = 978-1-872180-54-0
  | ref       = none
  }}
* {{cite journal
  | last1   = Bale
  | first1  = Tim
  | first2  = Karen
  | last2   = Sanders
  | title   = 'Playing by the Book': Success and Failure in John Major's Approach to Prime Ministerial Media Management
  | journal = Contemporary British History
  | volume  = 15
  | issue   = 4
  | year    = 2001
  | pages   = 93–110
  | doi     = 10.1080/713999434
  | s2cid   = 144521737
  | ref     = none
  }}
* Bell, David S., Erwin C. Hargrove, and Kevin Theakston. "Skill in context: A comparison of politicians." ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' 29.3 (1999): 528–548; comparison of John Major with George H.W. Bush (US), and [[Jacques Chirac]] (France).
* {{cite journal
  | last1   = Burnham
  | first1  = June
  | first2  = G. W.
  | last2   = Jones
  | first3  = Robert
  | last3   = Elgie
  | title   = The Parliamentary Activity of John Major, 1990–94
  | journal = British Journal of Political Science
  | volume  = 25
  | issue   = 4
  | year    = 1995
  | pages   = 551–63
  | doi     = 10.1017/S0007123400007341
  | s2cid = 154948468
 | ref     = none
  }}
* {{cite journal
  | last1   = Cowley
  | first1  = Philip
  | first2  = John
  | last2   = Garry
  | title   = The British Conservative Party and Europe: the choosing of John Major
  | journal = British Journal of Political Science
  | volume  = 28
  | issue   = 3
  | year    = 1998
  | pages   = 473–99
  | doi     = 10.1017/S0007123498000350
  | ref     = none
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last1    = Critchley
  | first1   = Julian
  | first2    = Morrison
  | last2   = Halcrow
  | title     = Collapse of Stout Party: The Decline and Fall of the Tories
  | date      = 1997
  | publisher = Victor Gollancz
  | isbn      = 978-0-5750-6277-1
  | ref       = none
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last      = Dell
  | first     = Edmund
  | title     = The Chancellors: A History of the Chancellors of the Exchequer, 1945–90
  | publisher = HarperCollins
  | year      = 1996
  | pages     = 541–50
  | isbn      = 978-0-00-255558-6
  | ref       = none
  }}, covers his term as Chancellor.
* {{cite book
  | editor-last  = Dorey
  | editor-first = Peter
  | title        = The Major Premiership: Politics and Policies under John Major, 1990–97
  | publisher    = Macmillan
  | year         = 1999
  | isbn         = 978-0-333-73681-4
  | ref          = none
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last      = Ellis
  | first     = Nesta Wyn
  | title     = John Major: A Personal Biography
  | publisher = Time Warner Books UK
  | date      = 1991
  | isbn      = 978-0-356-20304-1
  | ref       = none
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last      = Foley
  | first     = Michael
  | title     = John Major, Tony Blair & a Conflict of Leadership: Collision Course
  | date      = 2003
  | publisher = Manchester University Press
  | isbn      = 978-0-7190-6316-9
  | ref       = none
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last1     = Hickson
  | first1    = Kevin
  | last2     = Williams
  | first2    = Ben
  | title     = John Major: An Unsuccessful Prime Minister?: Reappraising John Major
  | year      = 2017
  | publisher = Biteback Publishing
  | isbn      = 978-1-78590-067-9
  | ref       = none
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last1     = Hogg
  | first1    = Sarah
  | first2    = Jonathan
  | last2     = Hill
  | title     = Too Close to Call: Power and Politics; John Major in No. 10
  | publisher = Little, Brown
  | year      = 1995
  | isbn      = 978-0-316-87716-9
  | ref       = none
  }}
* {{cite journal
  | last1   = Jones
  | first1  = Philip
  | first2  = John
  | last2   = Hudson
  | title   = The Quality of Political Leadership: A case study of John Major
  | journal = British Journal of Political Science
  | volume  = 26
  | issue   = 2
  | year    = 1996
  | pages   = 229–44
  | doi     = 10.1017/S0007123400000430
  | s2cid = 153794499
 | ref     = none
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last      = Junor
  | first     = Penny
  | title     = John Major: From Brixton to Downing Street
  | publisher = Penguin Books Ltd
  | year      = 1996
  | isbn      = 978-0-14-023874-7
  | ref       = none
  }}
* {{cite book
  | editor1-last  = Kavanagh
  | editor1-first = Dennis
  | editor2-first = Anthony
  | editor2-last  = Seldon
  | title         = The Major Effect: An Overview of John Major's Premiership
  | publisher     = Pan Books, Ltd
  | year          = 1994
  | isbn          = 978-0-333-62273-5
  | ref           = none
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last      = Pearce
  | first     = Edward
  | title     = The Quiet Rise of John Major
  | publisher = Weidenfeld & Nicolson
  | year      = 1991
  | isbn      = 978-0-297-81208-1
  | ref       = none
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last      = Reitan
  | first     = Earl A.
  | title     = The Thatcher Revolution: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, and the Transformation of Modern Britain
  | publisher = Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
  | year      = 2002
  | isbn      = 978-0-7425-2202-2
  | ref       = none
  }}
{{refend}}

===Primary sources===
{{refbegin|30em|indent=y}}
* {{cite book
  | last1     = Major
  | first1    = John
  | year      = 2007
  | title     = More Than a Game: The Story of Cricket's Early Years
  | location  = London
  | publisher = HarperCollins
  | isbn      = 978-0-00-718364-7
  | ref       = none
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last1      = Major
  | first1     = John
  | year       = 2012
  | title      = My Old Man: A Personal History of Music Hall
  | location   = London
  | publisher  = HarperCollins
  | isbn       = 978-0-00-745014-5
  | ref        = none
  | url        = https://archive.org/details/myoldmanpersonal0000majo
  | url-access = registration
  }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Wikiquote|John Major}}
*{{C-SPAN|10100}}
* {{Hansard-contribs | mr-john-major | John Major }}
* [http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpn=John_Major&mpc=Huntingdon The Public Whip – John Major MP] voting record
* [http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=11723 Ubben Lecture at DePauw University]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070205103721/http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page125.asp More about John Major] on the [[Downing Street]] website.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928040024/http://www.gresham.ac.uk/event.asp?PageId=45&EventId=602 'Prime-Ministers in the Post-War World: John Major'], lecture by [[Vernon Bogdanor]] at [[Gresham College]] on 21 June 2007 (with video and audio files available for download).
* {{NPG name}}
* {{UK National Archives ID}}

{{Navboxes
|title=Offices and distinctions
|list1=
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef|before=[[David Renton]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for [[Huntingdonshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Huntingdonshire]]|years=[[1979 United Kingdom general election|1979]]–[[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983]]}}
{{s-non|reason=Constituency abolished}}

{{s-new|constituency}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for [[Huntingdon (UK Parliament constituency)|Huntingdon]]|years=[[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983]]–[[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Jonathan Djanogly]]}}

{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[John MacGregor, Baron MacGregor of Pulham Market|John MacGregor]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Chief Secretary to the Treasury]]|years=1987–1989}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Norman Lamont]]}}

{{s-bef|before=[[Sir Geoffrey Howe]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Foreign Secretary (United Kingdom)|Foreign Secretary]]|years=1989}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Douglas Hurd]]}}

{{s-bef|rows=2|before=[[Nigel Lawson]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Chancellor of the Exchequer]]|years=1989–1990}}
{{s-aft|rows=2|after=[[Norman Lamont]]}}

{{s-ttl|title=[[Second Lord of the Treasury]]|years=1989–1990}}

{{s-bef|rows=3|before=[[Margaret Thatcher]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]]|years=1990–1997}}
{{s-aft|rows=3|after=[[Tony Blair]]}}

{{s-ttl|title=[[First Lord of the Treasury]]|years=1990–1997}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Minister for the Civil Service]]|years=1990–1997}}

{{s-bef|before=[[Tony Blair]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]]|years=1997}}
{{s-aft|after=[[William Hague]]}}

{{s-bef|before=[[Robin Cook]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Shadow Foreign Secretary]]|years=1997}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Michael Howard]]}}

{{s-bef|before=[[David Clark, Baron Clark of Windermere|The Lord Clark of Windermere]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Shadow Secretary of State for Defence]]|years=1997}}
{{s-aft|after=[[George Young, Baron Young of Cookham|George Young]]}}

{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Margaret Thatcher]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Leader of the Conservative Party (UK)|Leader of the Conservative Party]]|years=1990–1997}}
{{s-aft|after=[[William Hague]]}}

{{s-dip}}
{{s-bef|before=[[George H. W. Bush]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chairperson of the [[Group of Eight|Group of 7]]|years=1991}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Helmut Kohl]]}}

{{s-sports}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Micky Stewart]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Presidents of Surrey CCC|President of Surrey CCC]]|years=2000–2002}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Brian Downing]]}}
{{s-end}}
}}

{{Navboxes|title= John Major navigational boxes|list1=
{{John Major}}
{{Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom}}
{{Leaders of the Opposition UK}}
{{Chancellors of the Exchequer}}
{{Foreign Secretary}}
{{Chief Secretaries to the Treasury}}
{{Major Ministry}}
{{Thatcher Ministry}}
{{Conservative Party (UK)}}
{{1990 Conservative Party leadership election}}
{{1995 Conservative Party leadership election}}
{{1992 United Kingdom general election|state=collapsed}}
{{1997 United Kingdom general election}}
{{Shadow Defence Secretaries}}
{{Shadow Foreign Secretaries}}
{{Presidents of the European Council}}
{{Members of the Order of the Garter}}
}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Politics|United Kingdom|London|Cricket|Conservatism}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Major, John}}
[[Category:John Major| ]]
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Carshalton]]
[[Category:English autobiographers]]
[[Category:English bankers]]
[[Category:English male non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Cricket writers]]
[[Category:20th-century prime ministers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:British secretaries of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs]]
[[Category:Chancellors of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Conservative Party prime ministers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Councillors in the London Borough of Lambeth]]
[[Category:Leaders of the Conservative Party (UK)]]
[[Category:Leaders of the opposition (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:The Carlyle Group people]]
[[Category:Knights of the Garter]]
[[Category:Grand Cordons of the Order of the Rising Sun]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the Companions of Honour]]
[[Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:People educated at Rutlish School]]
[[Category:People from Brixton]]
[[Category:Presidents of Chatham House]]
[[Category:Presidents of Surrey County Cricket Club]]
[[Category:Presidents of the European Council]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1979–1983]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1983–1987]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1987–1992]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1992–1997]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1997–2001]]
[[Category:Chief secretaries to the Treasury]]
[[Category:History of the London Borough of Lambeth]]
[[Category:British people of English descent]]
[[Category:British people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:English people of Welsh descent]]
[[Category:20th-century Protestants]]
[[Category:21st-century Protestants]]
[[Category:English Anglicans]]
[[Category:20th-century British autobiographers]]
[[Category:First Lords of the Treasury]]