John Major

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The Right Honourable

Sir John Major

KG CH
Major PM full.jpg
John Major in 1996
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office
28 November 1990 – 2 May 1997
MonarchElizabeth II
DeputyMichael Heseltine (1995–97)
Preceded byMargaret Thatcher
Succeeded byTony Blair
Leader of the Opposition
In office
2 May 1997 – 19 June 1997
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterTony Blair
DeputyMichael Heseltine
Preceded byTony Blair
Succeeded byWilliam Hague
Leader of the Conservative Party
In office
27 November 1990 – 19 June 1997
DeputyViscount Whitelaw (1990–91)
Preceded byMargaret Thatcher
Succeeded byWilliam Hague
Ministerial offices
Chancellor of the Exchequer
In office
26 October 1989 – 28 November 1990
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded byNigel Lawson
Succeeded byNorman Lamont
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
In office
24 July 1989 – 26 October 1989
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded bySir Geoffrey Howe
Succeeded byDouglas Hurd
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
In office
13 June 1987 – 24 July 1989
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded byJohn MacGregor
Succeeded byNorman Lamont
Minister of State for Social Security
In office
10 September 1986 – 13 June 1987
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded byTony Newton
Succeeded byNicholas Scott
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security
In office
2 September 1985 – 10 September 1986
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded byJohn Patten
Succeeded byNicholas Lyell
Lord Commissioner of the Treasury
In office
3 October 1984 – 1 November 1985
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded byAlastair Goodlad
Succeeded byTim Sainsbury
Member of Parliament
for Huntingdon
(Huntingdonshire, 1979–1983)
In office
3 May 1979 – 14 May 2001
Preceded byDavid Renton
Succeeded byJonathan Djanogly
Personal details
Born (1943-03-29) 29 March 1943 (age 78)
St Helier, Surrey, England
Political partyConservative
Spouse(s)
Norma Johnson (m. 1970)
Children2
ParentsTom Major-Ball (father)
RelativesTerry Major-Ball (brother)
EducationRutlish School
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

Sir John Major KG CH (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. He served as a member of the Cabinet under Margaret Thatcher as Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1987–1989), Foreign Secretary (1989) and Chancellor of the Exchequer (1989–1990).

Early life and career[change | change source]

Major was born at St Helier Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital for Children in St Helier, London, in England and left school at the age of 16.[1][2] He became a Conservative councillor in 1968. At the 1979 general election, Major was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Huntingdonshire (Huntingdon after 1983).

After holding several cabinet positions, Major was elected to replace Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister and party leader.[3] On taking office, he saw British action in the Gulf War (1991) and his party's narrow re-election in the 1992 general election.

After this, the Conservatives under Major became unpopular because of the "Black Wednesday" stock market crash in late 1992 and how they became divided over the issue of European Union. Beaten at the 1997 general election, Major stood down as Prime Minister for Tony Blair of the Labour Party, and was replaced as Conservative leader by William Hague. He stood down as an MP at the 2001 general election.

Major has so far declined a life peerage on standing down from Parliament.[4]

Personal life[change | change source]

Major married Norma Johnson (now (Dame) Norma Major DBE) on 3 October 1970. She was a teacher, and a member of the Young Conservatives. They became engaged after only ten days.[5] They have two children; a son, James, and a daughter, Elizabeth. They have a holiday home on the coast of north Norfolk, near Weybourne.[6]

He is a keen follower of cricket, motor racing, and also a supporter of Chelsea Football Club.[7][8]

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ Major, John (2000). John Major: The Autobiography. London: HarperCollins. p. 30. ISBN 978-0-00-653074-9.
  2. ↑ Seldon, Anthony (1998). Major – A Political Life. London: Phoenix. p. 18. ISBN 978-0-7538-0145-1.
  3. ↑ Malcolm Rifkind (15 August 1999). "Major has every right to shop Lady Thatcher". London: Independent Newspapers. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  4. ↑ "Major to turn down peerage". BBC News. BBC. 8 October 2000. Retrieved 15 August 2006.
  5. ↑ "Profile at". Number10.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  6. ↑ Brogan, Benedict (21 March 2002). "Protection bill for John Major rises to £1.5m". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
  7. ↑ "Insert". Manutd.com. Archived from the original on 2012-09-29. Retrieved 2012-08-08.
  8. ↑ "Celebrity Fans". The Shed. Chelsea F.C. Archived from the original on 23 July 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2010.

Other websites[change | change source]


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