John Major

John Major, born on 29 March 1943, is currently the oldest among the seven former prime ministers alive. If he lives until 28 March 2036, he will surpass Callaghan's record and become the longest-lived prime minister.

John Major did not attend university after leaving school at the age of 16, which was unlike many Prime Ministers of the 20th century.

At the age of 21 in 1964, John Major stood as a candidate for Lambeth Borough Council and was unexpectedly elected in the Conservative landslide in 1968. He served as Chairman of the Housing Committee during his time on the council.

In 1967, while working in Nigeria, John Major was involved in a serious car accident. This experience also led him to engage in community work and develop a strong aversion to racism.

Despite moving to a ward that was easier for the Conservatives to win, John Major lost his seat on Lambeth Borough Council in May 1971.

John Major married Norma Johnson on October 3, 1970, which he considered the best decision of his life. Norma was a teacher and a member of the Young Conservatives. They met on polling day for the Greater London Council elections in London and got engaged after only ten days. They have two children, James and Elizabeth.

In 1979, John Major successfully won the Huntingdonshire seat in Parliament after previously standing for Parliament twice in 1974 and losing both times.

In a surprise re-shuffle on 24 July 1989, John Major was appointed Foreign Secretary, succeeding Geoffrey Howe.

After just three months as Foreign Secretary, John Major was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer on 26 October 1989, following the sudden resignation of Nigel Lawson. Major prioritized tackling inflation and delivered his first Autumn Statement, announcing increased spending mainly for the NHS.

John Major presented his first Budget as Chancellor of the Exchequer on 20 March 1990, which was the first to be televised live. He introduced measures such as the Tax-exempt special savings account (TESSA) and tax cuts, while increasing taxes on alcohol, cigarettes, and petrol.

On 4 October 1990, after convincing Margaret Thatcher, John Major successfully led Britain to join the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) at a rate of DM 2.95 to £1.00. This decision was made to combat inflation and stabilize the economy.

On 22 November 1990, John Major announced his candidacy for the Conservative Party leadership following Margaret Thatcher's withdrawal. Major's platform included moderation on Europe, a review of the poll tax, and the desire to build a 'classless society'.

On 27 November 1990, John Major won the Conservative Party leadership contest after securing a majority of votes from Conservative MPs. He was formally named Leader of the Conservative Party and subsequently appointed as the Prime Minister the following day.

John Major became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on November 28, 1990, succeeding Margaret Thatcher. He took office after winning a three-way contest for the Conservative Party leadership.

On December 22, 1990, Prime Minister John Major met with President Bush during a private visit at Camp David, Maryland.

Prime Minister John Major had an informal meeting with President Bush at Kennebunkport, Maine on May 14, 1991.

Prime Minister John Major addressed a joint meeting of Congress on May 16, 1991.

Prime Minister John Major had an official working visit during June 6-8, 1992. He also had a private visit to Camp David, Maryland, on December 19-20, accompanied by EC President Delors.

After the events of Black Wednesday, it was revealed that John Major had a lack of understanding of the situation and even prepared a resignation speech. This incident highlighted the challenges and faults in Major's economic policies.

On 16 September 1992, the UK was forced to exit the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM), leading to a day known as 'Black Wednesday'. Billions of pounds were wasted in a failed attempt to defend the value of sterling, causing upheaval and nearly resulting in Prime Minister Major's resignation.

British Coal announced a plan to close numerous loss-making pits on 13 October 1992, resulting in the loss of 30,000 jobs. This decision faced public backlash and opposition from various political parties and groups, leading to protests and eventual government intervention.

Prime Minister John Major met with President Clinton during a private visit on December 18-20, 1992.

In February 1993, Prime Minister John Major conducted an official working visit to Pittsburgh, PA, and Washington, D.C. to engage in diplomatic discussions and strengthen ties between the United Kingdom and the United States.

After facing opposition within the Conservative Party regarding the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty, John Major called for a vote of confidence on July 23, 1993. Despite winning the vote, his authority in parliament was significantly weakened.

The Downing Street Declaration was issued on 15 December 1993 by John Major and Irish Prime Minister Albert Reynolds. This declaration played a crucial role in the peace process in Northern Ireland, leading to an IRA ceasefire in 1994.

In February 1994, Prime Minister John Major undertook an official working visit, although specific details of the visit were not mentioned.

Stephen Milligan, a conservative MP, died in a bizarre autoerotic accident in 1994. His death added to the series of scandals during Major's 'Back to Basics' campaign.

On June 22, 1995, tired of continual threats of leadership challenges, John Major resigned as Leader of the Conservative Party and announced his intention to contest the resulting leadership election against John Redwood.

John Major, at the age of 54 years and 33 days, became the youngest losing prime minister when the Conservative Party lost the 1997 general election.

John Major called for a general election on 1 May 1997, hoping to benefit from the economic recovery and expose 'New Labour' as a shallow marketing gimmick. However, Labour won by a landslide, leading to the worst electoral defeat for the Conservative Party since the Reform Act of 1832.

On May 2, 1997, John Major officially returned his seals of office as Prime Minister to Queen Elizabeth II. This marked the end of his tenure as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

In 1999, John Major was honored with the title of Companion of Honour.

On October 29, 2001, during an Ubben Lecture at DePauw University, former British Prime Minister John Major expressed that the 'wicked attacks' on the United States should not go unpunished.

In September 2002, it was revealed that John Major had a four-year-long extramarital affair with Edwina Currie from 1984 to 1988. This revelation led to accusations of hypocrisy due to Major's previous 'Back to Basics' platform.

On April 23, 2005, John Major was made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter by Queen Elizabeth 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 is an honor traditionally bestowed on former British Prime Ministers and a personal gift of Her Majesty the Queen.

In December 2006, Major led calls for an independent inquiry into Tony Blair's decision to invade Iraq, prompted by revelations from a former British senior diplomat that contradicted Blair's justification for the invasion.

On 20 June 2008, John Major was granted the Freedom of the City of Cork.

In 2016, Ken Clarke, Major's Chancellor, commented that Major's reputation had improved over time compared to Tony Blair's declining reputation. This reflects a reassessment of Major's leadership.

In 2017, Mark Stuart praised John Major as the best ex-Prime Minister, emphasizing Major's achievements in areas such as the Northern Ireland peace process, economic policies, and the National Lottery. Stuart's evaluation reflects a positive view of Major's legacy.

On August 30, 2019, John Major announces his intention to join the legal action initiated by anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller to prevent Boris Johnson from proroguing Parliament for five weeks.

On October 17, 2022, John Major criticizes the fifth season of Netflix's "The Crown" in a statement to CNN, calling it 'damaging and malicious fiction' and 'a barrel-load of nonsense'. Netflix defends the show as a 'fictional dramatisation'.