[405], In 2013 the town of Candeleda in Spain named a street for John Major (Avenida de John Major), as Major has holidayed there for many years. [266][267], 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. [41][34] 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. [221][222], 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". 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. [216][217] With a high turnout, the Conservatives earned over 14 million votes which remains a record in any UK general election. Every time he gets up now I keep thinking, 'What on earth is Councillor Major doing?' I hope that everyone will respect that wish., Mr Salter, a keen cricketer and golfer, revealed in August that. [276] 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. [198] Major subsequently announced on 22 November that he would stand in the second ballot, with Thatcher's backing. [92][93], Major later became an assistant whip in January 1983, responsible for East Anglian MPs. She was three months' pregnant with a fourth child whose father was William Cameron. Tap into Getty Images global-scale, data-driven insights and network of over 340,000creators to create content exclusively for your brand. In the 1997 election on 1 May 1997, Labour won a 179-seat majority, ending their eighteen years in opposition. [196][197] 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. 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. [231][232], Major's Resignation Honours were announced on 1 August 1997. [151][150], After just three months as Foreign Secretary Major was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer on 26 October 1989 after 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. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Major's term ended with his resignation on 2 May 1997. He has suffered hair loss as a side-effect of the intensive chemotherapy he has had to try to shrink the tumour. Major was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005 for services to politics and charity, and was made a Companion of Honour in 1999 for his work on the Northern Ireland peace process. Mr Salter said he was 'upbeat' about his chances of beating the killer disease - but that the rarity of his tumour made it impossible to say what his chances of a full recovery were. It would merely prolong the agony. Major was later to express regret for his support for large-scale tower block estates. The veterinary nurse wed medical student Luke Salter, 28, at All Saints' Church at Somerby in Rutland. Mr Salter, whom friends describe as a good all-round sportsman, particularly keen on cricket and golf, has had to stop his work as a doctor for Leicester University Hospitals NHS Trust. The protesters were evicted in February 1984. Moment commuter blasts eco-zealots, Student kicked out of school for 'there are only two genders' t-shirt, Russian freight train derails and bursts into flames after explosion, Royal superfans camping on The Mall ahead of King's Coronation, Women's rights activists and pro-trans campaigners separated, Historic chairs to be reused by the King for the coronation service, Saboteurs wreck Russian train cut power cables 37mi from Ukraine, Braverman: People crossing Channel are 'at odds with British values', Cambridge students party in the park during annual celebrations, Unseen footage of Meghan Markle during her teenage years, Moment large saltwater crocodile snatches pet dog off beach in QLD, Hundreds of Household Division members rehearse for coronation. 'Because of the rareness of it, it's difficult to speculate about how things will turn out. 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). [187] The Conservatives lost the 1990 Mid Staffordshire by-election to Labour and the 1990 Eastbourne by-election to the Liberal Democrats, both Conservative seats, causing many Conservative MPs to worry about their prospects at the upcoming general election, due in 1991 or 1992. . [123][124] Major successfully concluded a second round of such spending reviews in July 1988. It will make our country poorer and weaker. One day both yet may come to recognise and appreciate it. [71][72] Major was promoted to head of the PR department in August 1976, and his duties necessitated the occasional foreign trip to East Asia. It will affect nearly every single aspect of our lives for many decades to come. Hon. Mother of the UK's most premature twins who were given ZERO chance of survival says they are going from GP appointments crisis laid bare as figures show family doctors are cramming in up to 60 patients per day. Redefining the workforce: what jobs are AI likely to replace first? [226] This was the worst general election result of the 20th century for the Conservatives, seeing the loss of all the party's seats in Wales and Scotland. Sir John Major and Norma Christina Elizabeth Wagstaff, on 26 March 2000 at All Saints' Church, Somerby, Leicestershire, England G. 1 He died on 22 November 2002 at age 30, from brain cancer. [248][273] Major was also a Director with the Ditchley Foundation from 2000 to 2009,[259][274] and a President of the influential centre-right think tank the Bow Group from 2012 to 2014. [6][30], Major's first job was as a clerk in the London-based insurance brokerage firm Price Forbes in 1959, though finding the job dull and offering no prospects he quit. He added: 'Of course, it came as a terrible shock and this is a very difficult time for me and Elizabeth and our families. [191][177] 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. [79][83] 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.[83]. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. ", "John Major appointed European Chairman of the Carlyle Group", "Carlyle begins roadshow for float of private equity pioneer", "Royal wedding guest list includes friends, family and a few dictators", "Royal wedding 2018: Prince Harry and Meghan married at Windsor", "Nelson Mandela: UK to send huge political delegation to South Africa", "Dignitaries from around the world attend funeral service of Barbara Bush", "Former British PM John Major will attend Bush's funeral service", "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", "The Major-Currie affair what the papers say", "John Major, Edwina Currie and me, by Clare Latimer", "Forty million dollar Bill: Earning power of an ex-leader", "Bow Group President Sir John Major reflects on 20 years of the Northern Irish Peace Process and his role in it", "Mr Major's Statement on ERM Paper Release", "John Major leads calls for inquiry into conflict", "Cameron snubbed again as Major rules out mayor race", "BBC News Ed Miliband asks Lib Dems to help draw up Labour policy", "Sir John Major urges Tory and Lib Dem pact to continue", "Private school influence in public life 'shocking' says Major", "John Major 'shocked' at privately educated elite's hold on power", "Scots independence threat to UK influence, says Sir John Major", "Scottish independence: Former prime minister John Major gives warning", "Sir John Major condemns Boris Johnson for 'routine attacks' on PM without 'any coherent' Brexit plan", "John Major calls for Commons vote on second referendum", "Boris Johnson faces Brexit challenges as he steps up talks with EU: Live updates", "General election: Former Tory PM John Major urges people to vote against Boris Johnson's candidates", "John Major warns rushed UK-EU trade deal will be 'flimsy', "Boris Johnson 'shredding' UK's reputation with Partygate saga, says former PM Major", "Former UK PM Major: Boris Johnson must go now, for good of the country", "Brexit 'colossal mistake', John Major tells MPs", "Boris Johnson agreed Brexit protocol knowing it was a 'mess', says John Major", "Who has been UK's greatest post-war PM? [346] They have two children: a daughter, Elizabeth (born November 1971)[68][69] and a son, James (b. January 1975). [301] 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. Major's second ministry was also defined by conflicts within the Conservative Party regarding Europe after the government's defeat on the Maastricht Treaty. He remained active in parliament, regularly attending and contributing in debates, until he gave up his seat in the 2001 general election to focus on writing and his business, sporting and charity work. His resignation as Conservative leader formally took effect in June 1997 after the election of William Hague. [305] 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. [246][247], John Major has also been actively engaged in charity work, being President of Asthma UK,[248] and a Patron of the Prostate Cancer Charity, Sightsavers UK, Mercy Ships, Support for Africa 2000[248] and Afghan Heroes. [208], Major became prime minister on 28 November 1990 when he accepted the Queen's invitation to form a government, succeeding Margaret Thatcher. DETAILS Restrictions: Guests, including the bride's brother James and his pregnant wife Emma Noble, gathered at the small church about an hour before the bride arrived. [342] Less flatteringly, Major was the subject of the song John Major Fuck You by Scottish punk band Oi Polloi. [292], 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". [42][38] He also assisted local Conservative candidates Kenneth Payne in the 1964 general election and Piers Dixon in the 1966 general election. He inherited a majority government from Margaret Thatcher who had been the prime minister for the previous eleven years. Mr Salter, who was 30 and had qualified recently as a hospital doctor, was the childhood sweetheart of the Majors only daughter Elizabeth, whom he married two years ago. Genealogy for Elizabeth Major (Jones) (c.1715 - 1795) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. 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. 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. 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. Elizabeth Cooper McGillis 96 episodes, 1989-1993 Matt Mulhern . [218] This was the Conservatives' fourth consecutive election victory. [297] Ongoing 'sleaze'-related scandals among leading Conservative MPs also did Major and his government no favours, decreasing support for the party amongst the public. [373] 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. ",[321] whereas on the left Labour's Alastair Campbell dismissed him as a "piece of lettuce that passes for prime minister"[322] and Labour MP Tony Banks said of Major in 1994 that, "He was a fairly competent Chairman of Housing on Lambeth Council. [180][177], 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. [224] Following a string of by-election defeats, the Conservatives' majority of 21 had been eroded by 13 December 1996.[225]. [184][185][186] 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 rioting. [270] In a press statement, Major said that he was "ashamed" by the affair and that his wife had forgiven him. He formed 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. [116][117], Following the 1987 general election, in which Major retained his seat with an increased majority,[118][119] he was promoted to the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, making him the first MP of the 1979 intake to reach the Cabinet. [255][256][257] He stood down from the Group circa 200405. [174][175] 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. [350][351] Salter died on 22 November 2002 from cancer. Registered in England No. view all 20 Immediate Family John E. Major husband Elizabeth Major daughter Edward Major son Anne Finch Major daughter Katherine Major daughter Maria Major daughter George Bernard Major son George Marable father Ann mother Lt. Edward Henry Marable brother JOHN MARABLE brother William Marable brother view all Martha Marable's Timeline M N O P Q R S [161][162] 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. [356][357] John's sister Patricia Dessoy kept a much lower profile; she died in 2017. [6] His birth had been a difficult one, with his mother suffering from pleurisy and pneumonia and John Major requiring several blood transfusions due to an infection, causing permanent scarring to his ankles. Elizabeth Major, daughter of former prime minister John Major, has been married. [245] 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. [158][159], As Chancellor, Major presented only one Budget, the first to be televised live, on 20 March 1990. 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. [195][194] Both John Major and Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd supported Thatcher in the first round. [325][326] Bell also used the humorous possibilities of the Cones Hotline, a means for the public to inform the authorities of potentially unnecessary traffic cones, which was part of the Citizen's Charter project established by John Major. [40] Major stood as a Councillor in the 1964 Lambeth London Borough Council election for Larkhall ward at the age of 21 in 1964, losing to Labour. 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;[327][328] Wright published a second collection of '101 Uses', as well as a parodic cartoon biography of Major entitled Not Inconsiderable: Being the Life and Times of John Major.[329]. But maybe Campbell has a point on the press", "Not Inconsiderable: Being the Life and Times of John Major", "Rory Bremner's impression of John Major was so good, there were fears he could 'bring down the government', "Cabinet secretary 'voiced security fears' over Rory Bremner's impersonation of John Major", "Mr Major's Speech to Conservative Group for Europe", "John Major's Contributions in the 'The Major Years' 15 October 1999", "Historical British Prime Ministers On Screen", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCGuciAmOY4`, "John Major dismisses The Crown as a 'barrel-load of nonsense', "Take a video tour of 1992 Brixton with John Major", "Protection bill for John Major rises to 1.5m", "Tony Blair police protection costs under scrutiny", "Noble Vs Major: Sir John and Lady Major deny claims they are ignoring their autistic grandchild", "Major steals the show with 'secret siblings', "Major and Thatcher: how they are related: So it really is in the genes. Luke Salter, 29, a newly qualified doctor, married the former Prime Minister's daughter Elizabeth, 30, two years ago. "[156][157] 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. [134] 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. He needed emergency surgery to remove his appendix, but has fully recovered. Economic growth wasn't re-established until early 1993. [94][95] 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 missiles at the base and had established a permanent 'peace camp' there. [85][86][87] 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 Committees. In February 1970 Major became Chairman of the Housing Committee, being responsible for overseeing the building of several large council estates. His wife, former game show hostess Emma Noble, 30, rushed him to hospital with a severe headache and high temperature. [42][43] Another formative influence on Major in this period was Jean Kierans, a divorce 13 years his elder with two children who lived opposite the family on Burton Road, who became his mentor and lover. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. [249] In February 2012, Major became chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust,[250] which was formed as part of the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II and is intended to support charitable organisations and projects across the Commonwealth, focusing on areas such as cures for diseases and the promotion of culture and education. [299], Major defended his government in his memoirs, focusing particularly on how under him the British economy had recovered from the recession of 19901993. Major supported a 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. [220] This event would later be called Black Wednesday. [355] James later married Kate Postlethwaite (ne Dorrell), the mother of his second son. "[323], The media (particularly The Guardian 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,[324] as a pale grey echo of both Superman and Supermac, a parody of Harold Macmillan. It shouldn't be used for commercial use which includes advertising, marketing, promotion, packaging, advertorials, and consumer or merchandising products. [127][128] Major also insisted in discussions with Thatcher that government assistance should be provided to support the sale of Short Brothers to Bombardier, an aerospace company and major employer in Northern Ireland which might otherwise have collapsed. The Tories remained divided over this era and in an attempt to silence his critics, Major resigned as Party leader. But I'm receiving treatment for it with a curative intent. RM G4HK04 - Elizabeth Major, daughter of former Prime Minister John Major, with her fiance Luke Salter at her family home near Huntingdon, where they formerly announced their engagement. [152][153][154][nb 8] 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. Biography She is the daughter of Norman Wagstaff and Edith Johnson, and was born Norma Christina Elizabeth Wagstaff. [166][167] The move was seen as a wrecking tactic by France and Germany, especially when the increasingly Euro-sceptic Thatcher announced her outright opposition to EMU, and the idea was abandoned. [242], Major has further indulged his love of cricket as President of Surrey County Cricket Club from 2000 to 2001[243] (and Honorary Life Vice-president since 2002). 2023 Getty Images. [309] 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. [90] At this time Major lived in De Vere Close, Hemingford Grey. [178][179] An interest rate cut of 1% (from 15%) was also announced on the same day. 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.

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