John Major: The Unsung Hero of British Politics

John Major, born in 1943 in London, is often referred to as ‘The Grey Man’ or ‘The Invisible Man’ of British politics, which seems a tad unfair considering he was Prime Minister of the UK from 1990 to 1997.

Of course, John Major does not have the most exciting or flamboyant reputation. However, we should not forget that he was a solid, dependable leader who played a vital role in shaping modern-day Britain.

Apart from his political career, John Major has an interesting personal life. He married his childhood sweetheart, Norma Johnson, in 1970, and they have two children. They are known to be an incredibly private couple, so much so that John Major was once overheard telling a journalist that he would “like” to share the details of his sex life but “no one would be interested”. An undeniably odd statement from the man who led one of the most conservative governments in British history.

But back to his contributions to the nation; despite being remembered by some as the man who took over from Margaret Thatcher and struggled to guide the nation through economic difficulties and a succession of crises, we should not overlook his successes.

For instance, he was instrumental in creating the National Lottery, which allows Britons to dream of becoming millionaires on a weekly basis. Plus, he launched the Citizens Charter, which aimed to improve public services and ensure a high standard of treatment from professionals.

He also managed to reunite Germany and leave the ERM (Exchange Rate Mechanism). Both of these he managed without causing World War III or ruining the UK’s economy. Pretty impressive if you ask me.

Some of his more amusing accomplishments include donning a pair of colourful Spitting Image-esque underpants and posing for photos in them when he was a youngster. Or the time he served a cold, undercooked veal at a banquet, which ended up leading to several guests being hospitalized with food poisoning.

Additionally, when he resigned as Conservative Party Leader in June 1997, he drove home from the announcement at the party’s headquarters in a Ford Mondeo. An everyday car for an everyday bloke, which would have been better had it been a Vauxhall Astra.

John Major’s legacy may not be remembered as vividly as those of other notable British politicians such as Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, or Tony Blair. However, if anything, we should respect the fact that he was a solid, hard-working man, who did his best to make Britain a better place to live. Although his time in office may have been politically and economically challenging, it is safe to say he was a perfect symbol of the type of Prime Minister Britain needed at that time - a sensible, unflashy, and uncomplicated chap. Yes, he may be the forgotten man of British politics, but he must be remembered for his outstanding achievements and his utter relatable, everyday-ness.