John Major The Autobiography by John Major
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a long read but fascinating for me to go back over the Major government as it was the first one I could have voted for and so I was more politically aware than I was previously.
I do remember that John Major had a very bad press often, and reading the autobiography I sometimes struggled to work out why. He was never a dramatic politician, normally conciliatory and forced to be more so by the Euro-sceptic faction in the Conservative party.
I have greater respect for him as a Prime Minister now than I did at the time.
Though it is said to be a revealing autobiography he conveniently does not mention the four year affair with Edwina Currie that came to light in her memoirs later in 2002
Achievements of John Major's Ministry
Highest popular vote ever recorded by a political party in a British General Election (though this resulted in a lower majority)
Citizen's Charter
Ratification of the Maastricht Treaty with opt-outs on the single currency and the social chapter
The National Lottery
Worked towards peace in Bosnia
Much of the groundwork for the Good Friday Agreement was done under the Major government
Economic recovery following the recession of 1989
Biggest Scandal of John Major's Ministry
Cash for questions which took down several prominent MPs including the now infamous Neil Hamilton
total 785 pages
View all my reviews >>
Points for this book: 25
Points to date: 100
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a long read but fascinating for me to go back over the Major government as it was the first one I could have voted for and so I was more politically aware than I was previously.
I do remember that John Major had a very bad press often, and reading the autobiography I sometimes struggled to work out why. He was never a dramatic politician, normally conciliatory and forced to be more so by the Euro-sceptic faction in the Conservative party.
I have greater respect for him as a Prime Minister now than I did at the time.
Though it is said to be a revealing autobiography he conveniently does not mention the four year affair with Edwina Currie that came to light in her memoirs later in 2002
Achievements of John Major's Ministry
Highest popular vote ever recorded by a political party in a British General Election (though this resulted in a lower majority)
Citizen's Charter
Ratification of the Maastricht Treaty with opt-outs on the single currency and the social chapter
The National Lottery
Worked towards peace in Bosnia
Much of the groundwork for the Good Friday Agreement was done under the Major government
Economic recovery following the recession of 1989
Biggest Scandal of John Major's Ministry
Cash for questions which took down several prominent MPs including the now infamous Neil Hamilton
total 785 pages
View all my reviews >>
Points for this book: 25
Points to date: 100
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