This past week I have found myself reflecting on one of the most devastating put-downs in political history was delivered on the 5th October 1988 during the televised US vice-presidential debate in Omaha, Nebraska by Senator Lloyd Bentsen: After his opponent Senator Dan Qualye likened himself to Jack Kennedy, “Senator,” Bentsen remarked, “I served with Jack Kennedy: I knew Jack Kennedy; Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy.”
The trigger for the reminiscences were press reports that John Major had become the ‘patron saint of Brown’s inner circle’ as they drew parallels to the problems he faced whilst in government. As someone privileged to serve as a junior minister in John Major’s administration I would suggest contrasts condemn rather than comfort the current incumbent of 10 Downing Street:
- John Major was a deeply loyal Chancellor of the Exchequer under Margaret Thatcher and emerged as the strongest candidate from a highly competitive field in the leadership contest which occurred following her untimely removal as leader;
- John Major won a General Election in 1992 with the largest popular vote (14.093 million) ever recorded for political Party in a British General Election;
- John Major initiated The Downing Street Declaration in 1993, which was followed by an IRA ceasefire. At the time he had a shaky majority of only 21 in the House of Commons (Brown has 63) and showed immense political courage in being prepared to jeopardize the 12 Unionist MPs’ support in pursuit of an historic peace settlement;
- John Major committed British forces to the First Gulf War with a clear objective and exit strategy—to liberate Kuwait, and did so with UN Security Council backing and full support of our allies resulting in a swift and decisive victory. John Major developed the idea to establish a no-fly zone in northern Iraq to protect the Kurds refugees against the genocidal attacks by Saddam Hussein an act which to this day ensures Major retains hero status amongst the Kurdish people;
- John Major staunchly defended British interests in the Maastricht Treaty, unlike Gordon Brown's sell-out in the Lisbon Treaty. Major negotiated a series of crucial opt-outs for Britain from the Delors’ plan for Economic & Monetary Union, the social chapter and the retention of our border controls which along with the exit from the ill-fated ERM laid the foundations for a world-beating period of economic growth;
- John Major when faced with plotting about his leadership by the parliamentary Party had the political courage to invite his opponents to step out into the open, to ‘put up or shut up’ and forced a leadership election which he won by 218 votes to 89;
- John Major thought about the long-term strategic advantage of the nation rather than the short-term tactical advantage for his premiership, consider the National Lottery which has raised over £22 billion for good causes, transformed the funding of sport in this country and laid the foundation for Olympic success in Sydney, Beijing and to securing the games for London in 2012;
- John Major left a golden economic legacy in 1997 with strong growth, falling unemployment, a national debt half its current level and a Public Sector Borrowing Requirement which was £2 billion and falling compared to currently £104 billion under Labour and rising. In fact John Major’s administration was the only post-war government to leave office with every economic indicator improving; and
- Finally, people liked John Major. They thought him a decent, honest political leader and still do.
“I knew John Major, I served with John Major. Prime Minister you are no Sir John Major.”
