John Major

Major, John (1943– ), former British Prime Minister from the Conservative Party who succeeded Margaret Thatcher in 1990. Prior to becoming Prime Minister, Major was a member of Parliament, Foreign Secretary, and Chancellor of the Exchequer. Major left school at the age of 16 and never attended college. He entered the banking industry at the age of 22 before entering politics. He was the youngest British prime minister in the 20th century. Following the defeat of the Conservative Party at the 1997 elections, Major resigned as party leader.

See also: United Kingdom.