John Major (1943) was appointed by Margaret Thatcher to the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury In 1987. two years after his appointment as Chief Secretary he became the Foreign Secretary. three months after his appointment to Foreign Secretary he became the Chancellor of the Exchequer after the resignation of Nigel Lawson. By this time Thatcher's popularity in the parliamentary party was in freefall after problems with damaging statements by former cabinet Ministers, the poll tax debacle and the European splits. After presenting just one budget, Major became Prime Minister after Thatcher resigned due to lack of support amongst her own MP's.

Major won the 1992 General Election for the Conservatives to the surprise of many observers who had thought that Neil Kinnock's (see kinnock factor) Labour Party would win.

Hampered by party splits and a small majority which later became a minority, Major was unable to win the 1997 General Election, and Tony Blair's Labour Party won a landslide on the May 1st General Election.