John Major’s Brexit Warning before the Brexit Referendum

Jun 5, 2023 | → What the former Prime Minister warned BEFORE the referendum

John Major is one of the last decent Tories. Here, Sir John Major speaks the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about that rash and ridiculous Brexit. Fie on the clowns that duped the electorate and fie on those same people for dragging this country out of the European Union. – © Mark Alexander

Sir John Major Addresses Oxford University

In Democracy We Trust? A Keynote Speech by The Rt Hon Sir John Major

Watch Sir John Major here. And listen to Sir John Major’s very wise words. This is a truly excellent speech. This gentleman is a true Conservative. – Mark

The Guardian View on Trust in Britain: John Major’s Timely Warning

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: The former prime minister is right to call attention to the reputational damage that Britain is suffering under Boris Johnson

‘According to Sir John, “our reputation is being shredded”.’ Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA
Such events are normally arranged weeks in advance, so it is unlikely that Sir John Major decided to make his speech about the decline of trust in British democracy on Thursday specifically to coincide with Boris Johnson and Liz Truss’s Ukraine-related diplomatic forays to Brussels, Warsaw and Moscow. The split-screen counterpoint between the two events was nevertheless very striking. In particular, it was revealing about the realities, and the fantasies, of this government’s international influence.

On the one hand, in Moscow, the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, contemptuously derided his meeting with Ms Truss as a conversation of “the mute with the deaf”, containing “nothing secret, no trust. Just slogans…” On the other hand, in London, Sir John was simultaneously delivering a passionate warning that a loss of political trust at home leads umbilically to a loss of political reputation and influence abroad. The connection between the two could hardly have been more clearly illustrated. » | Editorial | Thursday, February 10, 2022

We Cannot Take Democracy for Granted – This Government’s Failings Imperil Us All

THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: Trust in UK politics is at a low ebb, eroded by foolish behaviour. This matters to parliament, and it matters to our country

Prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons, 9 February. Photograph: Jessica Taylor/UK Parliament/AFP/Getty Images
Our democracy has always been among the strongest and most settled in the world. It relies on respect for the laws made in parliament, on an independent judiciary, on acceptance of the conventions of public life, and on self-restraint by the powerful.

If any of that delicate balance goes astray – as it has, as it is – our democracy is undermined. Our government is culpable, in small but important ways, of failing to honour these conventions.

Where governments fall short, candour is the best means of shoring up support. But that candour must be freely offered – not dragged out under the searchlight of inquiries. If it is not wholehearted and convincing, the loss of public trust can be swift and unforgiving.

We have seen that playing out in recent weeks. Trust in politics is at a low ebb, eroded by foolish behaviour, leaving a sense of unease about how our politics is being conducted.

Too often, ministers have been evasive and the truth has been optional. When they respond to legitimate questions with pre-prepared soundbites, or half-truths, or misdirection, or wild exaggeration, then respect for government and politics dies a little more. Misleading replies to questions invite disillusion. Outright lies breed contempt.

In our democracy, we are able to speak truth to power. But, if democracy is to be respected, power must also speak truth to the people. And yet, in recent years, it has not been doing so. » | John Major * | Thursday, February 10, 2022

* John Major was the prime minister of Britain from 1990 to 1997. This is an edited version of a speech, “In democracy we trust?”, given at the Institute for Government on 10 February 2022

John Major’s scathing attack on Boris Johnson: key charges: From eroding trust in democracy to assaults on civil rights, former Tory PM’s speech is comprehensive in its charges »

John Major Launches Scathing Attack on Boris Johnson: 'The PM Broke Lockdown Rules'

Feb 10, 2022 • Boris Johnson and Downing Street officials broke lockdown laws and misled the public with “brazen excuses” and “unbelievable” claims, the former prime minister Sir John Major has said this morning.

In a scathing speech directly challenging the Prime Minister's approach to truth and the 'partygate' saga, Sir John said the Government had looked “distinctly shifty” in its approach.

Sir John, a former Conservative Party leader, argued that the UK’s reputation overseas was being “shredded”, undermining its attempts to influence world affairs. Mr Johnson is in Brussels today.

Sir John also indicated that Mr Johnson should resign if he deliberately misled Parliament over 'partygate', saying that convention “must always” be followed.

Boris Johnson Broke the Law over Parties, Says Sir John Major

THE TIMES: Tory grandee lambasts ‘shifty’ government in wide-ranging attack

Sir John Major said that the prime minister broke lockdown rules and had to be ousted if he lied to parliament | DOMINIC LIPINSKI/PA
Boris Johnson “broke lockdown laws” and then sent his ministers out to “defend the indefensible”, Sir John Major claimed today as he launched a stinging attack on the prime minister’s integrity.

In a speech in London, the former prime minister said that Johnson had made the government “look distinctly shifty” and had eroded public trust in British democracy that “cannot be brushed aside”.

He suggested that if Johnson was fined by police for breaking lockdown rules he must resign or Tory MPs must remove him from office. » |Oliver Wright, Policy Editor | Steven Swinford | Thursday, February 10, 2022

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Sir John Major Talks to Jon Snow about Margaret Thatcher

Sir John Major | Full Q&A on Brexit | Oxford Union

Sir John Major | Why Britain Should Remain in the EU | Oxford Union (2016)

Sir John Major Launches Extraordinary Attack on Theresa May's Government over Brexit

THE TELEGRAPH: Sir John Major has launched an extraordinary attack on Theresa May's Government over Brexit and warned that leaving the EU could mean cutting the NHS and welfare state.

In his first intervention since the referendum, the former Conservative Prime Minister said that there will be a "price to be paid" if Britain decides to leave the European Union without securing a trade deal.

He said that a hard Brexit is a "high risk" strategy and warned Mrs May that she must not create "unreal and over-optimistic" expectations about Britain's future outside the European Union. Read on and comment » | Steven Swinford, Deputy Political Editor | Monday, February 27, 2017

Sir John Major Tells Germans: Britain Has a 50-50 Chance of Quitting EU

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Sir John also warned that 'our small island simply cannot absorb the present and projected numbers at the current speed: it is not physically or politically possible without huge public disquiet'

Britain has just a 50-50 chance of remaining in the European Union, Sir John Major has warned, saying that opposition to continued membership of the European Union has reached “a critical mass”.

In a speech in Berlin on Thursday Sir John warned that Britain’s frustration was “no game”, adding: “There is a very real risk of separation that could damage the future of the United Kingdom – and Europe as a whole.”

Sir John - who was a pro-European during his time as Prime Minister from 1990 and 1997 - also said that it was time officials in the European Union recognised real concern in the UK about immigration.

He said: “Our small island simply cannot absorb the present and projected numbers at the current speed: it is not physically or politically possible without huge public disquiet.”

Sir John’s speech – “Britain and the EU: In or Out” – is the most significant speech on Europe by the former Tory Prime Minister for two decades. » | Christopher Hope, Senior Political Correspondent | Thursday, November 13, 2014

Sir John Major: Ukip Is 'Very Intolerant' And Will Not Last

Sir John Major, the former Prime Minister, says Ukip is 'very intolerant'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Sir John Major warns that leaving the European Union would cost Britain billions and leave the country in a 'very isolated and very difficult' position

Ukip is a "very intolerant" party and its appeal is not likely to last for a "long time" despite its success in the European elections, Sir John Major has said.

The former Conservative Prime Minister said Nigel Farage has been "very smart" and proved "good at exploiting grievances".

But he warned that the arguments for quitting Europe are "absolute nonsense" and said it would cost billions and leave this country in a "very isolated and very difficult" position.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “Ukip are extremely good at exploiting grievances and people are very upset about Europe. Politically, Ukip have been very smart in exploiting those disagreements, but Ukip are not, frankly, a very tolerant party. » | Steven Swinford, Senior Political Correspondent | Friday, May 30, 2014

'Truly Shocking' That the Private-school Educated and Affluent Middle Class Still Run Britain, Says Sir John Major

David Cameron with Sir John Major, the ex-Prime Minster

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Former Prime Minister criticises the dominance of private-school educated elite in “upper echelons” of British public life

The dominance of a private-school educated elite and well-heeled middle class in the “upper echelons” of public life in Britain is “truly shocking”, Sir John Major has said.

The former Conservative Prime Minister said he was appalled that “every single sphere of British influence” in society is dominated by men and women who went to private school or who are from the “affluent middle class[.]”

More than half of the Cabinet, including David Cameron, the Prime Minister, George Osborne, the Chancellor, and Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, are thought to have gone to private school and are independently very wealthy.

In the speech to Tory party grassroots activists on Friday evening, Sir John - who went to a grammar school in south London and left with three O-Levels - said: “In every single sphere of British influence, the upper echelons of power in 2013 are held overwhelmingly by the privately educated or the affluent middle class. To me from my background, I find that truly shocking.” Read on and comment » | Christopher Hope, Senior Political Correspondent | Sunday, November 10, 2013

My comment:

This is the most sense I have heard from a Conservative in a very long time. Bravo, Sir John! – © Mark

This comment appears here too.