Wikipedia:Today's featured article/June 30, 2004

John Major is a British politician and was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990 to 1997, attaining that office when he succeeded Margaret Thatcher as Conservative party leader. When Michael Heseltine's challenge to Margaret Thatcher's leadership of the Conservative Party forced the contest to a second round and Thatcher withdrew, John Major entered the contest alongside Douglas Hurd. Though he fell two votes short of the required winning margin of 187 votes in the second ballot, Major's result was sufficient to secure immediate concessions from his rivals and he became prime minister on November 27, 1990. Major was prime minister during the Gulf War. During the first years in office, the world economy slid into recession after the long boom during the 1980s. After losing the 1997 general election to Tony Blair he stood down as an MP at the 2001 general election and has so far declined the customary life peerage and seat in the House of Lords that is given to former Prime Ministers. (more...)

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