John Major Quotes

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John Major

Profession : Politician

Birth : March 29, 1943

It is time to return to core values, time to get back to basics, to self-discipline and respect for the law, to consideration for the others, to accepting responsibility for yourself and your family - and not shuffling it off on other people and the state.

John Major

Society needs to condemn a little more and understand a little less.

John Major

The first requirement of politics is not intellect or stamina but patience. Politics is a very long run game and the tortoise will usually beat the hare.

John Major

Life is full of surprises.

John Major

I mean if you have ever found a politician who says, 'No, no, I would do everything exactly as I did,' then you can tell when he is lying because his lips are moving.

John Major

I don't think nations can stand aside for ethnic cleansing and genocide.

John Major

The sight of allegedly sophisticated politicians parroting complete tripe trivialises and demeans government and it has to be stopped. It's played a significant part in public disillusionment with politics and has led to the absurd situation where more people vote for 'Strictly Come Dancing' than voted in the general election.

John Major

Well what would happen is that if Greece defaulted and couldn't pay its debts, all the Greek bonds that are held in other banking systems across Western Europe would suddenly have no value. You could as a knock-on effect create a banking crisis in Western Europe.

John Major

I like the best of the British press. The best of the British press is very good.

John Major

What happens when there is a conflict between the Scottish parliament, if it was established, and the Westminster parliament? Who is supreme?

John Major

Of course there are regrets. I shall regret always that I found my own authentic voice in politics. I was too conservative, too conventional. Too safe, too often. Too defensive. Too reactive. Later, too often on the back foot.

John Major

Disunity costs votes.

John Major

Whether you agree with me or disagree with me; like me or loathe me, don't bind my hands when I am negotiating on behalf of the British nation.

John Major

I don't have a shred of regret about entering the exchange-rate mechanism.

John Major

The politician who never made a mistake never made a decision.

John Major

I think the majority of the British people are still sanguine about the need for war.

John Major

September the 11th was a huge shock in the United States. It was the first time you had been hit at home in your own territory by terrorist on this scale.

John Major

When I was in office the fundraising was done by the party treasurers.

John Major

I'm very proud of what my parents achieved and what they stood for. They didn't have much, but in many ways they were richer than most.

John Major

Let's turn British inventions into British industries, British factories and British jobs. Let them make pounds for us, not dollars marks or yen for others.

John Major