John Major was disastrous Prime Minister but now he's lecturing Boris Johnson on 'broken politics'
![John Major was disastrous Prime Minister but now hes lecturing Boris Johnson on broken politics](/thumb/phpThumb.php?src=%2Fuploads%2Fnews%2F32%2F3204%2F0%2F3204073-john-major-was-disastrous-prime-minister-but-now-hes-lecturing-boris-johnson-on.jpg&w=750&hash=9bb6ed960f85bced692711d45457dec8)
'John who?' Furious senior Tories round on former PM over his own record after Major's scathing attack on underfire Boris that Partygate had 'shredded' Britain's reputation
- Critics said Sir John, PM from 1990 until 1997, was guilty of double standards
- His seven years in No 10 saw his government mired in sleaze allegations
- Tories accused Sir John of sulking over Brexit and 'of talking same old rubbish'
By Claire Ellicott, Political Correspondent For The Daily Mail
Published: 22:06 GMT, 10 February 2022 | Updated: 23:29 GMT, 10 February 2022
Senior Conservatives rounded furiously on Sir John Major yesterday after he gave an extraordinary speech accusing the Prime Minister of breaking lockdown laws.
Critics said Sir John – whose seven years in No 10 saw his government mired in sleaze allegations – was guilty of double standards after he described Boris Johnson's government as 'distinctly shifty'.
Leading Tories accused Sir John of sulking over Brexit – which he opposed – and 'of talking the same old rubbish'.
In a speech, the Tory former PM lamented the 'foolish behaviour' during Partygate, and said the ongoing controversy was having a 'corrosive' effect on the UK's democracy.
Sir John – prime minister from 1990 until 1997 – said Mr Johnson would have to go if he is found to have lied, adding: 'Deliberate lies to Parliament have been fatal to political careers, and must always be so.'
But questioned about how his own time as prime minister ended in allegations of sleaze and the cash for questions affair, he argued that the two situations were 'distinct'.
![Senior Conservatives rounded furiously on Sir John Major yesterday after he gave an extraordinary speech accusing the Prime Minister of breaking lockdown laws](/thumb/phpThumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2F1s%2F2022%2F02%2F10%2F22%2F54037569-10500145-image-a-26_1644530512565.jpg&w=728&hash=17dd0ac84e0f2c6a45a9fc7f68a80f92)
![Senior Conservatives rounded furiously on Sir John Major yesterday after he gave an extraordinary speech accusing the Prime Minister of breaking lockdown laws](/thumb/phpThumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2F1s%2F2022%2F02%2F10%2F22%2F54037569-10500145-image-a-26_1644530512565.jpg&w=728&hash=17dd0ac84e0f2c6a45a9fc7f68a80f92)
Senior Conservatives rounded furiously on Sir John Major yesterday after he gave an extraordinary speech accusing the Prime Minister of breaking lockdown laws
After his turbulent premiership, Sir John was in the spotlight again in 2002 when Edwina Currie, a former health minister, revealed in her diaries that she had an affair with him between 1984 and 1988.
Tory peer and environment minister Zac Goldsmith led the Conservative onslaught on the party leader who ushered in 13 years of Labour rule when he was routed at the 1997 election by Tony Blair.
Lord Goldsmith dismissed Sir John as 'a stale old corporatist who delivered seven years of autopilot government and a thumping defeat at the polls... and is still struggling to come to terms with the country's decision to leave the EU. John Major's intervention has zero to do with Covid rules (or democracy!)'.
A corporatist advocates for the control of the state by large interest groups.
Former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said 'John who?', adding: 'It's just the same old rubbish, isn't it? His speech was a litany of all the anti-Boris criticism rehashed into a speech.
'His poll ratings are still the lowest ever so it's a bit rich, really, but he's got to have something to do. It's good to get out.'
Sir Bernard Ingham, press secretary to Margaret Thatcher, deposed in a leadership election in 1990, said: 'My short advice to John Major is to shut up.
![Critics said Sir John – whose seven years in No 10 saw his government mired in sleaze allegations – was guilty of double standards after he described Boris Johnson's government as 'distinctly shifty. Pictured: Sir John (centre) had an affair with Edwina Currie (right)](/thumb/phpThumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2F1s%2F2022%2F02%2F10%2F22%2F54037567-10500145-image-m-28_1644530556636.jpg&w=728&hash=7ee767d66be6becb3433e339bed38715)
![Critics said Sir John – whose seven years in No 10 saw his government mired in sleaze allegations – was guilty of double standards after he described Boris Johnson's government as 'distinctly shifty. Pictured: Sir John (centre) had an affair with Edwina Currie (right)](/thumb/phpThumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2F1s%2F2022%2F02%2F10%2F22%2F54037567-10500145-image-m-28_1644530556636.jpg&w=728&hash=7ee767d66be6becb3433e339bed38715)
Critics said Sir John – whose seven years in No 10 saw his government mired in sleaze allegations – was guilty of double standards after he described Boris Johnson's government as 'distinctly shifty. Pictured: Sir John (centre) had an affair with Edwina Currie (right)
'He has had his day and he should avoid like the plague the risk of being lumped with Ted Heath in his longest sulk in history.'
Tory MP Michael Fabricant said: 'John Major is suffering like so many others of his ilk, not from Long Covid, but from Long Brexit. He just can't shake it. One of the unfortunate symptoms is bitterness.'
In a wide-ranging attack on Mr Johnson's government yesterday, Sir John condemned lockdown party claims, Brexit and the treatment of migrants crossing the English Channel. Giving a speech at the Institute for Government in London, he said: 'At No 10, the Prime Minister and officials broke lockdown laws.
Brazen excuses were dreamed up. Day after day the public was asked to believe the unbelievable. Ministers were sent out to defend the indefensible – making themselves look gullible or foolish.
'Collectively, this has made the Government look distinctly shifty, which has consequences that go far beyond political unpopularity.
'No Government can function properly if its every word is treated with suspicion.'
Sir John, a longstanding critic of Mr Johnson, said such conduct reflects a wider decline in standards in recent years.
He said: 'Trust in politics is at a low ebb, eroded by foolish behaviour, leaving a sense of unease about how our politics is being conducted.'
Sir John added that, while most politicians do not knowingly mislead, the behaviour of those who do is tarnishing the reputation of politics and of Parliament.
![Sir John – prime minister from 1990 until 1997 – said Mr Johnson would have to go if he is found to have lied, adding: 'Deliberate lies to Parliament have been fatal to political careers, and must always be so'](/thumb/phpThumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2F1s%2F2022%2F02%2F10%2F22%2F54037463-10500145-image-a-29_1644530600080.jpg&w=728&hash=5f2a739ca057ed077733d9a0b0524a1d)
![Sir John – prime minister from 1990 until 1997 – said Mr Johnson would have to go if he is found to have lied, adding: 'Deliberate lies to Parliament have been fatal to political careers, and must always be so'](/thumb/phpThumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2F1s%2F2022%2F02%2F10%2F22%2F54037463-10500145-image-a-29_1644530600080.jpg&w=728&hash=5f2a739ca057ed077733d9a0b0524a1d)
Sir John – prime minister from 1990 until 1997 – said Mr Johnson would have to go if he is found to have lied, adding: 'Deliberate lies to Parliament have been fatal to political careers, and must always be so'
'If lies become commonplace, truth ceases to exist,' he said. 'What and who, then, can we believe? The risk is nothing and no one.'
During his premiership, Sir John faced the cash for questions affair, which led to the end of the political careers of Tim Smith and Neil Hamilton after they were accused of taking money from the then Harrods boss Mohamed Fayed to ask questions in the Commons.
His government was also caught in a series of sex scandals leading to the resignation of senior figures, including David Mellor, the heritage secretary, and Tim Yeo, an environment minister.
Mr Johnson yesterday dismissed as 'demonstrably untrue' Sir John's claim that Britain's reputation abroad was suffering as a result of party allegations.