Sir John Major addresses Oxford University

[@simonmcglary]

Never a Tory supporter but the many interviews and talks John Major I have seen have been incredibly insightful, incredibly informative and always giving credit where due! There are many elder statesmen like him, of all political persuasion, sadly none of the current mob are even close to that! He hints at why you should enter politics, to help others, not for yourself, that’s what public service is.

[@Nel-xb2gk]

The most admirable British PM in my eyes. He is not as glamorous as other more famous ones, but he has the best combination of high intelligence, integrity and above all, courage and judgement.

[@dt6822]

Hard not to be moved by such a truly noble man.

[@Idekwtph]

I just finished reading his autobiography just the other week. To me his life is an inspiration, and I hope to see more politicians like John Major in the coming years

[@HarryWolf]

I hope not. A useless, clueless Prime Minister who lectured the plebs on family values while having an affair with Edwina Currie.

[@stuff2008]

If you want to be even more inspired try his plan to privatize your parents house. You pay off the bank loan then sell it to a European for pennies on the dollar. You continue to pay monthly rent to the new owner and for repairs. And if the new owner borrows too much against the house you bail them out. Sound like a good deal, does it inspire you. The privatization of public companies in Briton has caused more money to leave Briton in dividends than Germany has payed in war repetitions. You think that might effect an economy.

[@robertsossi3186]

@@stuff2008 perhaps that only happened because there weren't enough competent and practical as well as intelligent Brits, then or since? If you follow your premise for the exportation of benefits of privatised British industries, how can you explain that almost every single Premiership Football club is in foreign hands? Incompetence, lack of courage? Laissez faire mentality? Or being so fearful of failing that Brits prefer to stand on the sidelines and watch their beloved clubs and communities being ravaged by people that might never even set foot on the island?

[@MazzaEliLi7406]

@@stuff2008 War reparations - never trust the spell checker - or a Tory - whatever the colour of the rosette.

[@kostasaivaliotis1888]

I have been voting for the left all my life , but I have a lot of respect for John Major , a decent man .

[@alistairmcmaster8420]

I’m a Labour member so I don’t hold any conservative politicians in high regard about from two John Major and Michael Hesintine. John Major unlike other Tory pm’s cared. He wanted to make his country better and I respect him for that.

[@comeconcon569]

Sir John Major doesn't seem to age over the years. he looks the same while other world leaders of his time have aged significantly over the course of time. my respects to Sir John Major.

[@iawarenow658]

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[@GarethE94]

He ages physically like he does politically - very well.

[@dietrichrosiers8184]

It's because he seemed old back in 1992 already - now it's simply a fact!

[@MrBoliao98]

​@@dietrichrosiers8184maybe he isn't stressed up now. He's been on a long vacation since 1997.

[@scarboroughyork]

Youth, is not an achievement.

[@intrinsicsmiler]

Watching from Gemany, I am impressed by these thoughtful considerations of the former PM, an important address to the young academics that quite captured me as before did some speeches by President Obama or the late German President von Weizsäcker. However, recognition and wisdom seem to have risen with age, thus me being impressed is flawed when I remember his time as a PM (I was living in London part of it then) which, among other developments set the base or did not correct Thatcher’s wrong path, when he had the opportunity to do so. Still, his thoughts delivered excel those uttered by many contemporary British politicians from both sides of the isle, Tories in particular, and his appellation to the younger generation is hopefully heard and pursued in the near future.

[@JJVernig]

With the benefit of hindsight I think you're right, but.. Thatcher on the whole did mend a lot of wrongs of a socialism that went to far. But indeed, under Major the privatising went further, and some checks and balances (especially in the financial sector) were further eroded. I do think the cuts and rebalancing on the whole was what made the three labour governments financially fly. They didn't have to make the deep cuts, and could make the necessary investments. I am not so sure what would happen if the stayed in power after 2010, because there were some hard decisions to be made.

[@jethrod7487]

Major is a Remainer. brexit is a disgrace.

[@iawarenow658]

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[@riiitch]

Excellent comment. Always good to hear a sensible opinion particularly looking from the outside

[@liamfraserobrien]

Major was underrated Clarke was a great politician. He left our country in great shape really. He was destroyed by the same arseholes that created brexit and he was widely known to hate them at that time. His nemesis was black Wednesday though when he was left high and dry as were a lot of economies by the dynamics of German unification and the currency markets which was again reflected in the euro crisis for different reasons.

[@Ryan-lx6oh]

Watching history unfold right in front of you as one of Great Britain most distinguished Prime Ministers deliver a speech like that at this time was incredable! Thankyou to the OxfordUnion for sharing that with us all!

[@HarryWolf]

He's seen Edwina Currie naked, had an affair with her while espousing 'Family Values' to the populace . . . yep, very distinguished 😂

[@Inaf1987]

It does on the laptop that I use, you just can't find it.

[@Ryan-lx6oh]

@@Inaf1987 😂😂

[@stuff2008]

Yep as inspiring as his first speech it starts off something like "My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour"

[@robertsossi3186]

@@stuff2008 nostalgia for the "good ol' days" perhaps?

[@xelakram]

John Major is such a formidable politician. He is one of the few Conservatives today who speaks common sense and wisdom.

[@aaropajari7058]

They all do when out of office.

[@xelakram]

@@aaropajari7058 Yours is a cynical view. I can tell you that Sir John Major is a brilliant politician. He is a man who has clear vision. To be perfectly honest with you, I was not a big fan of his when he was the prime minister; but I can honestly tell you now that he has truly grown so much in stature in recent years, especially since Brexit. that he is now one of the very few Conservative politicians that speaks any sense about Brexit or the UK's place in the world. He has truly become a formidable policitian.

[@aaropajari7058]

@@xelakramYou are correct. My comment was referring to things more generally and was poorly chosen on my part. The realities of exercising power and pleasing voters force politicians to put wisdom aside. I do have a great deal of respect for John Major. I would say his good sense was a reason he was never going to be a wild success. Perhaps a reflection on party and political systems rather than him...and a reason that a Johnson was preferred over a May.

[@xelakram]

@@aaropajari7058 Your comment is truly excellent. I appreciate it greatly. Were Sir John Major to read it, I am sure he would appreciate it also. Thank you, my friend. Your comment is gracious and accurate.

[@aaropajari7058]

@@xelakram Thankyou. Your original comment deserved a better response.

[@paoloantunes1283]

Excellent lecture and assessment on British politics and International Relations. Worth an honorary degree by Oxford Un., and he probably could write a book or two more in depth on the matters. Nails it when he speaks of a nation who is trapped in a vision of itself back in the past. In fact Brexit Britain and Putin Russia have one thing in common: hanging on in obstinacy to a picture of imperial might and global status, that effectively belongs in a museum. In self denial that the big 3 in this century are indeed the US, EU and China. Britain and Russia simply don’t have the economic structural power of those three giants. And self deluded politicians like Johnson or Putin simply don’t grasp the reality.

[@JoeMcnicholas-ki7vt]

Since 2010, nearly 400 swimming pools around the UK have closed. However, a new one was constructed in North Yorkshire along with a gym and tennis courts. The power requirements to heat the pool was too much for the local power grid to handle it. Engineers had to install a substantial amount of equipment and a new connection to the National Grid that runs across open fields. This new swimming pool is at the home of the local MP Mr. Rishi Sunak and was built on greenfield agricultural land. Sunak paid for the power grid upgrade. The local pool in Richmond has reduced opening hours because of energy costs.

[@gaiusvarro4692]

You sound jealous

[@nicks4934]

The public have lost since 2010.

[@LeComtedeSaintDomingue]

​@Nick S you've lost since 1945 and you've never recovered since. The decline of the UK was sort of stopped temporarily during Margaret Thatchers premiership but then the bleeding started again and Blair took a huge knife to the body of the UK and the Tories have been failing to patch the wound if elected again Labour will kill what's left of the UK

[@alanb9443]

Breaking news, man pays for his own pool.

[@oml81mm]

This is not the same as, but related to, a local group who get together, in good faith, and raise the cash to buy a high-tech and expensive piece of equipment for their local hospital. Too often the 'do gooders' forget that the expensive equipment has to be maintained, and that that maintenance has a cost. The hospital now has a 'free' machine that it cannot afford to maintain, and possibly did not want in the first place. The 'free' machine, gifted with good intention, has now become an unwanted burden.

[@MMMORPGPVPPLAYER]

Clear, articulate and accurate.

[@MineshShah]

A very thoughtful and somewhat underrated British prime minister: I salute you Sir Major for your service to our country... From a 'traditional Labour voter'!

[@desydukuk291]

Overatted by himself.

[@MineshShah]

​@@desydukuk291 not sure what you mean: please expand..

[@VIVA_CPTPP]

He's the one who signed Maastricht without a national plebiscite.

[@milesrout]

It's 'Sir John' or 'Sir John Major', but never 'Sir Major', nor 'Sir McCartney' nor 'Sir Churchill' nor 'Sir Blair'.

[@iawarenow658]

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[@simonyoungglostog]

We could do with John Major at the helm about now!

[@prepping_essentials]

I wonder if John considers the UK to be within the 10% which lives in a democracy?

[@desydukuk291]

Why?

[@iawarenow658]

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[@omi685]

The UK is definitely not in the 10% of the pure democratic countries. The British citizens cannot even elect the head of state yet.

[@bluewatertherapies688]

Thank you sir for a very fine speech.

[@iawarenow658]

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[@Mahfuz782]

Watching from Bangladesh🇧🇩🇧🇩

[@thecrimsondragon9744]

🇧🇩❤️🇬🇧

[@SwitzerlandEducation4471]

10 Best quotes about poetry. 1. "Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility." - William Wordsworth 2. "Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality." - T.S. Eliot 3. "Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words." - Robert Frost 4. "Poetry cannot afford to lose its fundamentally self-delighting inventiveness, its joy in being a process of language as well as a representation of things in the world." - SEAMUS HEANEY 5. "If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that is poetry." - EMILY DICKINSON 6. "Poetry is a river; many voices travel in it; poem after poem moves along in the exciting crests and falls of the river waves. None is timeless; each arrives in an historical context; almost everything, in the end, passes. But the desire to make a poem, and the world's willingness to receive it--indeed the world's need of it--these never pass." - MARY OLIVER 7. "Poetry: the best words in the best order." - S.T. Coleridge 8. “A good poem is a contribution to reality. The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it. A good poem helps to change the shape of the universe, helps to extend everyone’s knowledge of himself and the world around him.” -Dylan Thomas 9. “Poetry might be defined as the clear expression of mixed feelings.” -W.H. Auden 10. "If poetry comes not as naturally as the leaves to a tree it had better not come at all. " - John Keats •Which is your favourite quote? •Add yours in the comment box if we missed any. ✓ Best Poetry Book:

[@stuff2008]

Poetry is the sound of all those dividends from privatised public companies hitting foreign pockets; and knowing that once and for all British politicians got to give it all away to foreign powers after all.

[@BossySwan]

“I really enjoyed reading these quotes” - *Me, 2023*

[@gosskamperis2016]

EMPTY WORDS Sir John Major speaks about democracy. When the nation democratically voted for Brexit, remainers fought the outcome all the way.

[@SuperSupermanX1999]

When the smallest possible majority voted for Brexit, Remainers made sure that the other half of society still had their voices heard. There is nothing more democratic than that

[@UnfortunateCritic4]

But brexiteers didn’t understand what they were voting for and how could they? Not even the politicians understood at the time what brexit would mean. That’s not democracy. That’s misleading people to believe they’re voting for something it’s not

[@rohitballal5654]

It wasn't a democratic vote. It was subverted with Russian interference

[@acw7120]

He means the campaign for the Brexit vote in the media, was such a low choice of tactics and illusions that it is now irreparable. They created to divide everyone with Brexit 7 years ago and it didn't end after.

[@dfxl6587]

Correct, except, that is what democracy is all about. The legal right to peacefully disagree with any decision if you wish to do so. Any system which says you must accept every decision and have no right to comment or to protest it, is not a democracy. The Brexit debate will continue, and will live or die upon it’s outcomes. Being a remainder does not have any actual effect on the UK, it’s economy and future place in the World, only the decision to leave the EU has an effect. So far it would be honest to say does not seem to be going as promised.

[@anthonyhannon8492]

John we as a country need to practice what we preach what l a witness to is democracy receding right here in the UK and being ruled by WEF of corse we are all in denial

[@gouravmisra2317]

Watching from India sir

[@yj9032]

No one asked

[@sonofsoweto]

Your cousin is prime minister

[@Locutus]

Watching from Pakistan, sir.

[@iawarenow658]

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[@Locutus]

@Justlookinnotbuyin Nobody cares about the OP being from India...

[@abakedslayermcgiles2703]

He needs to do this kind of address to the current parliamentary cohort on both sides of the house but especially the Tory party.

[@syedadeelhussain2691]

This man talks sense.

[@punksachoo5055]

Democracy is going to give us 15 minute cities. Brilliant John.

[@Inaf1987]

Which is not a bad thing, you just spend too much time on conspiracies kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4SahayGg6mbipI&ab_channel=AdamSomething

[@petronelastelawhite-anca7964]

He was a good Prime Minister ♡

[@philopapos]

How did Britain get from John Major down to the level of Boris and Jacob et al...?

[@wilsonfisk6626]

Tory Party gradually shifted to the far right after William Hague.

[@redrev674]

You have a rosy view of John. In the philandering stakes him and Boris were equals. He broke our economy by convincing Maggie to join the Euro-lite aka ERM.

[@grahamepigney8565]

One day at a time and by the influence of mainstream and social media.

[@markmwj]

He is a good example of why the UK is where it is today.

[@dietrichrosiers8184]

What does that mean?

[@johnfkennedy261]

Best pm in my lifetime compare his calibre to the likes of Boris Johnson sunak & Liz Truss and you know times have really gone downhill safer not voting today

[@ianjames3078]

I like how he used Boris Yeltsin’s name in his first example so that ‘Boris’ was front and centre of the listener’s thoughts through the remainder of his attack of Brexit and the misogynistic, lying , cheating, self interested buffoon we had the misfortune of having to screw this country. The fact that disgrace illegally prorogued parliament in the late Queen’s name for his personal gain is beyond contemptible and should be his legacy. Well done John Major.

[@robg3545]

Democracy is clearly a benefit unless it clashes with Sir John's opinion it seems. Its quite a while ago so one has to be of a certain age to remember the abject chaos in UK government under his premiership and yet here he is, the respected former PM.

[@HarryWolf]

Who had an affair with Edwina Currie whilst lecturing the plebs on family values . . .

[@VIVA_CPTPP]

He signed Maastricht without a plebiscite.

[@iawarenow658]

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[@timwood5995]

This comment is everything! He extolls democracy, and yet as a PM elected by a tiny percentage of 14million votes (23%) fails to recognize more people wanted out of the EU (37%) ! "Democracy on his terms" is what he really means - maddening!

[@franktreml3145]

Sir John Major talks sense here and I applaud this….well said

[@desydukuk291]

Don't be daft, he talks in support of his own facile life.

[@iawarenow658]

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[@Tao-og4rz]

4:33 poetic and accurate

[@jeanmakuta2673]

The ability of those politicians in putting the blame on others is mind boggling. We have the same ones in France.

[@stuff2008]

I know. They have no shame. They destroyed British industry, flooded Briton with cheap labour via immigration to depress wages, sold of the profitable public companies that were earning a profit for the treasury and had good wages. The dividends from the public utilities now accounts for huge dividend payments that leave Briton to foreign pockets draining cashflow from the economy. It's so bad that even traders in the city cannot afford a flat. And these guys waltz out and say COVID 2008 bad omens and witches. 10 billion on ppe or more likely a depression is coming so we have to steal a little nest egg to get our class through.

[@iawarenow658]

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[@netizencapet]

"Democracy needs to show its merits...[with] higher living standards." Therefore vote for Corbyn and throw out the laughing crooks.

[@praveenankathi737]

Good presentation by John major.

[@iawarenow658]

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[@Loser-ow5hz]

It's misuse of authority. That's hurting Our world As you say, I agree with you.

[@williampatrickfagan7590]

He flew to Ireland for the funeral of retired Taoiseach Albert Renald's. He was asked why he flew over for the funeral, Why not, he was my friend. We kick started the peace process along with others when people said it was not possible. We tried. Others took up the baton after us.

[@danmacalpinbruce2555]

We want leaders that tell us we are the best in the world.

[@williampatrickfagan7590]

Powerful oration

[@davidharvey619]

absolutely brilliant

[@iawarenow658]

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[@roscomeon3965]

What a powerful speech. A tour de force. Sobering. So thoughtful. So incisive. Sir John Major a giant amongst men and so called leaders. Truly outstanding. Words defy in describing how well this speech defines the past,present and future. The UKs greatest Prime Minister. Thank you Sir John for your leadership and foresight.

[@redrev674]

Lol. He was awful. ERM catastrophe and recession. Infidelity.

[@roscomeon3965]

@red rev67 your knowledge of history and the facts is mind boggling. Together with your bigotry. He left a booming economy together with stable finances. It was the mistakes of the milk snatcher Thatcher who destroyed the UK

[@robbos8486]

@@redrev674 like your heroes Bojo and Truss perhaps?

[@iawarenow658]

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[@roscomeon3965]

@@iawarenow658 go away muppet

[@Chucklea9]

Wow, I am labour voter but what a thoroughly decent man

[@ivanonodi4161]

He's said about Brexit, what is most important, we belonging Europe. Without EU Contract too!

[@marshallmwansompelo2357]

Sir John Major should have been a Labour Party prime minister. I hope he doesn't take that as an insult.

[@ernest1520]

To put Hungary and Poland in the same category is a bit of misunderstanding, to say the least. And the events related to Russia's aggression have shown it quite well.

[@bartoszbudzynski6035]

No, it's not. Both are trying to curb political freedoms to stay in power. One is anti-Kremlin, the other pro. Both anti-democratic.

[@acw7120]

Good speech but he sounds very disappointed in everybody. Again, mentions "the economy" but nothing about the degradation of fiat currency making the standard of living impossible. They all steer clear of that.

[@rgp101]

This reminded me of what a truly dreadful politician he was. The passing of time allows us to reassess some politicians more kindly. Not in this case. He was always an over-promoted dud.

[@Cheezz_Montgomery_Burns]

Make Brexit Great Again.

[@TheRightHonRai]

I admire Johns way of speaking and the wisdom he brings. However he is talking on behalf of the World Economic Forum. He is referring to great reset when he talks about requiring a reset. He also referred to equity. Not equality of opportunity. If I work 80 hours a week whilst someone works 20 hours a week and our productivity and job is the same we should both have an equal outcome. If I save and be wise with how I manage my household and someone else is irresponsible with the finances we should both have the same outcome. That’s not to say that a great shakeup isn’t required to improve the working conditions of the many or that a smaller share of the countries wealth is being allocated to us. He was always against Britain leaving the European Union. If 37 percent of Britain voted to leave the UK than even less voted to remain in the UK. We left the EU because their was no compromise. I admire and respect many EU workers who came to the UK to work. They brought their great work ethic with them. However 15 percent came to the UK and was heavily dependent on the state even if they were working by in work benefits. Why couldn’t such small things like this be addressed. This is just one small example. There are plenty more. The fear mongering of the remain debate were irrational in not understanding the concerns of those who wanted to leave. This was a great failure and John Major is wrong to put the blame solely on one group. Democracy is falling cause the west went mad with identity politics, becoming woke and being weak on law or order. My parents could own their own home from starting from scratch. Younger generations do not in response to how things have improved.

[@jamesdecross1035]

Interesting opening point. Sad that we've turned to authoritarianism, especially in the climate and environmental scientific sectors.

[@nicks4934]

Lolz. Climate denier? You could be pm one day 😂

[@iawarenow658]

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[@saveu.s.9332]

SAME EXACT SPEECH he gave 13yrs. ago at YALE.

[@lloyddarbon5034]

Got to admit, I was expecting the comments to be mostly running the guy down. Seems like the opinions of this channel's audience are more considered.

[@apusapus71]

I've addressed Oxford University many times. But I drew the line at licking stamps.

[@mawin5899]

Also, the value of the pound against the dollar fell around double in 1992 while he was the prime minister during the ERM crisis compared with leaving the EU in 2016. There was another big fall in the value of the pound in 2009. Neither Brexit or Covid has effected the value of the pound anywhere near as substantially as the ERM crisis or the 2008 financial crisis. The ERM crisis in 1992 was about aligning ourselves with the Euro. In other words, precisely the opposite of doing well by being a part of the EU project, we actually got seriously burned and the pound has never fully recovered to pre-1992 values.

[@grahamepigney8565]

The change of exchange rate is but one consequences of Brexit. The lies in politics, the loss of trust in politicians and the lack of tolerance of opposing views are far more significant and have contributed to the collapse of the UK's GDP.

[@mawin5899]

​@@grahamepigney8565 UK GDP has not collapsed. It's higher now than it has ever been. vis-a-vis your other point about tolerance, trust and lies... I would say the UK has made it that way with successive governments further entwining ourselves with the European Union without any reference to the electorate. When the question is: "do you want your country to be taken from you and dissolved into a United States of Europe alongside all the other wonderful and unique countries of Europe with their rich cultures and own individual histories" - that question should be asked directly. Having obscured the process from view as much as possible they have created the distrust, promoted a culture of deceit within politics in the UK and people have become extremely intolerant of it.

[@grahamepigney8565]

@@mawin5899 UK GDP growth is worse than any other developed country except Russia. If that's not a collapse what is. The old and discredited Brexiter arguments just don't work any more.

[@yj9032]

I saw him in the Crown

[@Locutus]

I saw him in Parliament.

[@ABC_DEF]

It wasn't really him.

[@aperson2730]

The Q & A seemed more interesting

[@AkinBelieve]

5 months ago. Obviously none of the Tory government gave two hoots about this.

[@Alhambrasheff]

I am sure that the audience can see Major is mourning his lifes work, the transfer of UK Parliamentary democracy to a European super state, done without ever asking the people if they wanted or accepted it. Lording democracy as the best system he then sideswipes the Brexit vote because he did not like the outcome. A look at the demographics of the vote will also indicate the broad age range of voters, contradicting the implied, it was just old people. The message he should have delivered to the next gen leaders at Oxford is that grandee we know best politics is under siege across Europe and the message here and in France and in Germany is that we demand democracy that counts and listens to people. This should be our historical legacy.

[@punksachoo5055]

A food bank is the same as a government handout at the end of the day. Charity.

[@marianhunt8899]

No it absolutely is not. In a food bank you have no choice. You take the scraps from well meaning people. In government programmes you get to choose what to purchase for your family.

[@SwitzerlandEducation4471]

میں پاکستانی حکومت ہے گزارش کرتا ہوں کی جتنے بھی لوگ کمنٹ کر رہے ہیں ان کے لیے تنخواہ کا انتظام کیا جائے

[@vo4068]

Sir John talks about democracy, that only 37% of the country voted to come out of the EU, that means that just under 37%, say 36% voted to stay, therefore 27% of the country could not be bothered to vote or were not entitled to vote, ie children etc. That’s democracy working, the problem with the EU vote, was it was so close with not a clear majority. If the powers that be change the system whereby you need a majority of say 5%, try & change the voting outcome, until then, accept the democratic vote & stop moaning. The EU need to respect our democracy & our vote, don’t forget they are the great unelected & are not subject to being voted in or out by the EU public. The public are now fed up with all the scandals within parliament & the self seeking politicians, which were around in his day, I seem to recall he had an indiscretion with a fellow MP.

[@gamerbenn3181]

He's hanging on to the past when he says the EU is a superpower. Those days are over.

[@marianhunt8899]

The USA has just put an end to that.

[@chrisevans9342]

Without the politicians we would have peace ...

[@jamesdecross1035]

Tip: you could move that red chair a little further off the stage.

[@radaniculescu6761]

Why did UK leave the European Union?? It was such a mistake... You should rejoin us as soon as possible. Leaving the union brought you nothing good. The economy has collapsed, your influence in foreign policy has decreased, and tensions with Scotland and Northern Ireland are now even greater. How could a smart people like the British one commit such an error? Do you think that you are better off isolated than together with the other European countries? The Union is weaker and sadder now, without the United Kingdom. 😔😔

[@markthomas328]

Excellent …come back and run the country. We need you

[@mr.richardryan7506]

How's Edwina?

[@HarryWolf]

😂

[@Locutus]

I thought you would know? You like Curry.

[@HarryWolf]

@@Locutus *Currie. I thought you would know? 😁

[@iawarenow658]

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[@BossySwan]

Ground control to Major John

[@evechurchill424]

Yet another one of those minister who refused to go away like Bla!ir, this is the one who was knobbing one of his minister. Talk about shameless.

[@John-qq8he]

If only today we were fortunate to have a Prime Minister of Major's calibre. It will be a long time until we recover from the shortcomings and depressing legacies of Johnson and Truss.

[@HarryWolf]

Sooty could have done a better job 😁

[@John-qq8he]

@@HarryWolf Such a predictable post.

[@HarryWolf]

Really? You knew someone would compare that muppet with Sooty? Remarkable! You've also seem to have forgotten that Major lectured the Plebs on family values whilst having an affair with the odious Edwina Currie. What a guy!

[@dream_emulator]

Legend

[@desydukuk291]

What a see you next tuesday.

[@HoratioFung]

John Major is very correct, UK really needs a reset. UK has a very backward democracy election system, otherwise how it could have selected so many stupid & laughable prime ministers in recent years. John Major should propose some good methods to improve the democracy of UK and learn from other countries. Like the stupid choice of BREXIT, how could a good democracy system allowed this kind of thing happened in human history.

[@Retrogamer71]

He managed to hypnotize you with bland nonsense.

[@aclark903]

Everyone who votes differently from you is stupid, Hugo?

[@acw7120]

@@Retrogamer71 You do not have to bow down to every word he says and agree just to listen - but he hit a few nails on the head though didn't he. Whether anyone likes it or not, who could argue Brexit was good now?

[@ashleighellison9509]

I like John Major and he was in a good position to take thus country forward before Blair came along. Much of his success was probably down to Thatcher but I'm pretty sure he was part of the success that before he became PM. My only reservation is how John talks in such a matter of fact way. I find his inability to acknowledge that he might be wrong a little hard to stomach. He talks more like a president and a Journalist rolled into one. His most defining characteristic is that he can never deliver an optimistic, positive and constructive speech or statement. He has a way of creating a narrative from facts that is so depressing and so dull that even if he was right, I wouldn't want to vote for him or support his ideas.

[@storm_shadow78]

Schools falling to bits around the country and you think there's no votes in making sure private schools pay their way like any other business has to!

[@dixonpinfold2582]

My recollection of his tenure is scanty, but from this speech I should imagine he's regarded as one of the greatest Labour PMs.

[@seanrowe3622]

😂😂😂😂

[@JohnnyNorfolk]

Number 1 Quisling.

[@defaultdefault812]

We have an honest liar gentleman!

[@edwardmal1802]

he was only 10 years late. damn

[@CheekyFest]

"the problem is exported from there to other countries" - really?

[@tamhaswoods9056]

One of the very few likeable Tory leaders we've had... that said, all I'd have in my head is the grey spitting image puppet listening to that voice. I'd be trying not to laugh like one of the Romans in the Biggus Dickus scene :D Good job I'm not, nor have ever been bright enough to get into Oxford hahaha

[@allanlees299]

While Major is clearly one of the most decent human beings ever to have held high office, it's also clear that he's not a great thinker. If democracy is supposedly so wonderful, how is it that democracy has delivered such catastrophic outcomes (Brexit, Trump, Orban, Modi, Erdogan, Putin, etc. etc.) around the world? The hard truth is that representative democracy is utterly unfit for purpose in a complex technological inter-connected world. Most voters are ignorant and foolish, knowing nothing of any matters of importance, believing whatever they are told by purported authority figures - even those as dubious as Internet influencers and shock-jock radio types - while never once doing any objective fact-checking, and are easily swayed by blustering incompetents and cynics. What we desperately need is not the illusion that "more democracy" is the answer but rather to look at how we can engineer systems of government that take ordinary human constraints into account rather than pretending they don't exist. Obviously democracy is better than tyranny, but that's like saying the Wright Brothers' Flyer is better than a Montgolfier balloon. It's true, but irrelevant. Had we settled for the Flyer, no one would be able to cross the Atlantic for under two thousand dollars just as easily as they can get on a London bus for a few pounds. Likewise, had we settled for the Ford Model T, we wouldn't be enjoying affordable vehicles with satnav, airbags, anti-lock brakes, and 40+ mpg. The point we need to grasp is that democracy is unfit for purpose and our urgent task is to fashion something far better, not complacently claim that because it's barely better than overt tyranny it's the best we can do.

[@lavoxii]

I liked the first part of his speech. As soon as he started to talk about Brexit, it all fell into a typical politician tune. He mentioned “reset” button, sounds great but how? He didn’t give much details.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

The weird case of a competent handling of the economy but poor party unity, as if that matters.

[@ashleighellison9509]

I don't think I've ever felt uplifted by a John Major speech. Despite the facts, the possible truths that he speaks, his outlook on life and politics is miserable and bleak. He is very much the ordinary man. Humble beginnings and not exposed to the aristocratic and elitist factions of the UK. But he is not a great man, a powerful speaker, nor is he inspiring in any way shape or form. But he is interesting and his oponion matters irrespective of his rather depressing outlook. He reminds me of a adult that was scorned as a child and has neither the urge or esteem to shake it off and say f#£k it with a huge smile.

[@Retrogamer71]

8:50 food banks. Direct consequence of his policies on housing and open borders.

[@williampatrickfagan7590]

As good as Churchill

[@peteregan3862]

The UK has leapt out of an economic alliance where it could not thrive due to its global role. An alliance where France uses its land borders with Germany, Italy and Spain to constrain the UK to its speed and interests. Switzerland is too small for its banking industry. Now the non-EU world knows the US and UK financial systems are the place of greatest financial safety in the world. Also, the Commonwealth is an interest the EU does not have as its members were poor colonisers seeking to enslave people whereas the UK sought to trade with them.

[@kevinnolan1339]

Are you seriously suggesting the UK was somehow a good coloniser (if such a thing is even possible?). The British empire was the most rapacious, violently repressive, shameful entity. It gifted the world with concentration camps, state terrorism, mass deportations, aerial bombing of civilians and disastrous famines to name just some of its 'achievements'. As late as the 1960s it was busily raping remaining colonies to prop up its own fiscally drained economy. Even the Atlee government manipulated the sterling area to siphon wealth from benighted peoples of the cruelly ironically titled commonwealth. With empire gone UK became the sick man of Europe, then an unenthusiastic EU member. Meanwhile, it was busily pissing its oil revenues up a car park wall. Now it has left the EU and is once again the sick man of Europe. UK, without the props of empire is just another middling nation with anaemic GDP and piss-poor politics. Why has it got a seat on the security Council?

[@an67481]

I am not living for migrants. I'm living for my people, native europeans. Europe is doomed when it tries to live for others. Just like a marriage is doomed when one spouse tries to live to serve someone else other than his/her marriage. Think about it, this selflessness is not wise, it is not sound culturally, politically, religiously, economically. Europe will cease to be europe if it's living for anything other than itself. Our shared culture and history.

[@iawarenow658]

learn more about British + Indonesia rasis NKRI Nazism; kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5TdaX2ujrJ1bs0

[@Geitungur]

Lmao "native europeans". 'Minorities' didn't come to Europe - Europe invaded their homelands, massacred millions, stole all their resources, fucked them over harder than any PM has _ever_ done to this country and pissed off without so much as a parting wave.

[@TonyMartinGB]

Turkey's population has trebled over 60 years. 10s of millions could come here and their population remain about the same.

[@lenrman969]

Boris lied. There are no plans for Turkey to join the EU. Boris lied like Trump. It usually happened when his mouth opened.

[@jamesdecross1035]

The older generation needs to stop taking all the World's resources to their grave - and resource the younger generation.

[@nicks4934]

How? Will Major be buried with gold?

[@nicks4934]

Vote Labour then. The Tories dont care about anyone under 25.

[@nicks4934]

Triple lock for pensioners. Student fees up massively. No decent housing. Even voter ID allows a bus pass but not a student card ffs.

[@an67481]

Democracy is not the be-all tell-all standard, John. This is proven by scientific papers, undeveloped countries don't do any better when they change into a "democracy"

[@iawarenow658]

learn more about British + Indonesia rasis NKRI Nazism; kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5TdaX2ujrJ1bs0

[@dietrichrosiers8184]

It's the beginning of individual rights. Authoritarian regimes slip all too quickly into kleptocracies; exploiting their population for the ruling class' good. Democracy is the least worst of all systems, lesn't forget that.

[@abehambino]

This is what Britain considers “conservative “?

[@binghamguevara6814]

The reason he hasn’t aged is because he’s a vampire.

[@hjiang3828]

I Iove him

[@garysymons3930]

I am from one of your former colonies , and was disapointed with JM reminding us of the benefits of democrasy when he advocates rejoining the anti democratic European Union which economists know has serious design flaws , the euro being only one of them . He says the UK should rejoin the bigger entity the EU for its survival, but then how does little Singapore survive and thrive after leaving Malaysia, by his Argument Taiwan should rejoin China, and Ukraine should rejoin Russia . Take note of how the EU has crushed Greece with a debt it can never repay . My conclusion is that JM does not really believe in Britain's democratic vote . The EU makes its money from tariffs imposed on its imports of goods from other countries , such as Africa, thereby impoverishing them ., and then sending that money to the unelected bureaucrats in the EU cartel .

[@VIVA_CPTPP]

He signed up for Maastricht without giving us a plebiscite. The hypocrite.

[@jeffjones9792]

Enjoyed that, apart from the 'erbert to Sir Johns' right in the fancy chair, scoffing drinks and figiting throughout the speech. Very bad manners.

[@John-se7rc]

Tory talks to future tory mps

[@DivergentAntipodean]

Europe was bad for the UK and the damage done required much time to repair. First, it is time for properly paid home-grown doctors and nurses and policemen and teachers. Their essential functioning requires that they be indigenous, steeped in the local language and culture which is the opposite of the idea that you can import foreigners, pay them less and keep public essential services cheap while preserving the superior health and safety of the population. Next, it is necessary to make stuff at home and minimise importation of raw materials and assembled products in the light of the experience that Covid gave everybody that the One World, global village was a deeply flawed concept. The psychotic delusion of climate crisis caused by human use of fossil fuel will be dispelled by experience, the cold climate of the solar minimum is already upon us. Build more nuclear power stations and with that power manufacture alternative energy sources which will be suitable for use in smaller, never will be nuclear nations.