The Leveson Inquiry

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Sir John Major comes across as a decent chap .... a rather quaint way of putting it plain ...

[Nick Armstrong]

Sir John Major comes across as a decent chap .... a rather quaint way of putting it plain ...

His daughter used to go out with a friend of mine. Reports were that he is a really top bloke, thoughtful, kind and funny. Just miscast as PM...

[jean]

I agree, he's come over very well.

I can just never forgive him for presiding over the privatisation of the railways.

And there was the strange Edwina interlude...

[amateur51]

brilliant just brilliant

[amateur51]

I agree, he's come over very well.

I can just never forgive him for presiding over the privatisation of the railways.

And there was the strange Edwina interlude...

The railway privatisation was not a happy episode, jean. I am too much of a gent to pass judgement on the Major/Currie palaver

At least he hasn't managed to lose any of his children, oh no!

[Anna]

And there was the strange Edwina interlude...

You must admit, he was very, very, brave! I've only heard some snippets of him at Leveson, he does come across as really witty and rather nice and, wrong man for the job.

[Serial_Apologist]

You must admit, he was very, very, brave! I've only heard some snippets of him at Leveson, he does come across as really witty and rather nice and, wrong man for the job.

Sanctimonious man I always thought. Family Values. Yes, that's what I mainly remember of him: Family Values. Oh, and garden gnomes.

[aeolium]

And then there was the 'Cones Hotline'. What was that all about - a helpline for distressed ice-cream salesmen?

And yet there have been worse PMs in recent times....

[scottycelt]

The railway privatisation was not a happy episode, jean.

For one who often travels on trains, and vividly remembers the appallingly clapped-out, strike-ridden, State-run British Rail, there may well have been grossly unhappier episodes in one's life, jean ...

[Bryn]

His daughter used to go out with a friend of mine. Reports were that he is a really top bloke, thoughtful, kind and funny. Just miscast as PM...

I recall Ken Livingstone, who had a fair bit of experience of working 'with' Major in Lambeth Council, saying that Major was very fine chap to have as a neighbour, but hopeless as a Prime Minister.

[LHC]

I recall Ken Livingstone, who had a fair bit of experience of working 'with' Major in Lambeth Council, saying that Major was very fine chap to have as a neighbour, but hopeless as a Prime Minister.

Actually, I think that comment came from Tony Banks rather than Livingstone.

Major was much maligned at the time and was generally seen as a failure as PM, but with hindsight his period in office looks a lot better than it did at the time. He took us out of the recession of the early 1990s and by the time he left office in 1997 employment was rising, growth was stable, and the national deficit was well under control. Indeed, the economy and public finances inherited by the incoming Labour Government were so strong that it took Gordon Brown almost 13 years to completely wreck them.

Major should also be credited for starting the peace process in Northern Ireland. It was Major who recognised that peace would only be achieved through negotiation with the IRA and it was he that first brought them to the negotiating table; a process that was then taken forward by Blair. Major's initiative was particularly brave given that his majority in parliament was dependent on Unionist votes.

While he may not have been one of the great PMs, he was much better than either Brown or Cameron.

[Serial_Apologist]

Actually, I think that comment came from Tony Banks rather than Livingstone.

Major was much maligned at the time and was generally seen as a failure as PM, but with hindsight his period in office looks a lot better than it did at the time. He took us out of the recession of the early 1990s and by the time he left office in 1997 employment was rising, growth was stable, and the national deficit was well under control. Indeed, the economy and public finances inherited by the incoming Labour Government were so strong that it took Gordon Brown almost 13 years to completely wreck them.

Major should also be credited for starting the peace process in Northern Ireland. It was Major who recognised that peace would only be achieved through negotiation with the IRA and it was he that first brought them to the negotiating table; a process that was then taken forward by Blair. Major's initiative was particularly brave given that his majority in parliament was dependent on Unionist votes.

While he may not have been one of the great PMs, he was much better than either Brown or Cameron.

That would not be difficult.

[aeolium]

While he may not have been one of the great PMs, he was much better than either Brown or Cameron.

And Blair.

Steve Bell on Major at Leveson:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/cartoon/2012/jun/12/steve-bell-john-major-leveson-inquiry

[LHC]

In 2010 the University of Leeds surveyed 106 academics who specialised in British politics and/or British history. They rated Blair as the 3rd best PM since 1945. The full list:

1. Attlee
2. Thatcher
3. Blair
4. MacMillan
5. Wilson
6. Churchill
7. Callaghan
8. Major
9. Heath
10. Brown
11. Douglas-Home
12. Eden

Getting back to Leveson, I see Salmond has accused the Observer of illegally accessing his bank account.

[JohnSkelton]

In 2010 the University of Leeds surveyed 106 academics who specialised in British politics and/or British history. They rated Blair as the 3rd best PM since 1945.

You'd need to know what 'best' meant in that context, surely - it could mean most effective at getting policies implemented, getting re-elected, etc. Someone could be 'best' in that sense without being 'best' in other senses .

Getting back to Leveson, I see Salmond has accused the Observer of illegally accessing his bank account.

So he has. http://news.stv.tv/politics/105975-f...upert-murdoch/

A spokesperson said: "Mr Salmond first raised the matter of an alleged unauthorised access of his bank account with the Observer's editor last year. The allegation was that a journalist working for the Observer had accessed his bank details in 1999. As we explained to him last year, on the basis of the information he had given us, we have been unable to find any evidence to substantiate his allegation. As our response to him at the time made clear, we take this allegation very seriously and if he is able to provide us with any more information we will investigate further."

I suppose you could say they would say that. Although I suppose they could say he is making the claim to deflect attention from his Murdoch links. Murky waters!