The Political Leadership of Prime Minister John Major

This book seeks to re-examine John Majors leadership using techniques developed through Presidential Studies: namely using Fred Greensteins seminal study of Presidential Leadership, The Presidential Difference, and its six criteria for leadership (public communicator, organisational capacity, political skill, public policy vision, cognitive style, and, finally, emotional intelligence). It is through Greensteins model that a fresh look can be taken at not only Majors time in office, but equally the man himself, which proves to be just as revealing. Majors tenure has often been characterised as being weak and incompetent, as he presided over a sleaze-ridden and divided party on the issue of Europe. With almost a quarter of a century having passed since Major left office, it looks to be an appropriate moment to re-assess his premiership and important role in the recent seismic events surrounding the 2016 Brexit referendum and its outcome.