John Major

Major negotiated the Maastricht Treaty, which created the European Union and established the euro currency. He secured opt-outs for the UK from the single currency and social chapter, a major achievement in European integration.

The UK was forced to withdraw the pound sterling from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism after a speculative attack. The government spent billions trying to defend the currency, a major economic and political failure for Major's government.

Major led the Conservative Party to an unexpected victory in the 1992 general election, winning a majority of 21 seats. This was the Conservatives' fourth consecutive election win, despite predictions of a hung parliament.

Major and Irish Taoiseach Albert Reynolds signed the Downing Street Declaration, a joint peace initiative for Northern Ireland. The declaration affirmed the principle of consent and opened the way for peace negotiations.

Major resigned as prime minister after the Conservative Party suffered a landslide defeat in the 1997 general election to Tony Blair's Labour Party. The defeat ended 18 years of Conservative government.