UK Conservative Cabinet 1990-97

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On November 28, 1990, British Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher resigned after serving as Prime Minister for over 11 years. Her policies had promoted a free market economy, privatised industries and public services and introduced 'popular capitalism'. She had secured three consecutive victories for the Conservative Party in the 1979, 1983 and 1987 general elections, but stood down in 1990, following a leadership challenge.

The victor of the consequent Conservative Party leadership contest was Thatcher's Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Major. Major adopted a different Prime Ministerial style to that of Mrs. Thatcher, which was essentially far more collegial. Major was a great user of his cabinet team and encouraged discussion of government policy in order to gain opinions and feedback. Under Major, the cabinet had greater influence over the direction of policy than had been the case with previous Conservative administrations. This was a different approach from that of Mrs. Thatcher, who regularly started her cabinet meetings by announcing the government's policy and sometimes kept some issues away from the attention of her cabinet ministers. Since the Conservative government was elected in 1979, the Prime Minister had chosen to complete detailed policy work in cabinet committees or in bilateral meetings with the head of a department and limit her use of her cabinet team.

Having asserted himself upon his party and the country as Prime Minister, Major called a general election in 1992, from which he secured a decisive victory. His win was also a record for the Conservative Party, as it was their fourth consecutive general election victory.

Major's cabinet team for the during of his premiership, commencing when he became Prime Minister on 28 November 1990, were the following;

Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service: John Major

Chancellor of the Exchequer and Second Lord of the Treasury: Norman Lamont (1990-93), Kenneth Clarke (1993-97)

Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State: Michael Heseltine (1995-97)

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Douglas Hurd (1989-95), Malcolm Rifkind (1995-97)

Secretary of State for the Home Department: Kenneth Baker (1990-92), Kenneth Clarke (1992-93), Michael Howard (1993-97)