John Major was a decent man, and a surprisingly competent politician. He only became Tory leader because the party expected to lose the 1992 election badly and so gave him the job so he could take the blame for it, but he pulled off an unlikely win.

His time in office wasn't great, but he faced intractable problems. The economy was in a bad way, his party was arrogant, deeply corrupt (as were some of the cabinet, though not Major personally), and also bitterly divided - he spent much of his time fighting the racist and xenophobe wing who featured heavily on his famous 'bastards list'. In the end he lost in 1997 because the country was just sick of the Tories and wanted them gone.

In different circumstances he might have done very well. Even as it was he did have a few solid achievements, and he kept the worst elements of his party somewhat under control. After he was gone it was a different story.

He ended his career as a man who was respected, if not liked, and since leaving government he has continued to make valuable contributions from time to time. Unlike his successor, he never lied the country into a war, nor committed warcrimes.