Sir John Major | Why Britain Should Remain in the EU | Oxford Union 

I am not a Tory, but Major's story and background is pretty extraordinary. He didn't go to university. He was schooled in the hard commercial world of Banking and Finance after immediately leaving school.

John Major is right. We need a strong united Europe for our geopolitical security. A weak and divided Europe could end up becoming a geopolitical playground for the superpowers, of India, China the USA, and Russia. With proxy wars, civil wars, imposed dictators. I love the USA but they might not be able to save us, from the tensions of superpowers taking us into battle against eachother. A weak and divided Europe will be ripe for plunder by non European superpowers.

Viewing this more than two years later, it seems rather prophetic.

John major is a mature sensible person he's was absolutely right in every decisions he made in his time as MP there was better justice everything was booming not like the clown's we have nowadays hope we can vote for people like John major

Several (former) Prime Ministers have stated we ought to stay in EU ... These are people with real life EXPERIENCE of running a country, why would anyone chose to go against their experience, viewpoints and intellectual knowledge

Will the Oxford Union invite a speaker from the Leave campaign? Better yet, a debate between the two sides?

Now you see he was right look at the UK in late 2022 chaos.

He tried. They didn’t listen.

Thank YOU, LORD MAJOR!!! Stay Well

l listened intently knowing his view would be different from mine on Europe. I listened wanting to see where I could agree with some things but I found none. It is obsurd that we could not get Europe to Co operate with sanctions on Iran unless we were in the EU. Why would that be the Case?

Thank you John Major, you speak with Wisdom. So many comments made without understanding the facts is contributed.

BRING BACK OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY BEFORE ITS TO LATE. VOTE TO LEAVE.

The UK could have been a EU leader but decided not to....Thatcher would never have pulled the UK out from the EEA. Total folly.

The isolationists always pop up in difficult times, they are doing so here in the US led by the likes of Trump. To follow that path is to diminish as a world power and to retreat from all engagement in important matters that can not be avoided in any case.

i'm still voting to leave - sovereignty trumps all

Britain, stiffen up that famous upper lip of yours and get to work. You don't need the E.U. or anyone else. Remember the days when the sun never set? You can do it again. Please have more faith in yourself.

He'll miss the Gravy Train !!

John Major - the man who made the comment about how much the cost of cuppacino had gone up in France, a few days after our currency crash under the ERM

Thanks for convincing me to vote leave

Also, don't you love how he criticised emotive language and then did the same thing at the end

It is scary how accurate this seems now - it makes me regret backing Brexit.

John Major needs to demonstrate why heavy regulation is good for our economy. If he can successfully win that argument then I will give a bit more respect. Unfortunately for him, he's seems that he fails to understand how business growth is achieved. EU trade agreements are some of the worst in the world, why is this an argument to stay in?

Yes this is the guy who signed the Maastricht treaty and when presented with a poll that said around 80/90% of the public were against joining the Union, said Ï don't much care for referendums

When will Tony Blair be knighted or made a peer?

BITTER. Half or a pint?

Not looking much at this but I'd guess it'll be full of fear. Lacking imagination and vision.

Do we want foreigners making laws that we have to obey I don’t, we fought two wars to be free and now we are fee and that’s how we will stay

We were not leading in europe it was just France and Germany making all the choices.

Why is he not stood on of a gallows instead of here

11 billion we really need to keep rather than handing out. Another gravy train along soon

He made some amazing points about migration there

Canadian here. Go Brexit!! We are sovereign. Australia is sovereign. Britain should be sovereign too!

Interpretation: Don't vote leave because the multinationals who pay me might not want to base themselves in the UK.

We must vote to leave the EU.

The media has a lot to answer for. It would be interesting to see how many “remain” speeches were broadcast in prime time. I can only remember Johnson & Gove and that NHS Bus.

Utter drivel

OH DEAR THE GREY MANS BACK. MAJOR YOU WERE A DISASTER BACK IN THE DAY YOU STILL ARE.

Is his trade argument correct, according to the "Brexit" movie india, Singapore, Switzerland and china's trade completely dwarfs our EU trade????

Word of wisdom but nobody listen to him but his words are coming true.. listening now British people

OK so uk gross payment to EU is £10 billion ..that's still too big

Uks best Prime Minister ever

The EU will die one way or another. The fact of the matter is that heavy regulation and bad trade agreements that exist between member states will eventually cripple the EU economy until it fails spectacularly. The empirical data shows 100% of the cases that heavy regulation causes a lack of competitiveness that eventually leads to economic stagnation. Whereas on the other hand, lower taxes and less regulations unlocks innovation and provides real growth. Britain in the 19th century was one of the least regulated economies in the world and it was because of this that the industrial revolution occurred. Contrast that to our record highest ere of regulation in the 1970's, a time when Britain was stagnating badly and was considered the sick man of Europe and you get a clear picture of how regulations effect the economic potential of a member state. Now the EU has progressively been increasing regulations bit by bit over the years and it has now reached an almighty record. Wherein, the same time the rate of growth has steadily decreased year by year to the point of stagnation. Now, how much credibility should we show to those who can not demonstrate simple reasoning and come to the conclusion that because the EU will not reform as it should, therefore any sensible nation should leave and quickly adapt its economic policy to escape disaster?

2 years later Mr Major (2018) how say you now, on immigration, on security, look how many EU country's are turning towards fascism all because of open borders.

I assume the case for the Leave campaign is going to be posted soon. A democratic decision cannot be made unless both sides of a voting issue are presented.

30 minutes on the eu by the guy who brought you black Wednesday what are people clicking on this?

John major was a decent honest PM too nice for the right wing tories. The Brexit campaign was been a bunch of lies. 20.28 Spot on about divisions

The best voiced and argued remain talk I have heard. Also the only good one io have found.

I guess by John's logic, tiny independent Iceland is doomed.

And we left 😀 well played Nigel Farage

500 million people of which 80% live below poverty line. 50 million of them on benefits and you put them there john .

Well said. Leaving would be total folly.

When he turns to the side i just see the spitting image of him and i just cannot take this man serious and as i look at this man i see the reason the tories went into decline after the brilliant margaret thatcher and that allowed the even worse Blair and Brown to even further diminish the prosperity of britain

I would take issue with everything that John said. Our economy, jobs, borders and security would all be better off outside of the EU. I look forward to the Oxford Union debate on the 9th June and the coming televised debates. When you have a debate the viewer can see who won and who lost. And even if you made the wrong decision as to who won, the post debate analysis in the free press will maybe put you on the right track. This is only the second referendum in our history and hopefully the last. We don't want what Mill called "vulgar democracy" and Popper seconded the choice of the word "vulgar". We want parliamentary democracy with its freedom of speech, a free press and debate and scrutiny in the talking shop. We want sovereignty determined by the best argument. We also want trade to be governed by GATT where you can sell your goods and services around the world for no other reason than they meets ISO standards. The EU is first and foremost an opponent of free trade and as such its share of world trade is in massive decline.

You lost me at Russia

This guy has a real Neville Chamberlain vibe. It was thought to be a disaster not to capitulate to Germany could have been a part of a unified europe then.

major small banker teach us of values :)

"Europe’s nations should be guided towards the superstate without their people understanding what is happening. This can be accomplished by successive steps, each disguised as having an economic purpose, but which will eventually and irreversibly lead to federation." Jean Monnet, one of the architects of the EU.

Qu'il est sage John Major ! Et les années ont prouvé qu'il a raison! Expérience et bon sens !

Old want is sticking his nose in again the House of Lords must be boring for him and his grey voice

traitor

A complete CAD.

Who would take advice from the man who had an affair with Edwina Curry ?

years havnt been kind to "binky" major , poor old dear still thinks Maggie thatcher is PM .cant remember a thing since the falklands debarkle .

There have been plenty of debates in the media. No one so far has made the case to remain part of the EU so cogently as John Major has. Of course, he was helped in no small measure by the self evident facts supporting his argument, but he did brilliantly to marshal them so exquisitely on the day.

You might need that money on the health service now

Major go back to sleep you sleepy john

Where is John Major's top lip?

John Major had his palm (and his bum-hole) greased by Brussels......

Let's start a debate about in or out as we only have days to go. Referendums are not democratic unless you consider that rule by the majority is democratic. On the contrary parliamentary democracy is rule by the best argument and a safe place for minorities. Mob rule, rule by the majority, is the tyranny of the majority over the minorities and parliamentary democracy differs because it is the one and only form of government that isn't tyranny. Vulgar democracy as espoused by the 99%ers or the OWS is the worst kind of totalitarianism. Parliamentary democracy is the place where the best argument can be released, heard and acted upon thanks to freedom of speech and freedom of the press. There can be no better governance than being ruled by the best argument.The EU is a club that looks after its members. We had to leave two other clubs to join the EEC club. The EU is not a place we want to be. Its contracting in its share of world's trade, has an ageing population, 10% unemployment, high QE, negative interest rates and first and foremost its anti free trade (a club). We are with Adam Smith. As long as your goods and services meet ISOs they should be freely tradable around the world.There are no economic, trade, jobs, security or "clubbiest" arguments for us to remain. Mentioning these things is throwing us off the scent. The only scent is that the EU is doing so badly that they all want to come here. They being the get on your bike, degree qualified, hard working, polite, good timekeeping, multilingual workers that employers prefer.Comments welcome.

whats in for me

My dear fellow UK citizens, please note that the financial stability of the country, and of the EU, is the main underlying reason given by the media, politicians and businessmen as to why Britain should remain in the EU. I therefore ask, should financial stability come before truth, honesty, and the willingness to serve your people? Or should we sacrifice this for lies, deceit, and to come under leadership’s slavery. Is it that people would rather have people dictate to them and rule them, as long as they are fed, watered, and have a roof over their heads? Then you have become a mere automation, even a robot, and not a dignified human being. This was exactly the influence that Hitler had over his followers in Germany and look at the results of it. The EU is a Fascist Dictatorship, as it is the corporations who are controlling matters and funding politicians, and they are all being guided by the evil spiritual forces that they listen to. I cannot understand why people are just thinking about their own pockets, and do not care if they have their freedom and rights taken away, as they will have little power under this system to challenge major political decisions. I cannot understand why people would rather live under a system where they are just being told what to do, like children; to just get on with life, as we (the EU leaders) know what is best for you. Cannot many in the remain camp see that these leaders are acting like gods, and believe that they have the right to rule, and to say, and to do whatever they please without being challenged? Now that the true God has allowed for them to be challenged, can it not be seen that they do not like this? An honest and noble individual will, after pleading his case, accept the choice that another person makes, whether right or wrong, and stand aside and let them carry on with their decision. He will still be there to help and support if necessary. This is also the sign of true friend. Only an enemy will seek to make life harder for and to destroy the other person if they do not agree with their decision. All of these threats about making Britain suffer for leaving, and having dire consequences, is bullying and evil. And yet citizens want to remain with the leaders that make threats like this? What principles are you teaching your children then? That as long as you can get a job, and have a home, and food, and clothes, then you must do what your leaders are saying? This is how it was in the Dark Ages, when Roman Catholic priests controlled society, and the Feudal System was in place. Please do your own research and you will see that it is this same religious system that is behind the EU. Let me make it plain. Love gives free will, hatred seeks to crush it; Good people help and support and serve others, evil people are selfish, make life harder by increasing people's burdens, and seek not to save, but to destroy others. Destruction is also not just physical, it is also mental - men’s minds need to be free to be happy, not to be under oppression. I therefore plead with my fellow citizens - DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE SERFS, AND PRIZE YOUR GOD-GIVEN FREEDOM. For sure, Racism is not the underlying issue for many of us leave voters. It is the very issue that I have been writing about - the spirit and character of those who want people to stay in Europe. It is EVIL.

John Major, actually forgot how boring this man was until now

arms dealer

JUST WANTED TO SAY HAHAHAHAHA BYE BYE EUROPE THANK GOD

Democratic vote = OUT

Sir John Major should answer the question I posed in my RU-vid video: Search for 'Was I right to vote for Brexit?'

Under John Major's watch: In 1990 he signed us up to the ERM which was a complete and utter failure. Two years later: Chancellor Norman Lamont withdrew us from the ERM, raised base interest rates from 10% to 12%, then to 15%, and authorised the spending of billions of pounds to buy up the sterling being frantically sold on the currency markets. In 1992: The Maastricht Treaty was signed on February 7, 1992, by the leaders of 12 member nations (Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, France, Netherlands, West Germany, Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom, Greece, Portugal and Spain). The treaty entered into force November 1, 1993. In effect the EEC that people had originally voted to join, an economic trading community, became political. The Maastricht Treaty ended the relationship we voted for in 1973 and we were thrown into a new political relationship. Had the Maastricht treaty not been signed, we wouldn't be having the Brexit conversation we are now having. John Major's opinions are not worth two penneth of snake shit and anyone trusting his political arguments will want their heads tested. As for Lamont? I was caught up in this interest rate scandal and never really recovered from it, losing most of my capital savings and struggling to keep my small business afloat as costs went through the roof and wages stagnated. (and watching dear friends who's small businesses also went to the wall), I would personally hang that man every year for the next 100 years and glady let the birds peck his remains. Lamont is a slimy garden slug who should not be taking up any space on this planet at all.

A time when politicians were competent and responsible. Now we have Marjorie Taylor Greene, Giorgia Meloni and Jean-Luc Mélanchon all elected officials. Absolute decadence.

Knob!!!!!!

John Major has presented the arguments well. UK going it alone will mean that the UK will be diminished. Wanting to be like Norway, Switzerland and Iceland means obeying EU laws relating to single market access but not being involved in EU decision making. UK should be inside EU and a leader of EU.

This traitor is a fool.

I looked at the arguements put forward by both sides before i made my decision. I voted leave. I ate some French cheese once and it gave me tummy ache.

MrPrimeMinister, may i summarize in a way you could not - Brexit is lunacy.

I like john but disagree with him on this

I guess he had to justify his role in this mess :(

Total and utter nonsense.

John Major, a old pompus puppet, leaving the EU is a good move, cast your mind back to the second ww2 Hitler dominated most of Europe and most of Europe crumbled to his army, and he wanted Britian, In some ways his legacy has come true Europe Germany, France, Belgum have formed the EU so he has wom his war and we are tied to Europe, Don't forget Britian was once a empire and ruled most of the world and it was the second world war which cost us our Empire because of Europe, for example if the second world war had never happened we would be the most powerful and prospers island in the world

Major, should go back into retirement. He should not be speaking in public just because he is bored of life or is running out of money.