Good old John Major!

Well, to be honest, not many people were saying that in Scotland back in the mid 90's when I first started drawing editorial cartoons for the Daily Record. In fact, there was only me and about five others who'd openly declare it, but I did so with gusto, and on a daily basis.

My reasons for doing so were never due to any political alignment with the former Tory leader or his party however. Any warmth I had for any of them was purely down to the fertile feeding grounds they cultivated for me and my fellow political cartoonists in Scotland, where they were reviled to such an extent that the well of inspiration positively overflowed for guys like me. I dearly loved them for that!

I recall vividly a conversation with the deputy editor of the Record, my left wing paymasters, as it became clear the Tories' days were finally numbered throughout the UK, and Scotland looked like it would at long last get the government it had voted for (how right and how wrong we were, simultaneously). I said it in jest, but it was a very real fear...

"If New Labour win the election, then scrap the Monarchy, and Gazza leaves Glasgow Rangers, I'll have bugger all left to draw."

I needn't have feared as it turned out, but that's for another time. For now, here's just one little bit of fun I had with poor Mr Major in his dying Prime Ministerial days (more later)...