Major ‘hurled cushions at aides he disagreed with’ while one begged him for clemency

Sir John Major apparently hurled cushions at aides with whose opinions he disagreed.

His principal private secretary even begged the PM not to bombard him furnishings after critiquing his speaking style in an unusually frank memo.

In the memo, dated January 25, 1991, Sir Andrew Turnbull told Sir John he had ‘a tendency to add words and phrases which are redundant, or worse, clichés’ during his speeches.

But the note begins with a reference to ‘Judith’ – possibly Sir John’s aide Judith Chaplin.

‘May I, at the risk of having a cushion thrown at me, as was Judith’s fate, offer some comments on your speaking style,’ Sir Andrew writes.

‘For the most part it is admirably clear. The grammar is excellent, sentences having subject, verb, object, etc. Your transcripts read as almost perfect prose.

‘Most people have a speaking style which comes out horribly in print.

‘But as Matthew Parris [former Tory MP and journalist] observed, there is a tendency to add words and phrases which are redundant, or worse, clichés.’

Sir John responded in a jocular tone, writing: ‘Many thanks – I don’t have a cushion to hand! You are right – I am too verbose sometimes, with unnecessary additions. I’ll try desist’.

But apparently offended by Mr Parris’ criticism, the PM added: ‘But Matthew, I thought, was an old friend and went over the top. But I’ll watch it – and thanks. John.’ 

Sir Andrew Turnbull told Sir John he had ‘a tendency to add words and phrases which are redundant, or worse, clichés’ during his speeches