Olympics? I’d rather watch the cricket: John Major watched the Lord’s Test rather than attend the 1996 Atlanta Games – despite aide warning it would ruin his ‘street cred’
- PM’s private secretary Rachael Reynolds warned him he might not be able to watch the cricket on TV in America
- She added it ‘would be a pity if you were to give up going entirely. It is likely to be your last chance’
- Ms Reynolds urged him: ‘You cannot do too much of associating yourself with winners’, declassified government files reveal
Given a choice between attending the 1996 Olympics or watch cricketing at home, there was only going to be one winner.
John Major decided to watch the Lord’s Test despite an aide warning that it would ruin his ‘street cred’ if he failed to attend the Atlanta Games in the US, declassified government files in the National Archives at Kew reveal.
The prime minister’s private secretary Rachael Reynolds had warned him that he might not be able to watch the cricket on TV in America.
She wrote: ‘I understand that you are thinking of staying here for the Lord’s Test in preference to going to the Olympics. I do think it would be a pity if you were to give up going entirely. It is likely to be your last chance.
‘I can’t imagine we will send you all the way to Sydney for a couple of days in 2000 so unless you are planning on 2004…
John Major decided to watch the Lord’s Test despite an aide warning that it would ruin his ‘street cred’ if he failed to attend the Atlanta Games in the US in 1996, declassified government files in the National Archives at Kew reveal. (Above, the-then PM at Lord’s in 1995)
The PM’s love of cricket meant he missed out on seeing Steve Redgrave (left) and Matthew Pinsent winning gold medals in the coxless pairs at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta
The prime minister’s private secretary Rachael Reynolds had warned him that he might not be able to watch the cricket on TV in America. She also urged him: ‘You cannot do too much of associating yourself with winners.’ (Above, Britain’s 4 x 400m team celebrate their silver medal win at the Games)
‘People do like to see you at sporting things. They know you are a fan. There are always supportive comments around your appearances at cricket. Your support for the British team will be seen as a good thing.’
In a later note, she added: ‘I do think it is worth doing, if you can bear it. You have established your street cred in this area so well, it would be a pity to miss an opportunity which only comes up every four years.’
She also urged him: ‘You cannot do too much of associating yourself with winners.’
She also noted: ‘You will miss the Lord’s Test and we are unlikely to be able to pick up a satellite channel in America which carries cricket.’
But despite her entreaties, Mr Major opted to stay at home.
In a final note on the subject, his private secretary wrote: ‘The Prime Minister has decided his programme at the end of July is too heavily committed for him to be able to travel to Atlanta.’
Despite Ms Reynolds’s entreaties, Mr Major opted to stay at home. (Pictured, John Major takes up his seat at the Sixth Test match between England and The West Indies at The Oval in 1995)