A FORMER Prime Minister paid a visit to Warrington this week and gave his views on the new leadership of the borough council.

John Major, Prime Minister from 1990-1997, stopped off at a gathering of the Warrington South Conservative Association at the Park Royal Hotel in Stretton on Friday afternoon.

Speaking exclusively to the Warrington Guardian, the former man at the top said he was very happy to be in "such a lovely part of the country".

He also spoke of his pleasure that the Conservatives now play an active part in the leadership of the town after a Liberal Democrat/Conservative coalition was formed following the elections last month.

Mr Major, now a well known after dinner speaker, said: "I decided to come up to Warrington for several reasons, firstly, Warrington South is a seat we are very keen to win at the next General Election.

"Secondly, I wanted to say thank you to Clr Fiona

Bruce after she performed extremely well at the last election when she stood for MP, in quite difficult circumstances.

"The new leadership has inherited a bit of a mess as I understand it. But, I think a coalition with the Liberals is fine."

Mr Major has also been instrumental in the Northern Ireland peace process, having been Prime Minister at the time of the Warrington bombings.

During his trip to the town, he was also speaking at a dinner organised by Colin and Wendy Parry, who founded the Peace Centre, in Great Sankey.

He said he was pleased with how it was progressing and added: "I don't think we will go back to the violence we had before. The troubles are long gone."

Penketh High School students Kate Jervis and Leigh Jones were also at the event and said they were pleased to be given the opportunity to meet Mr Major.

hcartwright@guardiangrp.co.uk