Sir John Major is recieiving the Churchill Medal tonight in St. Louis.  The Churchill Medal is given out by the Board of Governors of the Churchill Memorial.  It is given to someone who exemplifies Churchhill's ideals and believed in Churchill's leadership.

Major is the fourth person ever to receive this award. 

He spoke today from the same podium Churchill stood behind when he gave his "Iron Curtain Address" in 1946. 

Major flew in by helicopter, which landed on the Westminster football field. He arrived one hour late after being held up in St. Louis.  Barney Forsythe, president of the Westminster College, greeted Major on the field. 

Major toured Westminster's Churchill Museum and spoke to a political science class while in town. 

Major is the fourth British Prime Minister to visit Westminster. Churchill was the first in 1946, Edward Heath vistied in 1982, and Magaret Thatcher visited in 1996.

After touring the museum, Major shared his thoughts.

"What struck me about the museum, is it isn't just about the famous important speech.  It isn't just about those extraordinary's in the war when Churchill and the British Empire for a while stood alone.  Until America entered the frame and changed the future of history.  But it actually covers the whole of Churchill's life.  And here if you go back for a thousand years of British history, I don't think you can find another life to compare with Churchill's," said former prime minister Sir John Major.

Westminster is accostumed to having world leaders on campus, but for Rob Havers Major's visit is extra special, because Major was prime minister when Havers lived in london.

"It's a great day today to welcome the fourth British prime minister to the Churchill Memorial.  The Churchill Memorial has always been and is a great Anglo-American instituion.  We're vertylucky that there's been so many great leaders come to the memorial, come to Westminster College.  It's especially a privelige to welcome Sir John Major, prime minister of the UK when I was living in London.  So it's tremendous to see him on campus to see this museum, to see what it means to the people of the Missouri and to the people of the United States.  For him to understand what a great thing the Anglo-American Relationship has always been and will continue to be," said Churchill Museum Executive Director, Rob Havers.

Major grew up in Brixton in southern england.  In 1979 he gained a seat in the House of Commons, and quickly rose through the ranks of the Conservative Party.  In 1986 Major became a junior minister.  Almost two years later he became chief secretary of the treasury.

In 1989, Margaret Thatcher appointed him foreign secretary.  Just three months later Major sat on her cabinet.

When Thatcher resigned as prime minister the next year, Major took the job.  He was elected prime minister in 1992 and continued his term until he lost the 1997 election to Tony Blair's Labor Party. 

While in office, Major abolished the poll tax and established the northern Ireland peace process. 

Major is now retired from the House of Commons.  After his time in office he wrote an autobiography.