In 1992 John Major stretched the Tories’ winning streak to four general election victories in a row.

It was an impressive feat, all the more startling as it had been pulled off against the backdrop of one of the worst recessions of the 20th century.

Major's victory confounded pollsters and pundits alike, many of whom had been predicting a hung parliament or an end to Labour's years in the wilderness.

For Labour it was an incredibly depressing result and the question was raised, as it had been in 1959, could Labour ever be returned to power again?