Back to Basics was a failed attempt to relaunch the government of British Prime Minister John Major in 1993. Announced at the Party Conference of that year, the initiative was intended to focus on issues of law and order, education and public probity (especially "single mothers") after the debacle of Black Wednesday had destroyed the claims of the UK Conservative Party to safeguard public finance. Back to Basics was widely interpreted as a moral campaign and hence was roundly destroyed by the revelation of several instances of "Tory sleaze", including: Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990 - 1997. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... In British politics and economics, Black Wednesday refers to September 16, 1992 when the government was forced to withdraw the Pound from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) by currency speculators—most notably George Soros who earned over US$1 billion in doing so. ... The Conservative Party is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting MPs, and the largest by of public membership. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is about political corruption. ...

• David Mellor's extra-marital affair with bit-part actress Antonia de Sancha (ca. 1992)
• Tim Yeo's extra-marital affair resulting in him fathering a "love-child" in 1993
• Stephen Milligan's bizarre accidental death by auto-erotic asphyxiation on February 7, 1994
• Michael Brown's involvement with a then-underage man in 1994, and his subsequent implication in the 'cash for questions' affair.
• Neil Hamilton's alleged acceptance of 'cash for questions' from Mohammed Al-Fayed in 1994
• Jonathan Aitken's alleged procurement of prostitutes for Arab businessmen, their payment of his Ritz hotel bill, and his subsequent conviction and prison sentence for perjury after the resulting libel trial in which he unsuccessfully attempted to sue The Guardian over the story.
• Graham Riddick's entrapment for, and acceptance of, 'cash for questions' in 1994.
• Hartley Booth's amorous, unreciprocated pursuit of his secretary in 1995
• David Willetts's disciplining by the parliamentary ombudsman over his intervention in a parliamentary enquiry in 1996
• Piers Merchant's affairs with a night club hostess, and his researcher in 1997

Many of these revelations were either orchestrated by Max Clifford or claimed by him. The Right Honourable David Mellor (born 12 March 1949) is a British Conservative politician and barrister. ... An affair is usually a euphemism for a situation where two people are involved in an illicit activity. ... A bit part is a supporting acting role with at least one line of dialogue. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Antonia de Sancha (Born: September 14, 1961-) is an actress known to have had an British politician David Mellor. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Tim Yeo Timothy Stephen Kenneth Yeo MP (born March 20, 1945) is a British Conservative politician, Member of Parliament for South Suffolk. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Stephen Milligan (May 12, 1948 - February 7, 1994) was a British politician and journalist. ... Autoerotic asphyxiation is the practice of self-strangulation, typically by the use of a ligature, while masturbating. ... February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... Michael Russell Brown (b. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... The cash-for-questions affair was a controversial political scandal in 1990s Britain. ... This page is about Neil Hamilton, former MP and media personality. ... The cash-for-questions affair was a controversial political scandal in 1990s Britain. ... Mohamed Al-Fayed (b. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... Jonathan William Patrick Aitken (born August 30, 1942) is a former Conservative Member of Parliament, government minister and convicted perjurer. ... The Hôtel Ritz is a hotel located at 15 Place Vendôme, in the heart of Paris, France. ... Perjury is the act of lying or making verifiably false statements on a material matter under oath or affirmation in a court of law or in any of various sworn statements in writing. ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... Graham Riddick was the Conservative Party member of Parliament for Colne Valley in West Yorkshire, England from 1987 to 1997. ... The cash-for-questions affair was a controversial political scandal in 1990s Britain. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... (Vernon Edward) Hartley Booth was the Conservative Member of Parliament for Finchley from the 1992 general election until the constituency was abolished in the 1997 general election and replaced by Finchley and Golders Green Categories: | | ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... David Willetts David Lindsay Willetts (born March 9, 1956) is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Havant, in the United Kingdom. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Piers Rolf Garfield Merchant (born January 2, 1951) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Max Clifford (born April 6, 1943 in Kingston, Surrey) is a British publicist. ...

Perhaps surprisingly, John Major's own extra-marital affair with Edwina Currie was not revealed until several years after his term in office was over and the Back to Basics campaign all but forgotten. Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990 - 1997. ... Edwina Currie Edwina Currie (born 13 October 1946 in Liverpool) is a former British Member of Parliament. ...

The phrase has since become synonymous for UK political commentators to describe any failed attempt by a political party leader to relaunch themselves following a scandal or controversy.

The phrase was satirized in the Viz strip Baxter Basics. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Baxter Basics was a fictional character in the British comic Viz. ...