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Portrait of David Cameron

Prime Ministers · 21st century

David Cameron

1966– · British

Conservative

In office: 2010–2016

David Cameron became prime minister in 2010 at the head of the first peacetime coalition since the 1930s, governing with Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats and pursuing austerity. After winning an outright majority in 2015 he held the referendum on EU membership he had promised; when Britain voted to leave in June 2016 he resigned. He returned to government as Foreign Secretary in 2023–2024 as Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton.

How to spot them

  • ▸Coalition with Nick Clegg; the 'Big Society'
  • ▸Called the 2016 EU referendum and resigned after the Leave vote
  • ▸Eton, Brasenose College, Oxford, and the Bullingdon Club
  • ▸Returned as Foreign Secretary in the Lords as Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton
  • ▸Hummed a tune after announcing his resignation outside Number 10

In office

The Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition (2010)

Formed after a hung parliament, with Nick Clegg as Deputy Prime Minister

The 'Big Society' (2010)

Flagship idea of devolving power to communities, charities and volunteers

Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 (2013)

Legalised same-sex marriage in England and Wales

The 2014 Scottish independence referendum (2014)

Scotland voted 55 to 45 per cent to remain in the UK

The 2016 EU membership referendum (2016)

Promised in his 2013 Bloomberg speech; Leave won 52 to 48 per cent on 23 June 2016

Losing the Commons vote on military action in Syria (2013)

MPs rejected in principle British military action against the Assad regime

The 2011 referendum on the Alternative Vote (2011)

Voters rejected replacing first-past-the-post

Key ideas

  • 'Compassionate conservatism'; as opposition leader he was mocked for supposedly urging people to 'hug a hoodie'
  • Austerity programme led by Chancellor George Osborne
  • Backed military intervention in Libya in 2011

Quick-fire facts

  • •Born in London in 1966; took a first in PPE at Brasenose College, Oxford
  • •Worked in PR for Carlton Communications before entering Parliament
  • •MP for Witney 2001–2016
  • •Aged 43 in 2010, the youngest prime minister since Lord Liverpool at the time
  • •His daughter Florence was born in 2010 while he was prime minister
  • •Memoir: For the Record (2019)
  • •Created a life peer as Baron Cameron of Chipping Norton in November 2023 to serve as Foreign Secretary until July 2024

Drill it — 8 cards

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Sources