David cameron

Thursday

The Spectator

Cameron’s Legacy

Midway through his final cabinet meeting, David Cameron realised — with some horror — that it had turned into a political wake. Theresa May had just lavished praise upon him, and his eyes had moistened. Then it was George Osborne’s turn: the Chancellor was a bit more humorous, but no less affectionate: ‘Being English, David, you’ll hate all this praise,’ he said. ‘You’re quite right,’ Cameron replied. ‘I am English, and I don’t much like it.’ Fearing that every member of his government was about to deliver an elegy, he brought the meeting to an abrupt end. Defining Cameron’s legacy is an important task for the Conservatives if they are

James Forsyth James Forsyth

‘She doesn’t do likes’

As Tory MPs gathered at St Stephen’s entrance in Parliament to await their new leader on Monday afternoon, a choir in Westminster Hall began to sing. The hosannas spoke to the sense of relief among Tory MPs: they had been spared a long and divisive nine-week leadership contest. A period of political blood-letting brutal even by Tory standards was coming to an end. The United Kingdom would have a new Prime Minister. More than relief, there was hope for the bulk of MPs who had previously not been marked out for advancement. Theresa May’s accession shows that the narrow rules which were thought to govern modern British politics are not

Wednesday

Theresa May

Theresa May’s first speech as Prime Minister: full text

I have just been to Buckingham Palace, where Her Majesty the Queen has asked me to form a new government, and I accepted. In David Cameron, I follow in the footsteps of a great, modern Prime Minister. Under David’s leadership, the Government stabilised the economy, reduced the budget deficit, and helped more people into work than ever before. But David’s true legacy is not about the economy, but about social justice. From the introduction of same sex marriage, to taking people on low wages out of income tax altogether, David Cameron has led a one nation government, and it is in that spirit that I also plan to lead. Because not

Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

David Cameron’s legacy is out of his control

It was a rather cruel pathetic fallacy that the Prime Minister who had to resign early after creating a political storm by accidentally taking Britain out of the European Union gave his final speech from Downing Street under rumbling, rolling storm clouds. At one point, the wind whooshed back David Cameron’s hair and rain began to splatter on the hundreds of cameras watching his statement. Cameron clearly wanted to use the statement to tell the British people what he thought his legacy was, and to highlight the ways in which he thought he had performed particularly well. He of course listed his achievements on the economy, particularly when it came

David Cameron

David Cameron’s farewell speech: full text

When I first stood here in Downing Street on that evening in May 2010, I said we would confront our problems as a country and lead people through difficult decisions, so that together we could reach better times. It has not been an easy journey, and of course we have not got every decision right, but I do believe that today our country is much stronger. Above all it was about turning around the economy. And with the deficit cut by two-thirds, two and a half million more people in work and one million more businesses, there can be no doubt that our economy is immeasurably stronger. Politicians like to

James Forsyth James Forsyth

David Cameron, the Tory moderniser

David Cameron’s valedictory address from Downing Street was not only a defence of his government record but a summing up of Tory modernisation. He emphasised not only that the economy was stronger, but also highlighted the tax cuts his government had enacted. So far, so traditionally Tory. But then he hailed the introduction of the living wage, a big departure from classic Tory thinking—the party had opposed the minimum wage in the 1997 election. Next up was the Tory public service reform agenda. Cameron pointed to how many more children were now in good or outstanding schools and to the creation of free schools. But he linked this radicalism to

Lloyd Evans Lloyd Evans

PMQs sketch: A final farewell to Dodgy Dave

Nice send off for Cameron at PMQs. Both leaders acquitted themselves well. Cameron was wry, witty and self-deprecating. He claimed to have ‘addressed’ a total of 5500 questions during his premiership. ‘How many I’ve answered I’ll leave to others.’ Corbs got it spot on too and showed us a relaxed, funny, generous side. He asked Cameron to thank his mum for her tip that he should smarten up and wear a suit. ‘He’s taken the advice. He’s looking absolutely splendid,’ beamed Cameron. It was only a throwaway remark but it produced a Richter-scale eruption of mirth. And Corbs offered his heartfelt thanks to Cameron for pushing through the law that

James Forsyth James Forsyth

What to expect from Theresa May, and why she might surprise you

As Tory MPs gathered at St Stephen’s entrance in Parliament to await their new leader on Monday afternoon, a choir in Westminster Hall began to sing. The hosannas spoke to the sense of relief among Tory MPs: they had been spared a long and divisive nine-week leadership contest. A period of political blood-letting brutal even by Tory standards was coming to an end. The United Kingdom would have a new Prime Minister. More than relief, there was hope for the bulk of MPs who had previously not been marked out for advancement. Theresa May’s accession shows that the narrow rules which were thought to govern modern British politics are not

The Spectator

David Cameron’s legacy: a stronger, fairer Britain

Midway through his final cabinet meeting, David Cameron realised — with some horror — that it had turned into a political wake. Theresa May had just lavished praise upon him, and his eyes had moistened. Then it was George Osborne’s turn: the Chancellor was a bit more humorous, but no less affectionate: ‘Being English, David, you’ll hate all this praise,’ he said. ‘You’re quite right,’ Cameron replied. ‘I am English, and I don’t much like it.’ Fearing that every member of his government was about to deliver an elegy, he brought the meeting to an abrupt end. Defining Cameron’s legacy is an important task for the Conservatives if they are

Tom Goodenough Tom Goodenough

Watch: Highlights from David Cameron’s final PMQs, ‘I was the future once’

David Cameron’s final PMQs brought out the best of the House of Commons. There was a good balance of wit, wisdom, jokes and also accountability as the PM and Corbyn traded off for the final time over the despatch box. The SNP did their best to spoil the party by bringing Cameron crashing back to earth, as Angus Robertson brutally said Cameron’s legacy would only be bringing Britain to the brink of Brexit. But mostly, it was a fitting send-off for a Prime Minister who managed to compare Jeremy Corbyn to Monty Python’s ‘Black Knight’, confirmed his love of Larry the cat and said he was pleased Corbyn had taken

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Labour and SNP join in standing ovation for David Cameron’s last PMQs

David Cameron’s last PMQs was as entertaining as you’d expect. ‘The diary for the rest of my day is remarkably light,’ he said in answer to the traditional first question about his day. The Blair-worshiper in him will remember Tony Blair’s last PMQs, when he spoke about his P45 and started finished with: ‘that is that: the end’ – to enjoy a then-unprecedented  standing ovation. Cameron, then opposition leader, stood up to join in then gestured for Tory MPs to do the same. Most did. This time, Cameron had prepped his own last words: ‘Nothing is impossible. I was the future, once.’ And with that the Tory benches stood up in applause, as joined

Philip Sime

Is Theresa May Britain’s Angela Merkel? The German press thinks she might be

As Britain’s second female Prime Minister, Theresa May has inevitably been compared to Margaret Thatcher. But she’s also been linked to a contemporaneous politician: Angela Merkel. Whilst some have dismissed the comparisons, it’s not only British journalists drawing on the similarities between Theresa May and the ‘Iron Frau’ – German newspapers are now doing the same. The initial parallels are clear; two middle-aged women who have fought their ways to the top of the male-dominated world of politics. However, both Bild and Die Welt – two of Germany’s biggest newspapers – believes there is much more which unites May and Merkel and has uncovered a surprising number of similarities to

Ed West Ed West

The Conservative party has a remarkable instinct for survival

So farewell, then, David Cameron. I suspect we’ll miss him when’s gone, but then he probably entered Downing Street 20 years too early, a product of a culture that fawns over youth and undervalues wisdom. At least Theresa May is a good decade older than him, although Kenneth Clarke, at 76, should have been considered for the role, entering as he is the prime of his political life. After coming up with the great slogan of 2016, ‘Brits don’t quit’, Cameron then quit a few days later; his Tory arch-rival Boris Johnson then quit; Nigel Farage has quit, this time for good, followed by his deputy Paul Nuttall; Andrea Leadsom

Tuesday

Isabel Hardman

What might David Cameron do next?

David Cameron has chaired his last ever, emotional, Cabinet meeting this morning, with just a final Prime Minister’s Questions lying between him and freedom. He may want to follow the example of Tony Blair and have a memorable sign off such as ‘and that is that, the end’, though it’s not clear whether he’ll find quite so many MPs keen to give him a standing ovation as he walks out, the Prime Minister who accidentally took Britain out of the European Union. But what Cameron chooses to do next is interesting. He has already said that he wants to stand again as MP for Witney in 2020. Of course, the

Tom Goodenough Tom Goodenough

‘May Day’: How the papers reacted to our new PM-in-waiting

David Cameron is now in in his last full day in Downing Street and already all eyes are on the woman who will replace him. Theresa May is on the front of every newspaper this morning as she prepares to take over at No.10. Here’s how the papers have greeted Britain’s new PM-in-waiting: The Daily Mail, which backed Theresa May in the Tory leadership race, relishes the prospect of her taking over from David Cameron. On its front page, the paper describes the handover as the ‘Coronation of Theresa’ – making a big show of her promise to heal rifts and make Brexit a success. Don’t expect such uncompromising praise

Monday

Cindy Yu

Coffee House Shots: Leadsom drops out – what next for May?

Over the course of the past weekend, Andrea Leadsom has come under fire for her comments on having children. Such media scrutiny has proved too much for Leadsom as she announced her withdrawal from the Tory leadership campaign. With this leaving Theresa May as the only candidate for Prime Minister and Conservative party leader, what will happen next? Joining Isabel Hardman for Coffee House shots today is Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth. On the podcast, James Forsyth describes how Andrea Leadsom lost her confidence in the contest: ‘Most of the people who’d voted for Michael Gove were moving over to the Theresa May camp, so she really would have been

James Forsyth James Forsyth

Can Theresa May nurse the Tories back to health?

It might prove easier for the Tories’ new leader Theresa May to reunite the party post referendum than expected. First, many Tory MPs have been taken aback by the brutality of the past few weeks. They know how close the party is to entering into a post-Maastricht cycle of political violence and there appears to be a desire to pull back from the brink. Second, both sides have had their pound of flesh. The Leavers have seen David Cameron resign and George Osborne see his leadership hopes dashed; the Remainers have seen Boris Johnson and Michael Gove brought low by the leadership contest. May’s biggest challenge will, obviously, be to

Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

And then there was one… Theresa May’s team prepare for government

Chris Grayling has given this very brief statement on behalf of Theresa May in the past few minutes: ‘Can I start by thanking on behalf of Theresa May and on behalf of everyone involved in Theresa’s campaign team by thanking and paying a warm tribute to Andrea Leadsom. Her actions this morning have shown what a principled and decent politician she is and how willing she is to put the interests of the country before her own. She is a true public servant. Theresa is currently on her way back to London from Birmingham and she will make a statement later today. But on her behalf I’d just like to

Lara Prendergast Lara Prendergast

Graham Brady rules out re-opening the Tory leadership contest

Following Andrea Leadsom’s announcement that she is bowing out of the leadership race, Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 committee, has confirmed that Theresa May is now the only remaining candidate. While he refused to confirm that she was now the country’s Prime Minister, he ruled out re-opening the contest, which means it is almost certain that May has got the top job. Gove has also voiced his support: Andrea Leadsom spoke with great dignity and courage today. I wish her every success in the future. We should now move as quickly as possible to ensure Theresa May can take over as leader. She has my full support as our next prime