--- type: politician_profile lang: en canonical: https://www.politicaelectoral.com/en/european-union/politicians/david-cameron name: David William Donald Cameron partido: ecr updated_at: 2026-05-03T13:18:33 data_crc: cc0460d8 --- David William Donald Cameron is a British Conservative politician and former prime minister; he currently holds no public office and is associated with the **European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR)**. ## Political career Born in **1966**, David Cameron was educated at **Eton College** and then at **Brasenose College, Oxford**, where he read Philosophy, Politics and Economics. At Oxford he developed the social and political networks that later fed into his career in government and the Conservative Party. After graduating, he joined the **Conservative Research Department** in the 1980s and later worked in policy roles outside Westminster, including at the **Treasury** and in public affairs. These early positions helped establish his reputation as a modern, media-savvy Conservative with an instinct for message discipline. Cameron entered frontline national politics in the 1990s. He stood unsuccessfully for Parliament before being elected as **Member of Parliament for Witney** in **2001**. In opposition, he built a profile as a socially liberal, economically prudent Conservative and quickly rose through the party ranks. Under **Michael Howard**, he served as **head of policy coordination** and became closely associated with efforts to modernise the party’s image after successive general election defeats. In **2005**, following the Conservative defeat in that year’s general election, Cameron was elected **Leader of the Conservative Party**. His leadership marked a decisive effort to recast the party as less socially rigid and more electorally attractive to centrist voters. He brought in a younger style of politics and emphasised environmental issues, social responsibility and fiscal credibility. This strategy helped the Conservatives regain competitiveness against Labour. Cameron became **Prime Minister of the United Kingdom** in **2010** after the Conservatives formed a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats. As prime minister from **2010 to 2016**, he led a government focused on **austerity**, public spending restraint, welfare reform and constitutional questions, while also managing the coalition until 2015. After winning the **2015 general election** and securing an unexpected overall majority, he continued in office but faced increasing pressure over Britain’s relationship with the European Union. The defining turning point of his premiership came with the decision to hold the **Brexit referendum** on **23 June 2016**. Cameron campaigned for the UK to remain in the EU, but the **Leave** side won. He resigned shortly afterwards, stating that the country required new leadership to steer the next phase. He returned to government later as **Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs** from **2023 to 2024**, a brief and unusual return to high office for a former prime minister. ## Relationship with the public Cameron’s relationship with the public was shaped by a deliberate attempt to appear modern, approachable and managerial. He was often presented as a leader comfortable with the language of aspiration, family life and reform rather than ideology. This helped him broaden the Conservative appeal beyond the party’s traditional core, particularly among middle-class voters in southern England and parts of the political centre. At the same time, he was criticised for being remote, overly polished and representative of an elite political class. His background, accent and schooling were frequently cited by critics as emblematic of a disconnect with voters outside metropolitan and prosperous areas. During the austerity period, sections of the public associated him with spending cuts, welfare changes and stagnating living standards, which weakened his standing in more deprived communities. His interaction with the media was generally controlled and disciplined. He preferred set-piece interviews and carefully managed appearances, although he was not immune to major missteps or damaging symbolic moments. The most enduring of these was his association with the **Panama Papers** controversy, which reinforced public scepticism about elite wealth and accountability, even though the political consequences were broader than his own case alone. On Europe, Cameron’s attempt to resolve internal party divisions through a referendum was seen by supporters as democratic and tactical, but by critics as a gamble that destabilised the country. ## Positions and political profile Cameron is usually placed in the tradition of **modernising One Nation Conservatism**, combining **market-oriented economics** with a more moderate social stance than many of his party’s predecessors. He presented himself as fiscally conservative, pro-enterprise and committed to lower taxation where possible, but not hostile to an active state in education, welfare reform and environmental policy. He promoted **same-sex marriage**, **green conservatism** and a more inclusive tone on social questions, positions that distinguished him from more traditional right-wing Conservatives. His government is most strongly identified with **public spending restraint** and the wider post-2008 fiscal consolidation agenda. Supporters argue that he restored credibility to the public finances after the financial crisis and positioned the UK economy for recovery. Critics argue that austerity deepened regional inequality and put long-term pressure on public services. Foreign policy was another defining area. Cameron supported intervention in **Libya** in 2011, a decision later debated heavily in Parliament and beyond. He also held a broadly Atlanticist and pro-market international outlook, while maintaining a pragmatic stance on relations with the European Union until the referendum campaign. Inside his party, Cameron was respected by many for winning power and modernising the Conservatives, but resented by others for appearing too detached from grassroots Euroscepticism and socially conservative opinion. Outside the party, he was often viewed as a capable communicator and political tactician, but also as a leader whose strategic choice to call the referendum ended in failure and has overshadowed much of his earlier record. His most consequential decisions were the coalition agreement of **2010**, the pursuit of fiscal austerity, the management of the Scottish independence aftermath in 2014, and above all the decision to hold the **EU referendum**. That vote transformed his legacy: to supporters, he remains the leader who brought the Conservatives back into government and sought to reconcile Britain’s relationship with Europe; to critics, he is the prime minister whose attempt to settle a party problem triggered a national political rupture. ## Frequently asked questions **Who is David Cameron?** David Cameron is a British Conservative politician who served as **Prime Minister** from 2010 to 2016 and later briefly as **Foreign Secretary** from 2023 to 2024. **What party does David Cameron belong to?** He is associated with the **European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR)**, though he is best known domestically as a senior **Conservative Party** figure. **Why did David Cameron resign as prime minister?** He resigned after the **2016 Brexit referendum**, in which he campaigned for Remain but the electorate voted to leave the EU. **What was David Cameron’s main political style?** He was identified with **modernising Conservatism**, mixing economic restraint with socially liberal positions and a more centrist public image. **What is David Cameron best known for?** He is best known for leading the Conservatives to power in **2010**, governing through the coalition and majority years, and calling the **Brexit referendum**. **Did David Cameron return to government after leaving office?** Yes. He returned in **2023** as **Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs**, serving until **2024**.