This article concerns the policies, views and voting record of David Cameron, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (May 2010 to July 2016) and former Foreign Secretary in the Sunak ministry (November 2023 to July 2024). Cameron describes himself as a "modern compassionate conservative" and has said that he is "fed up with the Punch and Judy politics of Westminster". He has stated that he is "certainly a big Thatcher fan, but I don't know whether that makes me a Thatcherite.""Cameron: Tories need new identity". BBC News. 17 November 2005. Retrieved 6 November 2006. Our Society, Your Life, a 2007 policy statement for the Conservative Party launched shortly after David Cameron became leader of the party, has been seen by some (such as Richard Kelly, head of politics at Manchester Grammar School) as a triangulation of Conservative ideology with that of Tony Blair's New Labour, linking into the idea of the Third Way and an attempted revival of one-nation conservatism. There have been claims that he described himself to journalists at a dinner during the leadership contest as the "Heir to Blair",Pierce, Andrew (5 October 2005). . The Times (London). Retrieved 25 November 2006. and Cameron stated in 2005 that he did not intend to oppose the Labour government as a matter of course, and will offer his support in areas of agreement. He also wants to move the Conservatives focus away from purely fiscal matters, saying "It's time we admitted that there's more to life than money, and it's time we focused not just on GDP, but on GWB – general well-being"."Make people happier, says Cameron". BBC News. 22 May 2006. Retrieved 6 November 2006. However, commentators have questioned the degree to which Cameron and his coalition have embodied this, instead locating them in the intellectual tradition of Thatcherism. However, Cameron has claimed to be a "liberal Conservative", and "not a deeply ideological person".Rawnsley, Andrew (18 December 2005). "'I'm not a deeply ideological person. I'm a practical one'". The Observer (London). Retrieved 6 November 2006.

He and others in the "Notting Hill set" have sought to focus on issues such as the environment, work–life balance and international development – issues not previously seen as priorities for the post-Thatcher Conservative party.Jo-Anne Nadler, So who are the Notting Hill set anyway? , Sunday Herald, 15 May 2005. Retrieved 6 November 2006 In a speech to the Conservative annual conference in October 2006, he identified the concept of "social responsibility" as the essence of his political philosophy.Cameron: We stand for social responsibility , conservatives.com, 1 October 2006. Retrieved 6 November 2006 The idea of the Big Society, championed by Cameron under the 2010 coalition government, proposes "integrating the free market with a theory of social solidarity based on hierarchy and voluntarism" drawing upon "a mix of conservative communitarianism and libertarian paternalism" in principle.

In 2008, Cameron organised a seminar for senior Conservatives with the economist Richard Thaler and began discussing the influence of Thaler's ideas on Conservative policy.Aditya Chakrabortty, From Obama to Cameron, why do so many politicians want a piece of Richard Thaler?, The Guardian (London), 12 July 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2008Carol Lewis, Why Barack Obama and David Cameron are keen to 'nudge' you, Times Online, 14 July 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2008 Thaler is the co-author with Cass Sunstein of Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness, and the pair are informal policy advisors to Barack Obama.Chris Satullo, The right kind of 'nudge' improves life for citizens, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 20 July 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2008 Cameron included the book in a 2008 reading list for Conservative MPs.In full: The reading list issued to Tory MPs, The Daily Telegraph (London), 3 August 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2008

Economic policy Cameron has said that it is "essential to reduce taxes on employment and wealth creation in order to enhance our economy's competitiveness. But I don't think it's sensible today to write a Conservative budget for 2009 or 2010, with specific pledges on tax reduction."Highlights of David Cameron's CBI speech, ConservativeHome.com, 28 November 2005. Retrieved 6 November 2006 He has stated that he hoped to cut taxes and raise public spending, "as the economy grows".

Air travel Cameron has expressed interest in abolishing Air Passenger Duty for those who travel abroad only rarely, while introducing "frequent flyer" taxes on those who frequently fly around the globe."Tories plan to slap tax on frequent flyers". The Times (London). 11 March 2007. Retrieved 11 March 2007/

Cameron has reportedly come into conflict with London Mayor Boris Johnson over proposed plans for expanding Heathrow Airport, something the mayor opposes and instead favours expansion at Gatwick Airport.

Copyright Cameron intends to increase the period of copyright from 50 to 70 years, bring copyright infringing downloads under stronger legal control and require Internet service providers to "block access and indeed close down offending file sharing sites".Conservative Party web site as of Saturday, 8 July 2007 Press Release: "David Cameron to call for extension in copyright term" He supports music industry representatives going into schools to teach children about copyright, technology hindering copyright infringement (DRM), and encourages the music industry to exercise self-censorship on its material in return for the above music industry friendly measures.The Times (London) 8 July 2007 "Cut the misogyny and we'll extend musicians' copyright"

Environment Cameron has regularly stressed his green credentials since becoming leader, describing himself as "passionate about our environment." He has argued that "there is a price ... for tackling climate change" but it is a "social responsibility to the next generation".In full: Cameron speech, BBC News, 4 October 2006. Retrieved 6 November 2006 He has stated he is committed to achieving the 2010 emissions limit and has announced he would change the current Climate Change Levy to a carbon tax in order to counter global warming.Tories plan climate levy overhaul, BBC News Online, 21 April 2006. Retrieved 25 November 2006Cameron pledges to firm up green credentials with carbon levy, The Guardian (London), 21 April 2006. Retrieved 25 November 2006 Cameron proposed a Climate Change Bill which would include committing to binding annual carbon reduction targets.David Cameron: Labour's carbon targets amount to a cop-out , The Independent (London), 27 October 2006. Retrieved 1 December 2006 However, a memo that was leaked to the Labour Party suggested the binding targets proposal may be dropped,Cameron climate policy 'too soft' BBC News, 1 December 2006. Retrieved 1 December 2006 and these do not form part of the proposed Bill as of November 2006.Can I have the Bill please? , Conservative Party. Retrieved 23 February 2007

Cameron has expressed his opposition to Green Taxes in Prime Minister's Questions in October 2013, stating that, in order to cut taxes generally, he would 'roll back' the Green Tax. The 'Big Six' energy companies are advocates of this, according to the Express, in order to avoid Labour's plans for an energy price freeze, which would 'deter much-needed investment' from the energy industry (according to The Daily Telegraph). Labour – on the other hand – implied that Cameron was being hypocritical, because even though he was proposing reducing renewable investment, he had said previously in the 2010 election campaign, '...vote blue to go green...' (in other words, that the Conservatives would be eco-friendly).

The prospect of large-scale solar energy farms being built in the British countryside was discarded by Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary, on 8 June 2014. At the time, the solar energy industry received £600mn per annum in subsidy. Pickles killed a project because it would have had "major ... adverse impact on the landscape... The loss of a substantial area of productive agricultural land for at least 25 years is another negative factor".

Globalisation At a speech in Mumbai in 2006, Cameron said there were depressed towns "where the winds of globalisation [felt] like a chilling blast, not an invigorating breeze". While stressing "the benefits of globalisation", Cameron also argued that globalisation – not immigration – was to blame for lower wages in the UK, and opposed saying "We must also be honest about [globalisation's] costs, because the alternative is that people project their fears and anxieties on to other ethnic groups or other countries."

In a 2013 speech at London Gateway, Cameron rejected the "unthinking embrace of globalisation, exemplified by New Labour, or the timid alternative of go-it-alone Little Englandism", according to Patrick Wintour of The Guardian. Cameron also stated that welfare reform and education reform were necessary in order to compete on the global market, while emphasising national sovereignty and what he perceived to be the UK's role in international affairs.

Rail transport

Following the 2010 General Election, the new Conservative-led Coalition continued Labour's policies on rail transport largely unaltered after a pause to review the finances, keeping the privatised system in place. There was continuing support for the High Speed 2 scheme and further developing plans for the route. Whilst initially showing scepticism towards the electrification of the Great Western route, they later gave the project its backing and work began formally in 2012. Crossrail and the upgrade to Thameslink are due for opening in 2018.

The Government has moved towards allowing more competition on the intercity network through open-access operators. In 2015 it approved a service run by Alliance Rail to operate between London and Blackpool, and both Alliance and FirstGroup have applied to run open access services on the East Coast Main Line.

In January 2015, Cameron said "We've made sure that rail fares cannot go up by more than inflation. So the rail fare increase this year, as last year, is linked to inflation, and I think that's right. In previous years it's gone up by more than inflation. But, of course, what you're seeing on our railways is a £38bn investment project. And that money is coming, of course, from taxpayers, from the government, and from farepayers as well." He said Britain was seeing "the biggest investment in our roads since the 1970s, but in our railways since Victorian times".

Regulation Despite initial strong opposition, Cameron has since declared his support for the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 introduced by the Labour Party. More generally though, he has strongly supported deregulation of the private sector, promising an immediate deregulation bill upon election. He has also pledged to remove Britain from the European Union's social chapter and to withdraw unilaterally from certain directives stemming from the European Union. He has said that Britain must not be a "soft touch" and has called for a crackdown on "access to justice".

In November 2013 at the World Islamic Economic Forum, Cameron said it was important for the UK to promote and boost Islamic finance: "I don't just want London to be a great capital of Islamic finance in the western world, I want London to stand alongside Dubai and Kuala Lumpur as one of the great capitals of Islamic finance anywhere in the world." During his speech Cameron said that the UK would become the first sovereign state outside the Islamic world to issue an Islamic 'sukuk' bond.ftadviser.com: "PM: 'Islamic investments can blossom in UK'", 7 November 2013 In June 2014, HM Treasury, under direction of Chancellor George Osborne, issued a £200 million Sakk, which was 11.5 times oversubscribed.gov.uk: "Government issues first Islamic bond", 14 August 2014

Taxation and public spending