Unsuccessful year David Cameron

Brilliant career of the Prime Minister of Great Britain, who lost to Eurosceptics

British Prime Minister David Cameron announced his upcoming resignation. This happened after the release of the referendum results, at which 52% of the voters supported the country's exit from the European Union, - Cameron, who announced the holding of the referendum, was the main opponent of Brexit. At the request of Medusa, journalist Evgeny Buntman talks about the main victories and defeats of Cameron in six years of stay in power.

The revival of the conservative party

By the beginning of the 2000s, the conservative party was in a protracted crisis. The party did not want to change, the stylistics invented in the days of Margaret Thatcher did not allow it to develop; The last prime minister of Tori was John Mayjor, who retired back in 1997. In 2005, two candidates fought for leadership in the party: David Davis and David Cameron. Davis even won in the first round of voting, but Cameron achieved the final victory. In the UK parliament, there was no such vivid leader of the opposition for a long time: the prime ministers of the lieutenant Tony Blara, and then Gordon Brown had to fight off the caustic but elegant attacks of Cameron. In communicating with voters, he could persuade the doubters to his side with several clear and touching words, while not looking ridiculous.

Conservatives received a chance after 2008: the Labor did not cope with the global financial crisis. The young leader of the conservative party David Cameron became Prime Minister in 2010. In 2015, the conservatives again won the election and for the first time since 1992 formed their own government.

The Cameron government was able to significantly mitigate the consequences of the 2008 global financial crisis. The Prime Minister harshly reduced social expenses, but not at the same time-and therefore did not earn a reputation of a ruthless and indifferent person, as Margaret Thatcher believed.

The coalition government of conservatives and liberal democrats shortly after the 2010 elections began to reform the two most problematic areas in the social sphere-education and healthcare. Most excess state structures were reduced, which allowed to save budget funds without affecting citizens' incomes.

Achievements

Under Cameron, Great Britain participated in two large -scale operations: in Libya and against ISIS ( the organization was recognized as terrorist and prohibited in Russia ) in Iraq and Syria. The government, unlike the previous campaign in Iraq in the late 2000s, did not show much initiative-the war was not popular with citizens. There were no ground operations with the participation of soldiers of the British army - only air, without serious risks and losses. Therefore, criticism of Cameron on this occasion almost did not happen.

Another achievement of David Cameron is the preservation of Scotland as part of the United Kingdom. In 2014, the Scottish National Party (SNP) forced the government to hold a referendum with a question of separation. The output of Scotland seemed inevitable, the popularity of SNP leader Alex Salmond was gaining momentum. But Cameron did not remain an observer, he held a brilliant campaign that was crowned with his speech in support of unity. “The UK owes its grandios,” the Prime Minister said, in particular. He talked about outstanding Scots that proud of the country: from writer Joan Rowling to tennis player Andy Murray. And I did not forget to mention the troubles that will bring the output of Scotland: banks will go bankrupt, pensions will become less, families will be divided. From time to time, his voice trembled, and his eyes shone. It was like the speech of the prime minister from the film “Real Love” about the right and left leg of Backham; In any case, it turned out just as spectacular and convincing. Scotland remained - in September 2014, 55% voted against the exit. Cameron won.

In 2013, the parliament adopted a law fully legalizing same -sex marriages. The Kameron government had to fight off his own associates in the conservative party who asked if the government was going to legalize polygamy. “No, this is completely excluded,” Cameron said coldly. At the same time, clergymen did not oblige the clergy to conclude same -sex marriages in temples.

The main work on the reconciliation of England and Northern Ireland was done by the Prime Minister from the Labor Tony Blair. He concluded an “agreement of passionate Friday”, which laid an end to bloodshed, he achieved an investigation of events in Derry in 1972 - “Bloody Sunday”, when the British military used weapons against the protesters. But the final chord remained with Cameron. In addressing parliament, he made an official apology on behalf of the British government for the Bloody Sunday.

Defeat

In 2012, in the framework of the cutting of the budget expenditure, the government adopted a law called “bedroom tax”; It is officially called the act of reform of unemployment benefits. The manuals were significantly cut if the contender for them had too much living space. David Cameron assured that this was not a punitive measure, but an incentive for citizens is a way to encourage them to find work as soon as possible. The main goal was achieved: the costs of unemployment benefits were really reduced, although not as much as the government wanted. But in Scotland, protests were held against the “bedroom tax”, and in the English Rankorne, the unemployed tried to cut his throat right in front of the tax government.

The British prime minister was involved in a loud scandal with Panama offshores. It turned out that his father was holding securities in one of the Panamanian trusts. Cameron first fought back quite aggressively, assuring that many British were doing this and that there was nothing illegal in that his father was holding money in offshore. After the resignation requirements began to sound louder, Cameron promised to publish all his declarations-and did this, and the first of all British prime ministers. However, in April 2016, it turned out that he received 200 thousand pounds as a gift from his mother - opponents suspect that his family nevertheless evades taxes.

Cameron always advocated partnership with the EU, but was an enemy of too intense integration of Great Britain. He opposed the entry of Great Britain into the euro zone. London demanded the exclusive right not to let migrants from Eastern European countries into the country. Finally, Great Britain wanted to conduct an independent economic policy. Friction with Brussels could not be overcome, and the pressure of Euro -attacks in his homeland forced Cameron to declare a referendum ending in the country's exit from the EU. As in the case of Scotland, he talked a lot about unity, common fate, a civilized world, but this time he was not heard, except for the same Scots, 62% of which voted to stay in the EU.

Cameron was forced to announce a resignation, making another brilliant speech . A year for the prime minister turned out to be unsuccessful in all respects. Plus, Cameron’s favorite football club, Birmingham Aston Villa, flew out of the Premier League for the first time since 1987, taking the last place in the championship.

Evgeny Buntman

Moscow