The Record
David Cameron led the Conservative Party to power in 2010 with a manifesto that made clear promises on fiscal discipline, public service reform, and a referendum on Britain's EU membership. Six years later, he had delivered significant legislative achievements — same-sex marriage, the Pupil Premium, the NHS ring-fence — but had fundamentally failed on his central economic promise: eliminating the structural deficit. He then made what many consider the greatest gamble in modern British politics: calling a referendum on EU membership that he expected to win. When voters chose to leave, Cameron immediately resigned, leaving his successor to deal with the consequences of a decision he had made but could not implement.
Austerity: The Deficit That Would Not Disappear
Cameron's defining economic commitment was ambitious: eliminate the structural deficit within a single parliamentary term, delivering a budget surplus by 2015. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), the independent fiscal watchdog, later confirmed the deficit remained £57 billion in 2016 when Cameron left office — far short of the promised elimination. Cumulative public debt rose significantly. Cameron later argued that austerity did reduce the structural deficit, and the Institute for Fiscal Studies confirmed that the primary deficit (before accounting for debt servicing) did improve. Yet this remains hotly contested: some economists argue austerity deepened the economic downturn, while others contend it was necessary. What is clear is that Cameron's explicit promise — a surplus by 2015 — was missed by a significant margin, and the goal posts were moved.
EU Referendum: The Gamble That Lost
Cameron promised to "renegotiate Britain's relationship with Europe" and then hold a referendum on the result. He secured modest concessions from EU leaders — an emergency brake on benefits for EU migrants, clarification that non-eurozone countries would not be forced to adopt the euro, and commitments on competitiveness. These reforms were characterized by the government as a "new settlement" but were widely seen as marginal. Cameron campaigned vigorously for Remain, using the official Stronger In campaign and government resources. When the vote came in June 2016, 52% voted Leave. Cameron resigned within days, saying: "I do not think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination." The decision to call the referendum proved to be his defining political gamble — and his fatal one.
NHS: Ring-Fence Kept, Restructure Broken
Cameron committed to protect NHS funding in real terms — a ring-fence that was kept. However, he also promised "no top-down reorganisation of the NHS," a pledge contradicted by the Health and Social Care Act 2012, which fundamentally restructured the English NHS through the creation of Clinical Commissioning Groups and the opening up of services to private competition. Waiting times actually worsened during his tenure despite the funding ring-fence, with GP appointment waiting times becoming increasingly problematic. The NHS improvement Cameron promised did not materialize.
Same-Sex Marriage: A Genuine Achievement
One of Cameron's most significant achievements was the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, which legalized same-sex marriage in England and Wales. This was a landmark social policy achievement, delivered against opposition from many Conservative backbenchers and significant sections of his own party. The pledge was kept in full.
Immigration: Record Net Migration Despite Targets
Cameron committed to reduce net migration to "tens of thousands," typically understood as below 100,000. In 2015, net migration hit 330,000 — the highest figure ever recorded at that time. The target was missed year after year, and no combination of policy measures succeeded in reducing it to the promised level. This became one of Cameron's most visible failures.