Britain | Bagehot

What David Cameron’s return says about British politics 

A man who caused many of Britain’s problems is now offering to fix them

Image: Nate Kitch

David Cameron always looked the part. Even the most powerful man on Earth was taken aback by the ease with which the jacketless, tieless British prime minister behaved. Barack Obama, a former American president, noted that Mr Cameron “possessed an impressive command of the issues, a facility with language and the easy confidence of someone who’d never been pressed too hard by life”. Mr Cameron had the attributes to be an excellent prime minister: intelligence, diligence, a quick wit and a smooth manner. Instead, he managed to be one of the worst.

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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Aesthetics over achievement ”

From the November 18th 2023 edition

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