The government was defined by the financial strategy of austerity as a response to the 2008 Financial Crisis. Spending was cut heavily from 2010 as a means of reducing the deficit and over 500,000 public sector employees were made redundant. Meanwhile, measures were taken to boost the economy, such as cutting corporation tax.

The government also embarked on education, healthcare, and constitutional reform. A referendum on the AV system of voting took place in the spring of 2011 and was heavily rejected by the electorate. A social programme called ‘The Big Society’ was also one of the government’s key themes.

Over the summer of 2011, the government faced several unexpected events. An outbreak of rioting in England was, eventually, met by a firm response. There was also a longstanding scandal over newspaper impropriety, which damaged the government because one of Cameron’s key advisers, Andy Coulson, had been involved.

Over 2012, the tensions with the Lib Dems increased. The Conservatives had maintained a robust popularity, but the Lib Dems were extremely unpopular. They had failed to achieve victory in the AV referendum and had u-turned on their signature policy on university tuition fees. In response to the failure of Lib Dem supported Lords reform in 2012, Clegg effectively vetoed changes on parliamentary boundary reform that Cameron had backed. A ‘Mid Term Review’ of the government was commissioned as the coalition reviewed its achievements and plotted a route forward. Ultimately, the coalition endured.

Relations with the European Union were an important theme of the Cameron government. In 2011, Cameron vetoed a European fiscal treaty.  In early 2013, responding to a defeat in the Commons and pressure from the Conservative backbenches, Cameron promised that, should he win the 2015 election, he would legislate for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union. In 2014, Cameron tried to prevent the appointment of Jean Claude-Juncker as European Commission President, arguing that there was no democratic mandate, but ultimately, he was overruled by the European Council.

Internationally, Cameron’s government supported military intervention in Libya in 2011, but was prevented by Parliament from intervention in Syria in 2013.  Cameron played an important role in the international response to Russia’s invasion of Crimea in Ukraine in 2014. In late 2014, Cameron also ordered the armed forces to support the US and Arab countries in their fight against the breakaway ISIS parastate in the Middle East. British combat forces withdrew from the war in Afghanistan in 2014. The aid budget was increased to the UN target of 0.7%.

In 2012, Cameron announced his support for allowing same sex marriages. In 2013, with his backing, Parliament voted to allow same sex marriages, and the first ones occurred in 2014.

Cameron’s government also negotiated and legislated for a Scottish independence referendum after the Scottish National Party won the Scottish elections in 2011. The referendum took place in 2014, and saw independence rejected by 55%-45%.

By 2014, the economy was showing signs of recovery, though critics argued that it was not strong enough. Before the 2015 election, Pollsters predicted another hung Parliament. Cameron’s campaign highlighted the economy, while a ground level operation ruthlessly targeted Lib Dem seats. On election night, it became clear that the strategy had worked. The Lib Dems collapsed, Labour lost seats, and Cameron won the election with a majority of 12.

Cameron’s 2015-16 ministry was largely concerned with renegotiating Britain’s terms in the European Union. Over November – January, Cameron engaged with European leaders, flying around the continent constructing a new deal. This was finalised in February 2016 and Cameron announced the deal to Cabinet, which soon divided on remain or leave lines.

Additionally, Cameron also extended Britain’s war against ISIS in November 2015, after the group conducted a large terrorist attack on Paris.

Over May to June 2016, Cameron campaigned for a Remain vote in the European Union referendum. He emphasised economic security and argued that Britain was ‘Stronger In’. However, in the early hours of 24 June 2016, as the referendum result became clear, Cameron decided that he could no longer continue as Prime Minister. He announced his resignation that morning, saying ‘I don’t think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination.’

Though he expected to remain Prime Minister for several months more, the Conservative leadership contest of 2016 in fact concluded rapidly, and Cameron left power in July 2016.