David Cameron Must Not Emulate Barack Obama

Nile Gardiner / May 06, 2010

Today’s edition of The Sun has an extraordinary image of David Cameron on its front page inspired by an infamous Barack Obama campaign poster, with the slogan “Our only hope” (hat tip: ConservativeHome). This is a spectacular, attention-grabbing piece of journalism, which is going to attract a great deal of interest Stateside, but I hope it isn’t an omen for the future. If Cameron becomes PM on Friday, which most opinion polls indicate he will, I hope he avoids using President Obama as a role model and looks instead to the leadership of Churchill, Thatcher and Reagan.

David Cameron has tremendous potential as a Prime Minister, and should do well on the world stage if he is elected. He will have far stronger appeal across the Atlantic than Gordon Brown, and will make the rebuilding of relations with Washington a top foreign policy priority in the aftermath of Labour’s lacklustre leadership. (more…)