Against the odds and confounding the pundits David Cameron is forming the first majority Conservative administration since 1992. It is a remarkable achievement. Few thought it could or would be done. As broad as the election victory is for the Conservatives it also has deep roots – 26 new Conservative councils, 415 more councillors, with the Conservatives remaining the largest party in local government.
Having announced he will not contest another election as leader and Prime Minister David Cameron is in a similar position to a second term American President. Never again does he have to face the electorate at a General Election. Indeed he may well have fought his last election ever, deciding as he may that he will not stand to be an MP at the 2020 General Election. With a strong election win and with the end in sight Mr Cameron has both hugely enhanced authority and is liberated from concern about having to win another election.
From his first comments after polling day David Cameron said he wanted to “refresh and renew” the United Kingdom. With Labour taken up with internal issues for months to come and the Liberal Democrats a much diminished force the Prime Minister has huge scope to set the political agenda. The SNP provides an interesting counterpoint to the government.
With his Cabinet appointments the Prime Minister has blended a strong message of stability and continuity alongside new faces and refreshed purpose. Amber Rudd, Anna Soubry and Priti Patel will provide fresh focus and determination in their respective departments. Michael Gove will provide much energy and purpose at Justice.
David Cameron has a unique opportunity to settle the UK into a new constitutional arrangement with itself, a recast relationship with the European Union, and to continue the vital work of repairing the economy. This is a huge agenda for a Prime Minister who has probably only three years to go in office. If he achieves all this by the time he decides to step down he will have established himself as one of the greatest as well as one of the longest serving Prime Ministers of the modern era.