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The legacy of David Cameron lies with Russia

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David Cameron and Vladimir Putin (Image: The Sun)


It would be fair to say that David Cameron has had an odd past four-and-a-half years. When he initially took over from Gordon Brown as Prime Minister in May 2010, he was the most unpopular person to have ever occupied 10 Downing Street. After the painful cuts and University tuition fee hike being among the first actions he took, it left the public with a negative first impression of him. He hit rock bottom when in August 2011, he took his time coming back to London when the UK reached a new low with the summer riots.

However, after the London 2012 Olympic Games, things got a little better for the Prime Minister. Its legacy got people in Britain feeling happy, satisfied and inspired. And this combination got the economy booming and the UK started to thrive beyond anyone's expectation. The economy is still picking up and statistics from the ONS are going the Conservative Party's way, and this is proven by many polls. While Labour were miles ahead of the Tories this time two years ago, all of a sudden, we have a real battle on our hands come May 2015.

It would be fair to say that Cameron and his Conservative-led coalition government can take some credit for the economic feel-good factor. Although we are still borrowing more, we are spending less and we are profiting from it - even if millions who are still over the poverty line may beg to differ. And even if the NHS future is still in limbo, and even if further public sector cuts can still mean cuts to crucial jobs - Cameron has done an okay job as Prime Minister. By May 2015, more people than deemed unimaginable this time four years ago, are starting to see Cameron in more of a positive light.

Despite this, many are still not impressed by Cameron's work (I have my own issues which I don't want to get into too much detail but my previous posts about education and foreign affairs would explain further). The economy and businesses may be thriving, but individuals are feeling the pinch and have absolutely no confidence that Cameron will "think of them" in the five years following May 2015. This has proven in the polls as the smaller parties are climbing the ranks, gaining crucial seats in by-elections.

So, what is going wrong for Cameron? Why has his "hard work" not being fully justified in the polls? According to the loud minority, there are two niggling issues that he is neglecting - the European Union and immigration. Immigration is something he has felt passionate about in the past and in his manifesto prior to the 2010 general election, promised to reduce the number of people from abroad migrating and settling in Britain. However, as the years have gone by, as much as he's tried to convince people that his policies regarding this are effective, he can't help but feel that they may have actually been one of the key players towards the progression of the British economy.

But it is the European Union (EU) that is making Cameron itch most at the moment. He is at a very confused state with Brussels at the minute. While he needs to keep sweet with the likes of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he can't help but shout at them when they are given a hefty bill simply because the British economy is doing much better than Germany, Italy, France and Spain put together. While he wants to improve the relationship between the UK and the EU, he has his closest allies such as foreign secretary Philip Hammond openly saying "get out".

Now, Cameron has already promised that should he remain Prime Minister come May 2015, Britain will have a referendum in 2017 about whether we would stay, or exit from our membership with the European Union. It is painful for him because I do sense that he is more pro-EU than against, but his noticeable dilemma has gotten people annoyed. Even though polls show that more than 50% would vote to stay in the EU, the loud minority are getting the attention they need to state their case - and that has been damaging to Cameron's intended legacy as Prime Minister.

One piece of drama that has got this loud minority, Cameron and his close EU allies in unity is the situation with Russia. Particularly this week, the Prime Minister has been outspoken about his disgust towards Russia's President, Vladimir Putin. The situation in Ukraine has gotten out of control and people feel they have no choice but to place the blame on Putin. Powerful people blame him for the hostilities in Kiev, Crimea and beyond as an increasing number of Ukrainians consider themselves pro-Russian. They blame him for putting down MH17 flight nearly six months ago which tragically ended hundreds of lives. It seems like when in doubt, blame Putin.

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Angela Merkel and Barack Obama (Image: Merkur Online)
Some of the blame being pointed at Putin is justifiable. He saw the Civil War in Ukraine start last winter, and capitalised on Crimea as a grinding force to the hostilities by encouraging a referendum which ensured that this large part of Ukraine would become part of Russia. Many branded that particular vote as a farce but Putin added that bit of poison which exploded into something that has blown out of control.

Influential people like Cameron have the moral right to be concerned about the situation in Ukraine and Russia, and feel that sanctions are the right way in discouraging any further damage Putin causes. But his, Merkel's and even US President Barack Obama's times are being wasted trying to improve the situation. Only Putin can determine what happens in Ukraine. Cameron, EU and Obama are powerless.

The loud minority in the UK blame the Ukraine situation on the EU for "not doing enough", but how can they? They didn't start the conflict. Nazi Germany started World War II but it effectively ended when Hitler committed suicide. Remember, Ukraine were initially angry because they weren't happy with their government's corrupt ways. Putin came later.

Cameron can't change anything - he is powerless, and is loathing the fact. He wants to believe that he can rebuild Brussels, Ukraine overnight, the way he probably believes that Rome was built in a day. Cameron has focused this week in the G20 summit in Australia on gathering his allies to gang up against Russia. Little does he realise is that is exactly what Putin wants. He loves the attention and reports of him leaving the summit early is just the exit he craves, even if he has denied it.

If Cameron, Obama, Merkel and so on want to make themselves useful, they can avoid another Cold War which UK, US and EU worked so hard to get out of almost this time 25 years ago. Imposing sanctions on Russia will not work, but politically suffocating Putin might. They've ignored him for too long and are now acting careless about his potentially dangerous initiatives. However, little do they realise how important he is in the Middle East. The only defence I have for Putin is that his policy on the region makes most sense as he's never changed his stance on Palestine and Israel while Obama has had to shift US' stance on a number of occasions in recent years leaving Israel's relationship with America on the rocks.

Russia should be least of Cameron's concerns at the moment. His flirting and love-hate relationship with the EU should be placed to one side and actually focus on closer to home. As a former PR man, he has a strong media team and his media machine is relying too much on the British press having a bash at the Labour Party. The Tories are loving the backlash Labour leader Ed Miliband is getting as "his own people are turning their back on him". Unknown Labourites are anonymously telling papers about how bad Miliband is doing as leader which is doing Cameron fine because this media tactic helped the Conservatives nearly 23 years ago when John Major ousted Neil Kinnock as the Welshman received media jibe constantly in the run up to the 1992 general election.

Regardless of Cameron's legacy, I'm sure he'll be honoured in some way. By royal or political standards it wouldn't surprise me if he got knighted just like the Conservative Prime Minister before him John Major, yet the Prime Minister before Major, Margaret Thatcher, had a bigger honour becoming a Baroness.

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