Former Prime Minister David Cameron has been rated as one of the worst people to hold the position in modern history.
In a survey of 82 academics specialising in contemporary British politics, the ex-Conservative leader was voted as the third worst prime minister overall, but his short term leading a Conservative majority government in 2015/16 was considered the worst of any British leader.
Nearly 90 percent of those surveyed said his choice to hold a European referendum to try and politically outmaneuver UKIP and right-wing back-benchers in his own party was his biggest failure.
University of Leeds professor Kevin Theakston, who carried out the research, said:
“For all his achievements as a successful coalition prime minister, David Cameron’s reputation and place in history seems destined to be defined by Brexit and his calling and losing the referendum.
“Academic opinion, as reflected in our survey, is currently pretty damning. But reputations can wax and wane as subsequent events, the passage of time and new evidence change perspectives.
“Depending on how Brexit works out, future historians and political scientists may come to a different verdict on Mr Cameron’s premiership and his place in the league table of prime ministers.”
The only two prime ministers considered worse than David Cameron were Sir Anthony Eden, who’s reputation was left in tatters after the Suez crisis in 1956, and Sir Alec Douglas-Home, who’s government only lasted a year.
Labour’s Clement Attlee was considered the most successful prime minister, followed by Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. Winston Churchill’s wartime premiership was voted successful, but his overall score was brought down by his return as prime minister in the 1950s.
The survey was carried out by Woodnewton Associates and follows similar polls in 2004 and 2010.
