Theresa’s Task
David Cameron has left the new PM a mountain of work in her in-tray
THE Sun warmly congratulates Theresa May. She has a bigger job ahead of her than any new PM since Maggie Thatcher.
David Cameron has left her a mountainous in-tray. First, a new Cabinet. Then the terms of the Brexit deal and who will spearhead negotiations.
Next, and without delay, she must approve an enormous house-building programme and a new runway at Heathrow, Gatwick or both.
She must give a final nod to HS2 — and to widespread shale gas exploration before our dwindling energy supply finally turns the lights out.
Britain has been scandalously slow with major infrastructure projects other nations build in a fraction of the time. Mrs May must change that mindset.
She must ensure economic stability post-Brexit and focus on regenerating working-class areas neglected for years by successive Governments.
Free from the EU, May’s Britain must be seen by the world as open for business and a magnet for investment. That will mean a smaller state and lower taxes for businesses and workers.
It is a huge task, not helped by a small majority and little money to play with.
But if Mrs May proves equal to it she will go down as one of the greats.
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So long, Cam
DAVID Cameron’s years as Prime Minister will not be looked back on kindly.
He is a decent man and, yes, there were positives. He rescued Britain from the dismally inept Gordon Brown and the terrifying prospect of Ed Miliband.
He and his Chancellor got our finances back on track, creating jobs and growth after the double calamity of the global recession and Labour’s lunatic overspending. Austerity was the only sensible option.
But even that remains a job half-done.
And while he can also list legalising gay marriage in his credits, it’s not a lot to show for six years in Downing Street.
Meanwhile Mr Cameron oversaw an unsustainable population rise fuelled by immigration, which he cynically promised to slash while lacking both the ability and the desire to do it.
It has helped create terrible pressure on schools, the NHS and housing.
House prices were allowed to soar beyond a generation’s reach. Precious little infrastructure was built.
Mr Cameron was panicked into major errors like the ridiculous Leveson Inquiry into the Press. He foolishly tried to cut tax credits for low-paid workers.
And he was undone by his Olympian over-confidence — agreeing to a Brexit referendum while assuming he would win voters over with footling tweaks to our EU deal and smooth salesmanship.
The years which he always believed would be his to effect real change on Britain now belong to Theresa May.
The Sun is delighted by Brexit, of course — but Mr Cameron is not.
Sadly for him, it is all he is likely to be remembered for.