Speaking in Her Language: Cameron, Thatcher and Deficit Reduction under the Coalition Government, 2010–2015

Abstract

Abstract During the time he led the Conservative–Liberal Democrat Coalition Government, David Cameron used, in a highly selective and contestable manner, the kind of Thatcherite language with regard to deficit reduction which those on the right of the Conservative Party could relate to, and he did so in the interests of party unity. This argument is framed within the context of the limits of modernisation under Cameron’s leadership, and it emphasises the role which rhetoric can play in politics. The primary source is a selection of Cameron’s speeches as Coalition Prime Minister, particularly those geared towards audiences in his own party.