Cameron Cutie was a political term used in the United Kingdom to refer to female prospective parliamentary candidates and Members of Parliament (MPs) for the 2010 general election from the Conservative Party who were personally supported by then-party leader David Cameron. The term emerged in 2009, and was seen as a Conservative version of the more prominent Blair Babe.
Promoting women candidates was a way of reaching female voters similar to the means by which New Labour won their 1997 landslide. As part of his party's modernisation programme, Cameron advocated for more female MPs. A male equivalent was coined as a "mate of Dave".
Some grassroots activists resented that David Cameron personally selected female parachute candidates for winnable seats. There were female members of the Conservative A-List, priority candidates that were selected for the general election. Mayor of Antrim Adrian Watson said he was overlooked for being the Ulster Conservatives and Unionist candidate in South Antrim for not being a "Cameron cutie".
The term was derided in the media when a number of sex scandals were reported on including some of the candidates. The term was used frequently in the media coverage of the Westminster North Conservative Association selection in 2009 between Joanne Cash and Amanda Sayers, two female lawyers.
List The following politicians have been described with the label: +NameConstituency in 2010ElectionOtherKemi BadenochDulwich and West Norwood Defeated by Tessa JowellElected in Saffron Walden in the 2017 general election, current Leader of the Conservative PartyJoanne CashWestminster North Defeated by Karen BuckCaroline DinenageGosport Elected - Conservative holdMinister under Cameron, May and JohnsonDeborah DunleavyBolton North East Defeated by Sir David CrausbyLaura HutchingsThe former director of the Conservative Middle East CouncilKeely HuxtableBirmingham Northfield Defeated by Richard BurdenLouise MenschCorby Elected - Defeated Labour MP Phil HopeStood down midterm triggering the 2012 Corby by-electionCaroline NokesRomsey and Southampton North Elected - Defeated Lib Dem MP Sandra GidleyCabinet minister under Theresa MayClaire Perry O'NeillDevizes Elected - Conservative holdCabinet minister under Theresa MayAmber RuddHastings and Rye Elected - Defeated Labour MP Michael FosterCabinet minister under David Cameron and Theresa MayChloe SmithNorwich North Elected - Gain from LabourElected in the 2009 Norwich North by-electionLiz TrussSouth West Norfolk Elected - Conservative holdFuture prime minister, defeated in the 2024 election.Sarah WollastonTotnes Elected - Conservative holdDefected to Change UK and Liberal Democrats in 2019
Reception The term Cameron Cutie was described as sexist. Rachel Johnson did not like the term. Mark Wallace called it an objectionable term and "an even more patronising version of 'Blair's babes'".
Louise Mensch described herself as a feminist instead of a Cameron Cutie.
Following the 2015 general election, new MP Andrea Jenkyns called herself "feisty Yorkshirewoman" rather than a Cameron Cutie.
In 2022, David Cameron called the usage of the term "embarrassing" in an opinion piece.
References
See also
Conservative A-List Women in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom