David Cameron's most controversial moments as UK Prime Minister

David Cameron's decision to resign following Britain's vote to leave the European Union marks the end of a six-year leadership characterised by highs, lows, and controversies.

Standing outside of Number 10 alongside his wife Samantha Cameron, the Prime Minister said: “It would not be right for me to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination”.

Mr Cameron has been Prime Minister for six years, leader of the Conservative party for 11, and last year received a much bigger mandate than was forecasted to lead the country for at least another five. However, his decision to grant a referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU ultimately resulted in his downfall and he will hand over the reigns within the next three months.

Tributes from colleagues and members of opposing parties have been paid to Mr Cameron while some on social media have remarked that, even though they don’t vote Conservative, they’re unexpectedly feeling a source of disappointment given suggestions the future Prime Minister could end up being a staunch Brexiter like Boris Johnson or Michael Gove.

As Mr Cameron is due to step down as PM over the next few months, here is a look back at his most memorable moments.

'Hug-a-hoodie'

In an attempt to portray a new ‘compassionate’ Conservatism, a fresh-faced Mr Cameron attempted to give a new perspective on youth crime in 2006.

During a talk at the Centre for Social Justice think-tank, he honed in on one particular item of clothing, mentioning ‘hoodie’ eight times. The Labour party then coined the phrase ‘hug-a-hoodie’ to mock the Prime Minister who was leading a party which was historically tough on crime.

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This unfortunate photo bomb, taken on a visit to a Manchester community enterprise project in 2007, only served to fuel the mockery.

The Bullingdon Club

Something Mr Cameron couldn’t escape during his rise up the political ranks was his elitist background. Having attended Eton College and then Oxford University, his ability to tackle issues affecting those from less privileged backgrounds in the UK has been called into question many times.

This age-old photo of Mr Cameron alongside Vote Leave frontman Mr Johnson as members of the notorious Bullingdon Club has been consistently circulated throughout his premiership. During the Labour leadership campaign last year, the photo was frequently shared on social media alongside one of Jeremy Corbyn protesting against the apartheid regime in South Africa to contrast what both men were dong in the 1980s.

The time he forgot his daughter in a pub

Despite all the security, nannies and help that comes with being Prime Minister, in 2012 Downing Street admitted he and Samantha had accidentally left their eight-year-old daughter in a pub.

After visiting the Plough Inn in Buckinghamshire, the Camerons left without their daughter Nancy. A Downing Street spokesman said at the time: “The Prime Minister and Samantha were distraught when they realised Nancy wasn’t with them. Thankfully when they phoned the pub she was there safe and well. The Prime Minister went down to get her straight away.”

Being unaware how much a loaf of bread costs because he makes his own

In another gaffe deemed roundly out of touch, Mr Cameron reluctantly said he didn't know how much a loaf of bread costs in Britain because he’s fortunate enough to have a bread maker. During an interview with LBC in 2014, Mr Cameron estimated the cost was “well north of a pound”, presenter Nick Ferrari then informed him you can buy a loaf for about 47p.

“I don’t buy the value sliced loaf, I’ve got a bread maker at home which I delight in using and it turns out in all sorts of a different ways,” he said.

Andy Coulson

Mr Cameron was pushed into an unfortunate corner when his former director of communications, Andy Coulson was found guilty of conspiring to hack phones and sentenced to 18 months in prison (of which he served five). The Prime Minister looked stony-faced as he was accused of “wilful negligence” by former Labour leader Ed Miliband during a heated Prime Minister’s Questions. Mr Cameron issued an apology for the employment of the ex-News of the World editor and admitted it was “the wrong decision”.

‘Bunch of migrants’

After thousands of refugees died in their attempt to cross the Mediterranean in 2015, Mr Cameron was criticised for referring to refugees in the Calais ‘jungle’ camp as a “bunch of migrants”. The remarks, which were made on Holocaust memorial day, were branded “inflammatory”, “callous” and “divisive” by some on social media.

Phone call with Obama

It’s no secret that Mr Cameron admires President Barack Obama. The two have been snapped playing a game of table tennis and Mr Cameron gleefully told the Daily Mail the President of the US sometimes calls him “bro” while on the phone to each other.

When the Prime Minister tweeted a photo of himself apparently on the phone to Mr Obama to discuss the events in Ukraine in 2014, he was roundly ridiculed on social media with comedian Rob Delaney and veteran actor Sir Patrick Stewart even jumping on the bandwagon.

Football allegiance

In another attempt to be down with the electorate, Mr Cameron got his football knowledge mixed-up when he proclaimed himself an avid supporter of east London team West Ham. However, Mr Cameron does not support West Ham and in fact has proudly expressed his support for Birmingham team Aston Villa in the past, a very different team be it for the similar colours on their football kits. Mr Cameron later attributed the mix-up to a bad case of “brain fade”.

Scottish Independence and apologising to the Queen

Despite only being Prime Minister for six years, Mr Cameron has in that time called two referendums. Though the latest has spectacularly backfired for the Prime Minister, the 2014 referendum on Scottish Independence was a close victory. After the Scottish electorate voted to remain part of the United Kingdom, Mr Cameron unintentionally left his microphone on and was caught telling the mayor of New York the Queen had “purred” upon hearing the result. This break in convention landed embarrassment at Mr Cameron’s feet and he was forced to apologise on television and to the Queen privately.

Pig-gate

Mr Cameron's most unexpected and bizarre career controversy came in the form of 'Piggate'. When an unofficial biography of the Prime Minister, written by his former friend turned nemesis Lord Ashcroft, was released it contained a claim that while at university Mr Cameron had "inserted a private part of his anatomy" into a dead pig's mouth as part of an initiation ceremony. Downing street initially refused to "dignify" the claim with a response but Mr Cameron later said: "a very specific denial was made". The book did not pass a judgement on whether the claim was true or a case of mistaken identity and sources close to Mr Cameron also dismissed the allegation as "nonsense".