New Cameron peer drops her Tory allegiance after 3 months

DaviD Cameron’s former policy chief has stepped down as a Tory just months after he gave her a seat in the House of Lords.

Camilla Cavendish, pictured, was elevated to the peerage by the former Prime Minister in his controversial resignation honours in august. She was appointed to the lifetime position as a Conservative peer, meaning she owes her position to the party.

But yesterday it emerged she had resigned the Tory whip in the Lords so she can take up a new job.

She will continue to sit in the chamber — enabling her to charge the taxpayer £300 a day for attendance — but as a non-aligned member.

Last night one furious Tory MP said: ‘One might say the Cameroons were never really comfortable with the Conservative party and this is proof. ‘She thinks she’s above party politics, despite only being a peer because of party politics.’

Mr Cameron gave the former Times journalist the honour despite the fact she

‘Thinks she’s above party politics’

was only head of the Number 10 policy unit for little over a year.

Baroness Cavendish was granted the honour as part of his resignation honours, when she was among 13 new Tory peers named by Mr Cameron.

The honours sparked fury because many of the recipients were donors or former party workers.

Even his successor Theresa May made what was seen as a swipe at his list, when she said: ‘We want an honours system that actually ensures we can recognise when people out there are really contributing to our society and to their communities.’

When she took her seat in September, Camilla Cavendish called herself ‘ Baroness Cavendish of Little venice’.

Little venice, in west London, is not far from the Noting Hill area linked strongly to Mr Cameron and his chancellor George Osborne.

One government source said: ‘Camilla had some job opportunity that required her to be not affiliated with a political party. So she’s becoming an unaffiliated peer rather than a crossbencher or anything else. i would expect her to keep sitting on our benches.’

The source added: ‘i hope she’ll support us in a few votes, but whatever her role is it required her not to be affiliated with a political party.’