Foreign Secretary David Cameron hit the general election campaign trail visiting a fibreoptic engineering company in his former constituency.

Lord Cameron, who was MP for Witney from 2001 to 2016 and prime minister from 2010 to 2016, visited AFE, a specialist engineering company in Carterton with Conservative candidate Robert Courts today (June 7).

He also visited Didcot, as well as Woodstock and Bicester and Banbury which now contain parts of his former Witney seat.

Nick Martin of AFE in Carterton with Conservative candidate Robert Courts and David Cameron

He told the Oxford Mail he was "incredibly impressed" with what he had seen.

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"We need many more of these. The more businesses like this, the more high quality jobs, the more exports, the more prosperity, the more growth," he said.

"It’s a great example of British entrepreneurialism and medium sized business at its best."

He added that although he still lives in West Oxfordshire there are many things he misses about being the MP for Witney.

He said: "I stay in touch with lots of people.

"I think the connection you get from the work you do as an MP, the surgeries you do, and the feedback you get, is incredibly valuable. It’s what makes us work as members of parliament."

Lord Cameron said despite West Oxfordshire being seen as a safe Tory seat, he never regarded it as such.

"I think that when it comes to elections there’s no such thing as a safe seat," he said.

"You have to fight for every vote in every village and every town and that’s what Robert’s doing and that’s what I’m doing to help.

"I never took anyone for granted and I know Robert doesn’t as well."

Meeting on West Oxfordshire Business Park opposite RAF Brize Norton he praised Mr Courts' work in campaigning for more defence spending.

"Brize Norton has never been busier. The defence discussions are incredibly important and Brize Norton is in very good shape," he said.

He denied a Labour win in the general election was a foregone conclusion.

"Look, I think the job of candidates and candidates’ supporters like me is just to get out there and talk about the issues and fight for every vote," he said.

"When you are out there canvassing and talking to people I don’t think they feel it’s a foregone conclusion. Lots of people have not made up their minds.

"I think that Rishi did extremely well on the TV debate. A lot of people said after that that it was great to see him come out fighting with a very positive message, we really saw his passion.  

"That’s the great thing about elections they are a chance for people to have a think again. It suddenly becomes a choice and you have to think, what do I want to do? What do I want?

"Do I want Rishi Sunak and his plan or Keir Starmer and no plan and all that will follow from that?"

David Cameron addresses supporters in Woodstock (Image: The Conservative Party)

Asked if his old rival and now fellow Oxfordshire dweller Boris Johnson should be helping bring out the Conservative vote, Lord Cameron said: "I’m sure Boris Johnson will be out on the campaign trail but that’s up to him."

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And he said being Foreign Secretary was "a very interesting job" at "a very challenging time for the world".

"We’ve got the conflict in Ukraine, we’ve got conflict in the Middle East," Lord Cameron continued. 

"It’s a very insecure, difficult and dangerous time and as I say when I’m on the campaign trail these problems are not just problems abroad.

"We’ve had Russian attacks here in London. We get Chinese attacks on the Electoral Commission and MPs’ websites. We have Iranian attacks on journalists working for Iran TV. These are British citizens or dual nationals. It’s a very difficult, dangerous world.

"Even more reason to have a strong team led by Rishi Sunak to try to navigate the difficulties and insecurities and deliver the prosperity that we need."

(Image: NQ staff)

Mr Courts, who has held the Witney seat since 2016, said he is focused on the campaign.

He said: "I have a very strong record of positive achievement with all the constituency work I have done.

"I have delivered from more money for potholes to delivering on the failing record of the Liberal Green coalition at Oxfordshire County Council all the way through to major national issues as well.

"Wonderful companies like AFE in Carterton are a shining example of everything we do best in this area. So whether you are looking at the ultra local through to the nationally significant things such as I campaigned for more defence spending which I delivered in this area.

"I am focused solely on what I am doing. I am not looking at any opposition. They can run their campaign and I will remain mine.

"It will be wholly positive based on delivering on what the people of this area want."

The other candidates for the Witney seat are: Charlie Maynard, Lib Dem; Antonio Weiss, Labour; Andrew Prosser, Greens; and Richard Langridge, Reform UK.