DAVID Cameron is being 'courted' for the top civilian job at NATO, it has been claimed.

The former prime minister, who served as MP for Witney from 2001 to 2016, has reportedly held discussions about taking on the role of secretary general.

He has the support of senior members of the British government and has met with a former holder of the job about the matter, Politico reported.

But Mr Cameron is said to be reluctant. He recently became president of Alzheimer’s Research UK and is soon expected to announce a new academic role related to international aid, the report said

Last month, he met former NATO secretary general and Danish ex-premier Anders Fogh Rasmussen in London, Politico said.

They reportedly discussed the secretary general job, the future of NATO and the threat posed to the West by radical Islam and Russian aggression in Ukraine and elsewhere.

A source told the news website: “People are keen in government for him to do it.

"They think he’s an incredibly smart guy who would do a very good job representing Britain and would take it very seriously.

"There’s a broad view that he’d be very good. The big question is whether he wants to do it.

"I’m not actually sure he does. Conversations have been had saying why don’t you do it, but he’s saying ‘I don’t want it.’

“People are trying to convince him. It’s true people are courting him, but he’s not there yet.”

The source added that cabinet ministers — including Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Chancellor Philip Hammond and Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon — all supported Mr Cameron.

The current secretary general of NATO is Jens Stoltenberg, former prime minister of Norway. He started a four-year term in 2014.