cameron

Family life and early career

Cameron was brought up near Wantage in Oxfordshire, England, the son of stockbroker Ian Donald Cameron and Mary Fleur, second daughter to Sir William Malcolm Mount, 2nd Baronet. His father is of distant Scottish descent and a descendant of King William IV by his mistress Dorothea Jordan. He was educated at Eton College, an English Independent school, and then at Oxford, where he read for a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at Brasenose College. His tutor at Oxford, Professor Vernon Bogdanor, described him as "one of the ablest" students he has taught, whose political views were "moderate and sensible conservative" [3].

He visited the Soviet Union in the 1980s during his gap year between school and unversity; he later told reporters that KGB agents may have tried to recruit him there [4].

While at Oxford, he was a member of the infamous and exclusive student dining society the Bullingdon Club [5], notorious for its drunken feasts and destructive binges. He also belonged to the Octagon Club, another dining society [6].

Having graduated in 1988 with a first class honours degree, Cameron worked for the Conservative Research Department between 1988 and 1992. He spent three days a week during that time in Downing Street on the Prime Minister's Questions briefing team.

Advisor to Norman Lamont

After the 1992 Conservative election victory he became a Special Advisor to the Conservative government, first at the Treasury (working for Norman Lamont at the time of Black Wednesday) and then the Home Office, where he worked for Michael Howard.

Between 1994 and 2001, Cameron was the Director of Corporate Affairs at Carlton Communications, and until August 2005 he was a non-executive director of Urbium PLC, operator of the Tiger Tiger bar chain.

Family

Cameron married Samantha Sheffield on 1 June 1996; they have 3 children. Their first child Ivan was born with cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy. Regarding the news of his son's disabilities, Cameron is quoted as saying: "The news hits you like a freight train... You are depressed for a while because you are grieving for the difference between your hopes and the reality. But then you get over that because he’s wonderful."^[1] The Camerons also have a daughter, Nancy (born 2003), and a son, Arthur Elwen (born 2006). Notably, Cameron did not attend Parliament that week because of the birth of his second son, and this item made some publicity, including top billing on the BBC 6 O'clock News[7].

Parliamentary career

He was an unsuccessful candidate for Stafford in 1997, in a seat vacated by Bill Cash following a boundary review. He was elected for Witney in 2001, succeeding Shaun Woodward.

The 2005 party leadership election

Following the Labour victory in the May 2005 General Election, Michael Howard announced his resignation as leader of the Conservative Party and set a lengthy timetable for the leadership election, as part of a plan (subsequently rejected) to reform the leadership election procedure.

Cameron formally announced that he would be a candidate for the vacancy on 29 September 2005. He gained support from many colleagues including Boris Johnson, Shadow Chancellor George Osborne, then Shadow Defence Secretary and deputy leader of the party Michael Ancram, Oliver Letwin and former party leader William Hague[8].

Despite this, prior to the 2005 Conservative Party Conference his campaign had not yet gained significant support. However his speech, delivered without notes, proved a significant turning point. In the speech he vowed to make people, "feel good about being Conservatives again" and said he wanted, "to switch on a whole new generation" [9].

In the first ballot of Conservative MPs on 18 October 2005, Cameron came second, with 56 votes, which was slightly more than expected; David Davis had fewer than predicted at 62 votes. Liam Fox came third with 42 votes and Ken Clarke was eliminated with 38 votes. In the second ballot on 20 October 2005, Cameron came first with 90 votes; David Davis was second, receiving 57, and Liam Fox was eliminated with 51 votes [10]. All 198 Conservative MPs voted in both ballots.

The next stage between Davis and Cameron would see the vote of the entire Conservative party membership across the country. Cameron was elected with more than twice as many votes as Davis and more than half of all ballots issued; Cameron won 134,446 votes on a 78% turnout, beating Davis's 64,398 votes.

His election as the 26th Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, was announced on 6 December 2005.

Upon election as leader Cameron had a little over four years experience as a Member of Parliament, making him perhaps the most inexperienced parliamentarian to take the leadership of a major British political party since William Pitt the Younger, although he was active in politics before becoming an MP [11]. As is customary for an Opposition leader who is not already a member (for example Neil Kinnock, Tony Blair and Iain Duncan Smith), upon election Cameron has become a member of the Privy Council, being formally approved to join on 14 December 2005, and sworn of the Council on 8 March 2006 [12]. Cameron is not the youngest post-war leader of the Conservative Party however; this record belongs to William Hague, elected at the age of 36.

Allegations of cocaine use at university

During the leadership election Cameron came under the allegation that he had used cocaine recreationally whilst at university[13]. At a conference event, when asked if he had taken drugs, he replied: "I had a normal university experience." Pressed on this point during the BBC programme Question Time, he insisted that everyone is allowed to "err and stray" in their past and that everyone is entitled to keep as their past private [14]. He also pointed out that members of the governing Labour Cabinet never answer similar questions when they are put to them.

Cameron's politics

Values and philosophy

Cameron describes himself as a "modern compassionate conservative" and has spoken of a need for a new style of politics, saying that he was "fed up with the Punch and Judy politics of Westminster" [15]. He has stated that he is "certainly a big Thatcher fan, but I don't know whether that makes me a Thatcherite" [16]. He has also claimed to be a "liberal Conservative", and "not a deeply ideological person" [17].

He and others in the "Notting Hill" set have sought to focus on issues such as the environment, work-life balance and international development -- issues not seen as priorities for the post-Thatcher Conservative party [18]. In a free vote in 2004 he supported the Civil Partnership Act 2004, which gave legal recognition to same-sex couples [19]. In his 2006 Conference speech, Cameron stated that marriage meant something "whether you're a man and a woman, a woman and a woman or a man and another man" [20].

In a speech to the Conservative annual conference in October 2006, he identified the concept of "social resonsibility" as the essence of his political philosophy [21].

Political views

The Economy

Cameron has said that it is "essential to reduce taxes on employment and wealth creation in order to enhance our economy's competitiveness. But I don't think it's sensible today to write a Conservative budget for 2009 or 2010, with specific pledges on tax reduction" [22]. He has stated that he hoped to cut taxes and raise public spending, "as the economy grows" [23].

Social policy

In a July 2005 speech to the Centre for Social Justice (before becoming party leader) he stated, "the biggest challenge our country faces is not economic decline, but social decline". Cameron has also said, "there is such a thing as society, it's just not the same thing as the state" (a reference to Margaret Thatcher's remark that "There is no such thing as society, there are individual men and women..."^[2]). In order to rebuild the "broken society," he said he wanted "to set free the voluntary sector and social enterprises to deal with the linked problems that blight so many of our communities: drug abuse, family breakdown, poor public space, chaotic home environments, high crime." Upon becoming leader Cameron set up a number of committees, such as the Social Justice Policy Group chaired by Iain Duncan Smith, to generate policy ideas on these issues.

Health

Cameron addressed health policy in a speech to The King's Fund in January 2006. In it he confirmed that the "patients passport" policy from the 2005 manifesto (subsidising patients who sought private treatment other than the NHS) had been dropped. He also specifically ruled out converting the NHS to an insurance-based system. Instead he has more generally pledged to develop policies to make the NHS a "more efficient, more effective and more patient-centred service."

Education

With regards to Higher Education he has reversed the Conservative policy regarding tuition fees from the 2005 election manifesto. A future Conservative government under Cameron would not reverse the fees introduced by the current Labour government. ^{citation needed]}

Environment

Cameron has regularly stressed his green credentials since becoming leader. He has stated he is committed to achieving the 2010 emissions limit and has announced he would change the current energy tax to a carbon tax in order to counter global warming[24]. It has been widely publicised that Cameron sometimes cycles to work.

Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking

Cameron is in favour of drug law review, and its reform, believing that the current approach does not work [25]. Cameron voted for recommendation 24 of the Home Affairs Select Committee report: 'The Government's Drugs Policy: Is It Working?', published on 9 May 2002), which recommended that "the Government initiates a discussion within the Commission on Narcotic Drugs of alternative ways — including the possibility of legalisation and regulation — to tackle the global drugs dilemma" [26]. He has said that drugs policy must be based on evidence and acknowledges that the evidence concerning cannabis has shifted since 2002.

Cameron is in favour of allowing separate spaces for cigarette smoking in bars and restaurants, and would overturn Labour's complete ban on smoking indoors. ^{citation needed]}

Foreign policy

He voted in favour of the Iraq war with the majority of his party [27]. This stance was also confirmed during an interview on the British TV show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. In defence of the Iraq situation, Cameron stated, "You've got to do what you think is right even if it's unpopular, that's the only thing you can do"[28].

Cameron has also described Israel as being "a lone democracy in a region that currently boasts no others." He is a member of and has spoken for the Conservative Friends of Israel group [29].

Cameron is not in favour of unilaterally withdrawing from the European Union's Common Fisheries Policy [30].

Immigration & Asylum

On economic immigration, Cameron has said "we think immigration is very good for Britain; we think that there are clear benefits in a modern economy from having both emigration and immigration, but that net immigration has to have a very careful regard to good community relations and the fair provision of public services."

His stated views on asylum have contrasted with his predecessors, particularly Michael Howard, who proposed an annual quota on the total number of asylum seekers entering Britain. Cameron has claimed "I'm passionately committed to giving people who are being tortured and persecuted asylum, and that means not just letting them in, but taking them to our hearts, and feeding and clothing and schooling them"[31].

Other

Cameron is also in favour of overturning the ban on fox-hunting and has stated that a Conservative government under his leadership would give Parliament time for a free vote on the issue [32]. He himself has been fox-hunting on several occasions [33].

Actions and initiatives

Cameron has stated that he does not intend to oppose the government as a matter of course, and will offer his support in areas of agreement such as education reform.

On his first day as leader Cameron announced the launch of six 18-month policy reviews to develop new ideas in the specified areas.

These included the Quality of Life Challenge [34], under the chairmanship of John Gummer, covering a series of issues including climate change, urban landscape, traffic jams, and affordable housing, the Global Poverty Challenge and the Public Service Challenge [35].

His Shadow Cabinet appointments include MPs associated with the various wings of the party. Former leader William Hague was appointed to the Foreign Affairs brief and David Davis was retained as Shadow Home Secretary. Hague stood in for Cameron during the latter's paternity leave in February 2006, assisted by Davis.

During the first month of Cameron's leadership, the Conservative's standing in opinion polls rose, with several pollsters putting the Conservative party ahead of the ruling Labour party by margins of 1 to 9 points. In early Spring 2006 the Conservative and Labour parties drew even, but after the May 2006 local elections various polls once again generally show Conservative leads.^{citation needed]}

On 22 March 2006, Cameron gave the Leader of the Opposition's response to the Budget in the House of Commons [36][37]. According to the BBC's 'Today in Parliament' radio programme that evening, it was the shortest budget response in recent times at eight minutes thirty seconds [38].

Cameron has attacked opposing politicians, calling Gordon Brown "an analogue politician in a digital age" and repeatedly referring to him as "the roadblock to reform"[39]. Cameron also said John Prescott "clearly looks a fool" in light of allegations of ministerial misconduct[40] and he has accused the United Kingdom Independence Party of being "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists, mostly"[41]. UKIP leader Nigel Farage has demanded an apology for the remark.

Human Rights Act

Cameron has announced that he would scrap Human Rights Act, introduced by the Labour government in 2000. Instead, it would be replaced with a Bill of Rights, based on "British needs and traditions" [42]. However, he has said that the country would remain within the European Court of Human Rights, on which the Human Rights Act is based.

Opposition to the EPP

Immediately after his election as leader, he restated his pledge to withdraw the party's MEPs from the cooperation with the European People's Party (EPP) within the European Parliament, viewing the EPP as excessively federalist. Previously the British Conservative Party had been part of the anti-federalist European Democrats as part of an ED-EPP coalition, but Cameron plans for the ED to break away in order to form a new grouping. Cameron aims to set up one more focused on the Conservative Party's views, a move that has been resisted by some Conservative MEPs. After much speculation, he announced in July 2006 that Conservative MEPs would indeed withdraw from the EPP, but not until 2009. The stated reason for the delay was that the Conservatives' proposed future alliance partners, the Czech Civic Democratic Party, needed time to form a new domestic coalition in order to form a "eurorealist" grouping in the European Parliament [43].

Political descriptions

Recently some political commentators have suggested that his style is influenced by the Swedish Moderate Party leader, Fredrik Reinfeldt, who advocates moving to the centre and supporting traditionally centre-left issues[44].

On 22nd May 2006 he gave a speech to the Google Zeitgeist Europe conference, in which he urged politicians to concentrate more on improving people's happiness and "general well-being", instead of focusing solely on wealth and money[45]. The ideas Cameron developed in the speech owed much to the gross national happiness philosophy of the Bhutan king Jigme Singye Wangchuck ^{citation needed]}.

Criticism

Presentation

Some of Cameron's critics are unhappy with the Conservative Party's new emphasis and its presentation. They dislike his use of language and emphasis on style as much as substance, seeing it as the stance of an anti-politician. The New Statesman has compared his "new style of politics" to Tony Blair's early leadership years [46].

Policies

On the right, Peter Hitchens has written that, "Mr Cameron has abandoned the last significant difference between his party and the established left", by prioritising publicly-funded government services [47]. Norman Tebbit has likened Cameron to Pol Pot, "intent on purging even the memory of Thatcherism before building a New Modern Compassionate Green Globally Aware Party"^[3].

Elitism

The Guardian has accused Cameron of relying on "the most prestigious of old-boy networks in his attempt to return the Tories to power", pointing out that three members of his shadow cabinet and 15 members of his front bench team are Old Etonians [48]. Similarly, The Sunday Times has commented that "David Cameron has more Etonians around him than any leader since Macmillan" and asked whether he can "represent Britain from such a narrow base" [49].

Satire and trivia

Cameron's relatively young age and inexperience before becoming leader also invited satirical comparison with Blair. Private Eye soon published a picture of both leaders on their front cover, with the caption "World's first face transplant a success."

Cameron was featured in the first, second and final episodes of BBC 2's satirical program Time Trumpet. In the earlier episodes the editors showed clips of Blair and Cameron singing David Bowie's "Changes", and in the final episode of the series (broadcast form the "future") it 'recollected' how Cameron became Prime Minister, but for only for twenty days, before being forced to call another general election and losing to the British National Party (BNP).

On 2 February 2006 he was voted into 92nd place in a poll of New Woman magazine readers to determine the 100 sexiest men in the world^[4].

On 1 April 2006, the Guardian newspaper reported [50] that Coldplay's Chris Martin was backing Cameron and had written a new "theme song" for the party entitled Talk To David [51]. This was later revealed to be an April Fool's joke.

Cameron was characterised as "Dave the Chameleon" in a Labour Party Political Broadcast.

See also

• Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 2005
• Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (UK)
• 54th UK general election
• UK general election, 2005
• UK general election, 2001

Notes

1. ^ Quoted in "Focus: Can Boy Wonder save the Tories?", The Sunday Times, October 9, 2005
2. ^ [1] The full text of Margaret Thatcher's quotation to Women's Own magazine, 31 October 1987
3. ^ The Economist, 4 February 2006, page 32
4. ^ [2] Results of a poll of 10,000 New Woman magazine readers to determine the world's 100 sexiest men of 2006. Web version accessed 19th June 2006

External links

• David Cameron MP official site
• David Cameron's Video Blog
• BBC Profile of his wife, Samantha Cameron
• Campaign for David Cameron official Leader of the Conservative Party campaign site
• Conservative Party – David Cameron official biography
• ePolitix.com — David Cameron profile
• Guardian Unlimited Politics – Ask Aristotle: David Cameron MP
• David Cameron's Guardian columns (2001-2005) as Conservative Party diarist
• They Work For You – David Cameron MP
• The Public Whip – David Cameron MP voting record
• Open Directory Project — David Cameron directory category
• Privy Council Appointment of David Cameron MP - 10 Downing Street
• David Cameron's ancestry at thePeerage.com

News and comment

• BBC News – Head of Shadow Policy Co-Ordination David Cameron profile 10 February, 2005
• Nick Cohen, New Statesman, 8 August 2005, "The birth of Blameron"
• The Independent – Tory contender calls for more liberal drug laws 7 September 2005
• Cameron calls for enterprise-based approach to development
• David Cameron on climate change

Offices held