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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...",<ref>Full text of Margaret Thatcher's quotation to ''Women's Own'' magazine, [[31 October]], [[1987]], quoted in [http://briandeer.com/social/thatcher-society.htm ''Epitaph for the eighties? <nowiki>'there is no such thing as society'</nowiki>''], briandeer.com, undated, accessed [[6 November]] [[2006]]</ref> which Cameron believes was taken out of context.<ref name="Rawnsley"/> 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.
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...",<ref>Full text of Margaret Thatcher's quotation to ''Women's Own'' magazine, [[31 October]], [[1987]], quoted in [http://briandeer.com/social/thatcher-society.htm ''Epitaph for the eighties? <nowiki>'there is no such thing as society'</nowiki>''], briandeer.com, undated, accessed [[6 November]] [[2006]]</ref> which Cameron believes was taken out of context.<ref name="Rawnsley"/> 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.


In July 2006 Cameron made a second speech to the Centre for Social Justice in which he highlighted the problem of young offenders and called for more understanding. The ''[[News of the World]]'' headlined its report of the speech "Hug a hoodie, says Cameron", <ref name="News of the World">9 July 2006, p. 16</ref> coining a phrase which came into popular use, although Cameron never used the phrase.
⚫
Cameron has criticised [[ASBO]]s as "reacting" to crime, rather than reducing it, and argued that they should be replaced with "challenging community punishments." In the same speech he also argued that young offenders should be shown "a lot more love" and more understanding into why youths commit crime, specifically calling for more youth counselling, education and training.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6110180.stm ''Cameron demands "a lot more love"''], BBC News Online, [[2 November]] [[2006]], accessed [[5 December]] [[2006]]</ref> Cameron was mocked by many Labour MPs for the speech, who dubbed the call "hug a hoodie", but he received unexpected backing from right-wing peer [[Norman Tebbit]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5179402.stm ''Tebbit backs 'hug a hoodie' call''], BBC News Online, [[14 July]] [[2006]], accessed [[5 December]] [[2006]]</ref> Cameron has repeatedly defended his argument, saying that although "I understand, you break the law, you get punished" it was important "to understand what's gone wrong in these children's lives."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6210868.stm ''Cameron promises some 'real grit' ''], [[5 December]] [[2006]], accessed [[5 December]] [[2006]]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5163798.stm ''Cameron defends 'hoodie' speech'', BBC News Online, [[10 July]] [[2006]], accessed [[5 December]] [[2006]]</ref>

⚫
Cameron has criticised [[ASBO]]s as "reacting" to crime, rather than reducing it, and argued that they should be replaced with "challenging community punishments." In the same speech he also argued that young offenders should be shown "a lot more love" and more understanding into why youths commit crime, specifically calling for more youth counselling, education and training.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6110180.stm ''Cameron demands "a lot more love"''], BBC News Online, [[2 November]] [[2006]], accessed [[5 December]] [[2006]]</ref> Cameron was mocked by many Labour MPs for the speech, but he received unexpected backing from right-wing peer [[Norman Tebbit]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5179402.stm ''Tebbit backs 'hug a hoodie' call''], BBC News Online, [[14 July]] [[2006]], accessed [[5 December]] [[2006]]</ref> Cameron has repeatedly defended his argument, saying that although "I understand, you break the law, you get punished" it was important "to understand what's gone wrong in these children's lives."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6210868.stm ''Cameron promises some 'real grit' ''], [[5 December]] [[2006]], accessed [[5 December]] [[2006]]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5163798.stm ''Cameron defends 'hoodie' speech'', BBC News Online, [[10 July]] [[2006]], accessed [[5 December]] [[2006]]</ref>


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Revision as of 17:19, 23 February 2007

The Rt Hon. David Cameron MP
File:David cameron photo.JPG
Leader of the Opposition
Assumed office
December 6, 2005
Preceded byMichael Howard
ConstituencyWitney
Majority14,156 (26.3%)
Personal details
Born (1966-10-09) October 9, 1966 (age 57)
Oxfordshire, England
Political partyConservative
SpouseSamantha Sheffield
ChildrenIvan, Nancy and Arthur
Websitewww.davidcameronmp.com

David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October, 1966) is a British politician, Leader of the Conservative Party, and Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons. He has been Member of Parliament for the Oxfordshire constituency of Witney since 2001.

Background

Cameron was brought up near Wantage in Oxfordshire, England, the son of stockbroker Ian Donald Cameron and Mary Fleur Mount, the second daughter of Sir William Malcolm Mount, 2nd Baronet.[1] His father is of distant Scottish descent and is a descendant of King William IV by his mistress Dorothea Jordan. He was educated at Eton College, an English public school[2].

During his gap year travels between school and university he visited Moscow and a Yalta beach in the Soviet Union, and was at one point approached by two Russian men speaking fluent English. Cameron was later told by one of his professors that it was 'definitely an attempt' by the KGB to recruit him.[3]

Cameron studied 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".[4]

While at Oxford, he was a member of the student dining society the Bullingdon Club,[5] a society that has a reputation for drunken and destructive binges.[6] He also belonged to the Octagon Club,[5] another dining society. Cameron graduated in 1988 with a first class honours degree.[2]

Family

Cameron married Samantha Sheffield on 1 June, 1996; they have three 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."[7] The Camerons also have a daughter, Nancy (born 2003), and another son, Arthur Elwen (born 14 February, 2006). When Cameron took paternity leave when his son was born the story was covered widely including on the BBC 6 O'clock News.[8] Cameron has been urged by a Telegraph commentator to mention his family less in public.[9]

Early career

After graduation, 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.

Following 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,[2] and until August 2005 he was a non-executive director of Urbium PLC, operator of the Tiger Tiger bar chain.[10]

Parliamentary career

He was an unsuccessful candidate for Stafford in 1997, in what was effectively a new seat created in the boundary review. He was elected for Witney in 2001, succeeding Shaun Woodward.

After his election to Parliament, he served as a member of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee. In June 2003, he was appointed as a shadow minister in the Privy Council Office. He also became a deputy chairman of the Conservative Party when Michael Howard took over the leadership in November of that year. He was appointed to the opposition frontbench local government spokesman in 2004 before being promoted into the shadow cabinet that June as head of policy co-ordination. Just three months later he became shadow education secretary in the post-election reshuffle.[11]

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 change the leadership election rules.

Cameron announced formally that he would be a candidate for the position on 29 September, 2005. Parliamentary colleagues supporting him initially included Boris Johnson, Shadow Chancellor George Osborne, then Shadow Defence Secretary and deputy leader of the party Michael Ancram, Oliver Letwin[12] and former party leader William Hague.[13] Despite this, his campaign did not gain significant support prior to the 2005 Conservative Party Conference. 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."[14]

In the first ballot of Conservative MPs on 18 October, 2005, Cameron came second, with 56 votes, 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, with 57, and Liam Fox was eliminated with 51 votes.[15] All 198 Conservative MPs voted in both ballots.

The next stage of the election process, between Davis and Cameron, was a vote open to the entire Conservative party membership. 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.[16]

His election as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition, was announced on 6 December, 2005.

At the time of his election as leader, Cameron had been a Member of Parliament for just over four years, making him 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.[17] 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.[18] Cameron was not the youngest post-war leader of the Conservative Party; this record belongs to William Hague, elected at the age of 36.

Allegations of prior drug use

During the leadership election allegations were made that Cameron had used cannabis and cocaine recreationally before becoming an MP.[19] Pressed on this point during the BBC programme Question Time, Cameron said "I'm allowed to have had a private life before politics in which we make mistakes and we do things that we should not and we are all human and we err and stray."[20] Hours before the second ballot of MPs on 20 October 2005, he stated in an interview with Channel 4 that he had not taken Class A drugs since being elected to Parliament in 2001.[21] [22] [23] A 2007 book alleged that Cameron confessed to smoking cannabis while at Eton, aged 15, and despite being one of 18 boys to be punished by the school over drug taking, continued to smoke the drug while studying at Oxford.[24] According to friends he described this experience as a "wake-up call"[25].

Career as leader of the Conservative Party

File:David Cameron campaigning cropped.jpg
David Cameron campaigning for the 2006 Bromley and Chislehurst by-election.

Shadow Cabinet appointments

His Shadow Cabinet appointments have included 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, assisted by Davis, stood in for Cameron during his paternity leave in February 2006.

Standing in opinion polls

During the first month of Cameron's leadership, the Conservatives' 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.[26] An opinion poll in February 2007 showed that a Cameron-led Conservative Party would have a 42% to 29% lead over a Gordon Brown-led Labour.

Policies and views

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".[27] He has stated that he is "certainly a big Thatcher fan, but I don't know whether that makes me a Thatcherite."[28] He has also claimed to be a "liberal Conservative", and "not a deeply ideological person."[29] 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. He has urged politicians to concentrate more on improving people's happiness and "general well-being", instead of focusing solely on "financial wealth".[30] There have been claims that he described himself to journalists at a dinner during the leadership contest as the "heir to Blair".[31]

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,[32] 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.[33]

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.[34] In a speech to the Conservative annual conference in October 2006, he identified the concept of "social responsibility" as the essence of his political philosophy.[35]

Some political commentators have suggested that his style is influenced by the Swedish Moderate Party leader and current Prime Minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt, who advocates moving to the centre and supporting traditionally centre-left issues[36] and in fact, Reinfelt himself has been called the "Swedish David Cameron".[37]

Economic policy

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."[38] He has stated that he hoped to cut taxes and raise public spending, "as the economy grows". [28] He has referred to this approach as "sharing the proceeds of growth".

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...",[39] which Cameron believes was taken out of context.[29] 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.

In July 2006 Cameron made a second speech to the Centre for Social Justice in which he highlighted the problem of young offenders and called for more understanding. The News of the World headlined its report of the speech "Hug a hoodie, says Cameron", [40] coining a phrase which came into popular use, although Cameron never used the phrase.

Cameron has criticised ASBOs as "reacting" to crime, rather than reducing it, and argued that they should be replaced with "challenging community punishments." In the same speech he also argued that young offenders should be shown "a lot more love" and more understanding into why youths commit crime, specifically calling for more youth counselling, education and training.[41] Cameron was mocked by many Labour MPs for the speech, but he received unexpected backing from right-wing peer Norman Tebbit.[42] Cameron has repeatedly defended his argument, saying that although "I understand, you break the law, you get punished" it was important "to understand what's gone wrong in these children's lives."[43][44]

Health

Cameron has endorsed the National Health Service, saying it is "vitally important to every family in this country" and "one of the greatest achievements of the 20th century." He has stated his political priorities can be explained in three letters: NHS.[45] Upon becoming party leader, he confirmed that the "patient's passport" policy from the 2005 manifesto (a subsidy for private treatment at 50% of the equivalent NHS cost) had been dropped and specifically ruled out converting the NHS to an insurance-based system.[46]

Cameron has pledged to develop policies to make the NHS a "more efficient, more effective and more patient-centred service." He wishes to grant the NHS much greater independence from the Department of Health in order to prevent it being used as a "political football" and to create "greater professional responsibility".[47] He has stated the Conservative party will propose an NHS Independence Bill to this effect in January 2007, and has publicly asked the Labour leadership to support the bill, after he supported Blair's education reforms.[47] [48]

Education

David Cameron has endorsed the government's creation of city academies, unpopular with many Labour backbenchers, as a way of improving standards in deprived areas. He has called on the government to go "further and faster" with the policy, and says that academies should be given even more freedom from central control.[49]

Regarding higher education, Cameron has reversed the Conservative's 2005 election manifesto policy on tuition fees; a future Conservative government under Cameron would not remove the fees currently in place.[50] [51]

Environment

Cameron has regularly stressed his green credentials since becoming leader, describing himself as "passionate about our environment." He has argued that "there is a price...for tackling climate change" but it is a "social responsibility to the next generation".[45] He has stated he is committed to achieving the 2010 emissions limit and has announced he would change the current Climate Change Levy to a carbon tax in order to counter global warming.[52] [53] Cameron proposed a Climate Change Bill which would include committing to binding annual carbon reduction targets.[54] However, a memo leaked to the Labour Party, suggested the binding targets proposal may be dropped.[55] and these do not form part of the proposed Bill as of November 2006.[56]

It has been widely publicised that Cameron on occasion cycles to work. However, an official car that followed him carrying his clothes and official documents was photographed by the media, leading to accusations that his bicycling image was "spin".[57][58] Cameron has since stated that this happened only "once or twice" and has vowed that it will not happen again, now that he has a pannier to carry documents. In the same interview he admitted that since becoming leader of the Conservative Party he is now only able to cycle to work once a week.[59]

David Cameron has also urged people to see An Inconvenient Truth by former US Vice-President Al Gore.[60]

Social issues

Regarding civil partnerships, Cameron has stated that marriage means something "whether you're a man and a woman, a woman and a woman or a man and another man."[45] In a free vote in 2004 he supported the Civil Partnership Act 2004, which gave legal recognition to same-sex couples.[61]

Cameron has stated that the government needs to change social attitudes towards disability by setting an example for the private sector.[62] Under a Conservative government the state would prioritise increasing the number of disabled people employed at Whitehall. Cameron has asked the disability charity Scope to advise on employment policy, claiming it is "morally wrong and economically stupid for five million on incapacity benefit who could work to be left on the scrap-heap." The government has disputed the figures.[62]

Drugs, alcohol and tobacco

Cameron is in favour of drug law review and reform.[63] 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".[64] He has said that drugs policy must be based on evidence and acknowledges that the evidence concerning cannabis has shifted since 2002.[citation needed]

In 2005 Cameron appeared as a guest on BBC 1's Friday Night With Jonathan Ross in which he and presenter Jonathan Ross debated their views on class-A drugs. Ross raised issues about the legalisation of class-A drugs, which Cameron dismissed, saying, "I don't think we should legalise drugs. Much more emphasis on treatment is the key. If you get addicts off the street it helps to collapse the market. The other key is education."[65][66]

In the past Cameron has smoked cigarettes,[29] though he is now reported to have quit after six attempts.[67] Cameron did not vote in Parliament on the bill that created the Health Act 2006, which introduced a complete smoking ban in enclosed public places in the UK.[68] He would, however, overturn Labour's complete ban on indoor smoking, in favour of allowing separate spaces for cigarette smoking in bars and restaurants.[29]

Immigration, asylum and integration

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."[29]

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".[29]

Cameron has stated that contact between different communities is essential for social integration and as such, the government should ensure that new immigrants learn to speak English.[69][70]

Foreign policy

Cameron has stated that he believes in "spreading freedom and democracy, and supporting humanitarian intervention" in cases such as the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. However, he claims to not be a neo-conservative because, as a conservative, he recognises "the complexities of human nature, and will always be sceptical of grand schemes to remake the world."[45] He supports multilateralism stating "a country may act alone - but it cannot always succeed alone." He believes multilateralism can take the form of acting through "NATO, the UN, the G8, the EU and other institutions", or through international alliances.[71] Cameron has also argued that "If the West is to help other countries, we must do so from a position of genuine moral authority" and "we must strive above all for legitimacy in what we do."[71]

Cameron has supported the alliance with the United States, viewing it as highly important. He has praised its role in the Second World War and the Cold War, about which he has said "Unlike some, I never had any doubts about whose side I was on". This was interpreted as a knock at sections of the Labour Party, some members of which had expressed support for the former Soviet Union. He has also claimed "we must be steadfast not slavish in how we approach the special relationship", arguing that "questioning the approach of the US administration, trying to learn the lessons of the past five years, does not make you anti-American."[45] Cameron also supports Israel and has described the state 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.[72] However he criticised the country's 2006 invasion of Lebanon, describing the force used as "disproportionate."[71]

Before becoming leader, he voted in favour of the Iraq war, confirming this stance during an interview on the British TV show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. In defence of the Iraq situation, he stated, "You've got to do what you think is right even if it's unpopular, that's the only thing you can do".[66] Subsequently he supported a motion brought by the SNP and Plaid Cymru on 31 October 2006, calling for an inquiry into the government's conduct of the Iraq war. This was after the government informed the Conservatives that an inquiry would not be accepted in 2007, the initial policy call of the party. The motion was defeated by a margin 25 votes, 273 MPs voting in favour and 298 against.[73] He was criticised for this in editorials in The Sun and The Times newspapers.[74] He was also criticised by some Conservative MPs who claimed it was irresponsible to support an enquiry while British troops were still involved.[75]

Cameron supports the War on Terror. He has praised it for the removal of "two of the world's most repressive regimes", Libya's abandonment of nuclear weapons procurement, and Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon.[45] He has argued "it must be a battle of hearts and minds, as well as force" and that "the threat cannot be negotiated away or appeased - it has to be confronted and overcome".[45] Cameron has accused Iran of encouraging the insurgency in Iraq and "the murder of British troops", and has criticised the regime for supporting Hezbollah.[45]

European Union

Immediately after his election as leader, he restated his pledge to withdraw the party's MEPs from 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 a group 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 withdraw from the EPP in 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.[76]

Cameron is currently against unilaterally withdrawing from the European Union's Common Fisheries Policy, as some on the Conservative Right have proposed.[77]

Constitutional issues

Cameron is a Unionist although he supports devolution, saying that the Conservatives, "fought against the idea of a Scottish Parliament long after it became clear that it was the settled will of the people." He has also defended the Barnett formula as "Other areas within the UK are subsidised more than Scotland is." He also believes "unionists have to develop better arguments against independence", and that "the case for the Union isn't just economic." Cameron has stated that he wants to address anti-Scottishness in England, "Scotland has certainly not been an occupied or oppressed country these past three hundred years but I recognise that it has not all been a triumphal procession either", and that, "the ignorance of English people about Scots and Scotland", has sometimes meant that Scotland does not get "the respect it deserves."[78] [79]

On the West Lothian question, he has criticised the ability of Scottish MPs to vote on English matters, "We need to make devolution work... one part of devolution that doesn't work is that Scottish MPs can vote on matters that don't affect their own constituents",[80] and has asked the party's Commission on Democracy, led by Kenneth Clarke, to look at possible solutions.[78]

Cameron has announced that he would scrap the Human Rights Act 1998 which came into force in 2000. Instead, it would be replaced with a Bill of Rights, based on "British needs and traditions". However, he has said that the country would remain within the European Court of Human Rights, on which the Human Rights Act is based.[81]

He has also called for investigations into ministerial misconduct to be a "genuinely independent mechanism" after cabinet minister Tessa Jowell was part of a fraud scandal. Additionally, in order to "clean up", he says ministers should not be allowed to set their expenses or salaries.[82] Cameron has also called for a reduction in the number of Members of Parliaments in the House of Commons.[83][84]

ID Cards

Cameron has spoken out against identity cards on a number of occasions. He has also confirmed that under a future Conservative government the present plans for ID cards would be scrapped.

Fox hunting

Cameron is 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.[citation needed] He himself has been fox-hunting on several occasions.[85] [29]

Criticism of other parties and politicians

Cameron has accused the United Kingdom Independence Party of being "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists, mostly,"[86] leading UKIP leader Nigel Farage to demand an apology for the remarks. Right-wing Conservative MP Bob Spink also criticised the remarks[87], as did the The Daily Telegraph.[88]

Cameron has criticised Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown for being "an analogue politician in a digital age" and repeatedly refers to him as "the roadblock to reform".[89] He has also said that John Prescott "clearly looks a fool" in light of allegations of ministerial misconduct.[90] During a speech to the Ethnic Media Conference on 29 November 2006[91] Cameron also described Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, as an "ageing far left politician" in reference to Livingstone's views on multiculturalism.[92]

Criticism of Cameron

Presentation and policies

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. New Statesman has unfavourably likened his "new style of politics" to Tony Blair's early leadership years.[93] Cameron has been accused of playing excessive attention to image. ITV News broadcast footage from the 2006 Conservative Party Conference in Bournemouth which showed Cameron wearing four different sets of clothes within the space of a few hours,[94] 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.[95] 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".[96]

Allegations of social 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".[97] 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."[98] Cabinet minister Hazel Blears has said of Cameron "You have to wonder about a man who surrounds himself with so many people who went to the same school. I’m pretty sure I don’t want 21st-century Britain run by people who went to just one school"[99].

Candidate selection

Cameron's "A-List" of prospective Parliamentary Candidates has come under sustained attack from many members of his party.[100] Among other criticism, it has been noted that of declared members of the A-List, there are more people from Kensington and Chelsea than from Yorkshire and Lancashire combined. [101]

Satire and trivia

  • Cameron's relatively young age and inexperience before becoming leader have 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 is reported to be known to friends and family as 'Dave' rather than David, although he invariably uses 'David' in public.[102] However, critics of Cameron often refer to him as "Call me Dave" in an attempt to imply false populism.[103] The Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein has condemned those who attempt to belittle Cameron by calling him 'Dave'.[104]
  • Cameron was featured in the first, second and final episodes of BBC Two'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 from 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.[105] On 10 November 2006 it was also reported that Cameron's, "wide facial shape, large eyes and soft features", gives him the ideal natural physical appearance to be a comedian and to make people laugh.[106]
  • Cameron was characterised as "Dave the Chameleon" in a Labour Party Political Broadcast. Cameron later claimed that the broadcast had become his daughter's "favourite video".[109]
  • Cameron holds the record for the shortest Budget response in the House of Commons in recent times, at eight minutes and thirty seconds.[110] [111]

See also

Wikiquote has quotations related to David Cameron.

Notes

  1. ^ Person Page 17890, thePeerage.com: A genealogical survey of the peerage of Britain as well as the royal families of Europe, accessed 25 November 2006
  2. ^ a b c David Cameron MP - About David, Official website biography, accessed 25 November 2006
  3. ^ Cameron: KGB tried to recruit me, BBC News Online, 28 May 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  4. ^ Brian Wheeler, The David Cameron story, BBC News Online, 6 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  5. ^ a b Patrick Foster, How young Cameron wined and dined with the right sort, The Times Online, 28 January 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  6. ^ Richard Alleyne, Oxford hellraisers politely trash a pub, telegraph.co.uk, 3 December 2004, accessed 6 November 2006
  7. ^ Quoted in "Focus: Can Boy Wonder save the Tories?", The Sunday Times, October 9 2005
  8. ^ Hansard, House of Commons Debates for 15 February 2006 (pt 3), 15 February 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  9. ^ Andrew Gimson, Leave your family at home, Mr Cameron, telegraph.co.uk, 6 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  10. ^ Tania Branigan and Michael White, Cameron defends drinks industry links - and tells Paxman where he's going wrong, 18 November 2005, accessed 20 December 2006
  11. ^ Contender: David Cameron, BBC News Online, 29 September 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  12. ^ Tory leadership: Who backed who?, BBC News Online, 17 October 2005, accessed 25 November 2006
  13. ^ Hague backs Cameron as new leader, BBC News Online, 12 November 2005, accessed 25 November 2006
  14. ^ Cameron targets 'new generation, BBC News Online, 4 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  15. ^ Cameron and Davis top Tory poll, BBC News Online, 20 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  16. ^ Cameron chosen as new Tory leader, BBC News Online, 6 December 2005, accessed 25 November 2006
  17. ^ Philip Webster and Rosemary Bennett, The great gamble, The Times Online, 7 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  18. ^ Privy Council Appointment of David Cameron MP, 10 Downing Street, 14 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  19. ^ Nicholas Lezard, What cocaine says about you, Guardian Unlimited, 10 November 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  20. ^ Cameron pressed on drugs question, BBC News Online, 14 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  21. ^ Gary Gibbon, Cameron denies taking drugs, Channel 4 News, 20 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  22. ^ Benedict Brogan and Jane Merrick, Cocaine and me, by David Cameron, Daily Mail, 21 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  23. ^ Michael White, Cameron surges into Tory lead and answers cocaine question, Guardian Unlimited, 21 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  24. ^ Exclusive Cameron DID smoke cannabis
  25. ^ http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,,2010580,00.html
  26. ^ UK Polling Report
  27. ^ Jonathan Freedland, Enough of this love-in: Bush was a compassionate conservative too, Guardian Unlimited, 7 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  28. ^ a b Cameron: Tories need new identity, BBC News Online, 17 November 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  29. ^ a b c d e f g Andrew Rawnsley, 'I'm not a deeply ideological person. I'm a practical one', Guardian Unlimited, 18 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  30. ^ Make people happier, says Cameron, BBC News Online, 22 May 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  31. ^ Andrew Pierce, Horror as Cameron brandishes the B word, The Times Online, 5 October 2005, accessed 25 November 2006
  32. ^ Quality of Life Challenge, accessed 6 November 2006
  33. ^ David Cameron, Quantity and quality, Guardian Unlimited, 9 December 2005, 6 November 2006
  34. ^ Jo-Anne Nadler, So who are the Notting Hill set anyway?, Sunday Herald, 15 May 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  35. ^ Cameron: We stand for social responsibility, conservatives.com, 1 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  36. ^ Sweden's 'Cameron' offers an electable right-wing, Independent Online, 18 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  37. ^ Profile: Fredrik Reinfeldt Template:En icon, BBC News, September 18 2006.
  38. ^ Highlights of David Cameron's CBI speech, ConservativeHome.com, 28 November 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  39. ^ Full text of Margaret Thatcher's quotation to Women's Own magazine, 31 October, 1987, quoted in Epitaph for the eighties? 'there is no such thing as society', briandeer.com, undated, accessed 6 November 2006
  40. ^ 9 July 2006, p. 16
  41. ^ Cameron demands "a lot more love", BBC News Online, 2 November 2006, accessed 5 December 2006
  42. ^ Tebbit backs 'hug a hoodie' call, BBC News Online, 14 July 2006, accessed 5 December 2006
  43. ^ Cameron promises some 'real grit' , 5 December 2006, accessed 5 December 2006
  44. ^ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5163798.stm Cameron defends 'hoodie' speech, BBC News Online, 10 July 2006, accessed 5 December 2006
  45. ^ a b c d e f g h In full: Cameron speech, BBC News Online, 4 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  46. ^ Patrick Hennessy, Cameron ditches health policy in high-risk manifesto, telegraph.co.uk, 1 January 2006, accessed 25 November 2006
  47. ^ a b Cameron wants 'independent' NHS, BBC News Online, 9 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  48. ^ Matthew Tempest, Cameron plans bill to give NHS 'independence', Guardian Unlimited, 9 October 2006, accessed 25 November 2006
  49. ^ Tory leader backs city academies, BBC News Online, 10 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  50. ^ Tories plan to keep student fees, BBC News Online, 9 January 2006, accessed 25 November 2006
  51. ^ Cameron says Tories will keep tuition fees, Guardian Unlimited, 9 January 2006, accessed 25 November 2006
  52. ^ Tories plan climate levy overhaul, BBC News Online, 21 April 2006, accessed 25 November 2006
  53. ^ Cameron pledges to firm up green credentials with carbon levy, Guardian Unlimited, 21 April 2006, accessed 25 November 2006
  54. ^ David Cameron: Labour's carbon targets amount to a cop-out, Independent Online, 27 October 2006, accessed 1 December 2006
  55. ^ Cameron climate policy 'too soft' BBC News Online, acccessed 1 December 2006
  56. ^ [1]
  57. ^ Cameron's bike ride to work - with a car in tow, Daily Telegraph, 29 April 2006, accessed 25 November 2006
  58. ^ Oliver King and agencies, Cameron rejects accusations of green spin, The Guardian, 2 May 2006, accessed 25 November 2006
  59. ^ Cameron reveals weekly bike ride, BBC News Online, 8 August 2006, accessed 26 November
  60. ^ Full text of David Cameron's speech, Guardian Unlimited, 4 October 2006, accessed 25 November 2006
  61. ^ Civil Partnership Bill [Lords] — 12 Oct 2004 at 18:42 — Commons Division No. 256, reported by Public Whip, 12 October 2004, accessed 6 November 2006
  62. ^ a b Cameron job pledge for disabled, BBC News Online, 16 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  63. ^ Tania Branigan and Julian Glover, The drugs questions that won't go away, Guardian Unlimited, 15 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  64. ^ Select Committee on Home Affairs Third Report Summary of key conclusions and recommendations, The Stationery Office, 22 May 2002, accessed 6 November 2006
  65. ^ Jonathan Ross meets David Cameron, BBC Press Office, 23 June 2006, accessed 7 November 2006
  66. ^ a b Cameron backs Blair on Iraq war, BBC News Online, 23 June 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  67. ^ David Cameron's drug tears, The Sun Online, 30 October 2006, accessed 7 November 2006
  68. ^ Health Bill — New Clause 5 — Smoke-free premises: exemptions — as amended — 14 Feb 2006 at 19:04 — Commons Division No. 165, Public Whip, 14 February 2006, accessed 7 December 2006
  69. ^ George Jones, Cameron kills Tory taboos on gays and single parents, telegraph.co.uk, 5 October 2006, accessed 20 December 2006
  70. ^ Matthew Tempest, Cameron rejects 'pie in the sky' tax cuts, Guardian Unlimited, 4 October 2006, accessed 20 October 2006
  71. ^ a b c In full: Cameron on foreign policy, BBC News Online, 11 September 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  72. ^ Davis and Cameron promise to be friends of Israel, ConservativeHome.com, 25 November 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  73. ^ Iraq inquiry call rejected by MPs, BBC News Online, 1 November 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  74. ^ Mike Smithson, Has Cameron upset Rupert over the Iraq debate?, Politicalbetting.com, 1 November 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  75. ^ Tory Iraq vote 'absolutely crazy', BBC News Online, 4 November 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  76. ^ Stephen Mulvey, Q&A: The Tories and the EPP, BBC News Online, 13 July 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  77. ^ Toby Helm, Cameron drops plans to pull out of Europe's deal on fishing, telegraph.co.uk, 8 June 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  78. ^ a b Cameron: I will never take Scotland for granted, conservatives.com, 15 September 2006, 6 November 2006
  79. ^ Cameron warning of 'danger to UK', BBC News Online, 14 September 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  80. ^ Cameron makes pledge on Scotland, BBC News Online, 15 October 2006, accessed 20 December 2006
  81. ^ Q&A: Bill of Rights, BBC News Online, 26 June 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  82. ^ Cameron political 'clean-up' call, BBC News Online, 29 September 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  83. ^ David Charter, Restrict political gifts to £100,000, say Tories, 20 March 2006, accessed 20 December 2006
  84. ^ Video recording, Clean politics (transcript [2]), Webcameron.org.uk, 30 September 2006, accessed 20 December 2006
  85. ^ House of Commons Debates Monday, 30 June 2003, Hunting Bill New Clause 13 — Registered Hunting: Absolute Bans: Deer, Hares, Foxes and Terrierwork reported by TheyWorkForYou.com, 30 June 2003, accessed 6 November 2006
  86. ^ Nick Assinder, UKIP and Cameron's war of words, BBC News Online, 4 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  87. ^ Brendan Carlin, Tory MP defends Ukip in racist row, telegraph.co.uk, 6 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  88. ^ UKIP deserves better, telegraph.co.uk, 5 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  89. ^ Cameron attacks 'past it' Brown, BBC News Online, 22 March 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  90. ^ Cameron: Prescott looks a 'fool', BBC News Online, 2 May 2006, accessed 6 November, 2006
  91. ^ Ethnic Media Conference agenda, 29 November 2006, accessed 30 November 2006
  92. ^ Cameron attacks 'outdated' mayor, BBC News Online, 30 November 2006, accessed 30 November 2006
  93. ^ Nick Cohen, The birth of Blameron, New Statesman, 8 August 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  94. ^ Bradley, Tom (2006). ITV News (Television series). ITN.
  95. ^ Peter Hitchens, The Tories are doomed, Guardian Unlimited, 14 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
  96. ^ The Economist, 4 February 2006, page 32
  97. ^ Matthew Taylor, Under the Green Oak, an old elite takes root in Tories, Guardian Unlimited, 12 August 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  98. ^ Robert Winnett and Holly Watt, Focus: Reservoir toffs, The Times Online, 8 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  99. ^ Greg Hurst, Class attack by Blears on Tories, The Times Online, 21 November 2006, accessed 28 November 2006
  100. ^ Don't ditch Tory values, MP warns, BBC News Online, 13 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  101. ^ A List Meritocracy Cameron-style, Progressive Politics (blog), 27 September 2006, accessed 25 November 2006
  102. ^ Helen Rumbelow, "The gilded youth whose son steeled him in adversity", The Times, 21 May 2005, p. 33
  103. ^ The first such reference in the British press appears to be Richard Kay, Cameron taking the Michael, Daily Mail, 1 July 2005, p. 45.
  104. ^ Daniel Finkelstein, The Dave Test, The Times Comment Central, 5 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  105. ^ Results of a poll of 10,000 readers to determine the world's 100 sexiest men of 2006, New Woman's 100 sexiest men in the world 2006, New Woman magazine, 2 February 2006, accessed 19 June 2006, 6 November 2006
  106. ^ Is this the perfect comedy face?, BBC News Online, 10 November 2006, accessed 10 November 2006
  107. ^ "Olaf Priol" (anag.), Their wives met at yoga. Now Chris Martin plans to rock the vote for Cameron's Tories, Guardian Unlimited, 1 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  108. ^ "Talk to David" lyrics, Guardian Unlimited, 1 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  109. ^ Hugo Rifkind, Well, that worked, The Times "People" weblog, 17 May 2006, accessed 9 November 2006
  110. ^ Hansard, House of Commons Hansard Debates for 22 March 2006 (pt 6), 22 March 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
  111. ^ Video recording, Cameron attacks 'past it' Brown, BBC News Online, accessed 6 November 2006
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Offices held

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Witney
2001–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Leader of the British Conservative Party
2005–present 		Incumbent
Leader of the Opposition
2005–present
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