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David Cameron

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The Rt Hon. David Cameron
File:David Cameron .jpg
Leader of the Opposition
In office
December 6, 2005 – present
Preceded byMichael Howard
ConstituencyWitney
Majority14,156 (26.3%)
Personal details
Born9 October, 1966
Oxfordshire, England
Political partyConservative
SpouseSamantha Sheffield
ChildrenIvan, Nancy and Arthur
Websitewww.davidcameronmp.com

The Right Honourable 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 is Member of Parliament for the Oxfordshire constituency of Witney.

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. He was educated at Eton College, an English fee-paying school, and then 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].

While at Oxford, he was a member of the infamous and highly exclusive student dining society the Bullingdon Club, known for its raucous dinners[4]. He is also known to have belonged to the Octagon Club, another epicurean dining society [5]. What part exactly he played in these societies is hard to ascertain, and this ambiguity has been exploited by his detractors. His own view has been that he should be judged only on his actions once he began to profess his political ambitions. 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. After the election 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.

File:LamontST 230x350.jpg
David Cameron with the then Chancellor Norman Lamont

He married Samantha Sheffield on 1 June, 1996; they have 3 children. Their first child, Ivan, was born with cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy. Cameron is quoted as saying, regarding the news of his son's disabilities: "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 Partliament that week, because of the birth of his second son, and received some publicity for it. Some critics accused him of headline-grabbing whereas others saw it as compassionate paternity and an attempt to modernise the Conservative image.

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. 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[2].

Parliamentary career

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 to choose his successor, as part of a (subsequently rejected) attempt 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 [6].

Despite this, prior to the 2005 Conservative Party Conference his campaign had not yet gained significant support. However his speech which was delivered without notes proved a significant turning point in the contest. In the speech he vowed to make people "feel good about being Conservatives again" and that he "wants to switch on a whole new generation." [7]

During the leadership election Cameron came under pressure over the allegation that he had used the illegal cocaine recreationally whilst at university[8]. 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 [9]. He also pointed out that members of the governing Labour Cabinet never answer similar questions when they are put to them. He confirmed during the leadership election that he smokes cigarettes [10], although he has now given up.

In the first ballot of Conservative MPs, held 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, Ken Clarke was last with 38 votes and so was eliminated. 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 [11]. All 198 Conservative MPs voted in both ballots. The next stage was for the Conservative party membership across the country, and was between Davis and Cameron.

Cameron was ultimately elected with more than twice as many votes as Davis; Cameron won 134,446 votes from Conservative Party members on a 78% turnout, beating Davis, who received 64,398 votes. Cameron received over half the total number of ballot papers issued.

Cameron's victory in the leadership election, by that time widely expected based on opinion polls of Conservative Party members, wannounced on 6 December, 2005, at which point he became the 26th Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition. His success in the leadership election may be attributed to the Conservative membership's belief that he is best placed to renew the Conservative Party as Tony Blair did for the Labour Party when he was elected in 1994. Cameron's relatively young age (in comparison with other leadership candidates) and inexperience on becoming leader also invited comparison with Blair, to the extent that Priviate Eye published a picture of both leaders on their front cover, with the caption "Britain's first face transplant a success", which was meant to hilight the similarities between the leaders.

Upon his election as leader Cameron had only 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 [12]. However, as noted earlier Cameron's experience in politics extends back prior to his election as an MP. 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 [13], and sworn of the Council on 8 March, 2006.

Despite his relative inexperience, Cameron is not the youngest post-war leader of the Conservative Party, this record currently belongs to William Hague who was elected at the age of 36.

Cameron's politics

Values and philosophy

File:PrivateEyecover1147-Blair-Cameron-face-transplant.jpg
The cover of Private Eye (issue 1147), after Cameron's election as leader, satirizing his perceived similarities with Tony Blair. The issue was published shortly after the world's first actual face transplant was announced.

Cameron describes himself as a "modern compassionate conservative" (a phrase popularised by George W Bush) 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" [14].

He and others in the so-called "Notting Hill" set [15] have sought to focus on issues such as the environment, work-life balance and international development - issues not traditionally seen as priorities for his party. Cameron is seen as more liberal on social issues than many of his predecessors, including the issue of gay rights. In a free vote in 2004 he supported the Civil Partnership Act 2004, which gave legal recognition to same-sex couples [16].

In July 2005 before winning the leadership, in a speech to the Centre for Social Justice he stated "the biggest challenge our country faces is not economic decline, but social decline". He has stated repeatedly that, "there is such a thing as society, it's just not the same thing as the state" (a reference to Margaret Thatcher's misquoted remark that "There is no such thing as society, there are individual men and women..."[3]). In order to rebuild the "broken society," he wishes "to set free the voluntary sector and social enterprises to deal with the linked problems that blight so many of our communities, of 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.

Criticism and Comparisons

Some of Cameron's critics on the right are unhappy with this 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 (bringing a "new style of politics") which has been compared to the political style of the early years of Blair's leadership [17]. For instance Peter Hitchens has written that, "Mr Cameron has abandoned the last significant difference between his party and the established left", by making public services Britain's priority [18]. Going even further 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"[4].

Dave the Chameleon

File:DTC blue1024.jpg
David Cameron characterised as "Dave the Chameleon" in a Labour Party political broadcast
Main article: Dave the Chameleon

Cameron was characterized as "Dave the Chameleon" in a Labour Party Political Broadcast, first seen on 18 April, 2006. In it he is portrayed as a political chameleon, saying only what people want to hear and turning their respective colour. The campaign included the website www.davethechameleon.com.

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 such as health and social issues [19].

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[20]. The ideas Cameron developed in the speech owed much to the gross national happiness philosophy of the Bhutan king Jigme Singye Wangchuck. Cameron's call led to criticism from some commentators, who argued that although the wealthy and privileged Cameron does not need to worry about money, the poor and disadvantaged do.

Political Views

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" [21].

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 (to subsidise patients who sought private treatment away from the NHS) had been dropped. He also specifically ruled out converting the NHS to an insurance based system. Instead he has pledged more generally to develop policies to make the NHS a "more efficient, more effective and more patient-centred service."

With regards to Higher Education he has reversed the Conservative policy regarding tuition fees from the 2005 election manifesto. A future Conservative government would not reverse the fees introduced by the current Labour government.

Cameron is in favour of drug law review, and its reform, believing that the current approach does not work [22]. Cameron voted for recommendation 24 of the Home Affairs Select Committee report: 'The Government's Drugs Policy: Is It Working?' [23], 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". He has said that drugs policy must be evidence based and acknowledges that with regards to cannabis evidence has shifted since 2002.

Cameron is in favour of overturning the ban on fox-hunting[24] and has stated that a Conservative government under his leadership would give government time for a free vote on the issue.

He voted in favour of the Iraq war with the majority of his party [25]. 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 that "You've got to do what you think is right even if it's unpopular, that's the only thing you can do." .[26]

Cameron has also described Israel as being "a lone democracy in a region that currently boasts no others" [27].

Cameron is not in favour of unilaterally withdrawing from the European Union's Common Fisheries Policy. [28]

EPP controversy

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. Cameron aims to set up a new grouping more focused on Conservative 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 only in 2009.

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.

While Cameron has stated that this is a bid to help end "Punch and Judy" politics that he dislikes, his approach may have a wider purpose. Some commentators see it as an attempt to increase divisions in the Labour Party over further Blairite reforms and as an attempt to demonstrate that the Conservatives are occupying the centre ground [citation needed].

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 [29], under the chairmanship of John Gummer, covering a series of issues including climate change, urban landscape, traffic jams, and affordable housing [30], the Global Poverty Challenge and the Public Service Challenge.

His Shadow Cabinet appointments were seen as being aimed at bringing together a broad range of talents from both wings of the party. The appointment of William Hague, a former party leader, to the Foreign Affairs brief and the retention of defeated rival David Davis as Shadow Home Secretary have been particularly welcomed in the press and the party.

During the first month of his leadership, David Cameron received a welcome polling boost, with several pollsters putting the Conservative Party ahead of the ruling Labour party by margins of 1 to 9 points. Afterwards the Conservatives and Labour drew even, but after the May 2006 local elections various polls once again showed clear Conservative leads.

During his paternity leave in February, 2006, Cameron left William Hague as acting leader of the party, assisted by David Davis.

On 22 March 2006, Cameron gave the Leader of the Opposition's response to the Budget in the House of Commons [31], [32]. According to the BBC's 'Today in Parliament' radio programme that evening [33], it was the shortest budget response in recent times at eight and a half minutes long, including an intervention by the Deputy Speaker when MPs became rowdy. Cameron criticised in particular the fact that under Chancellor Gordon Brown "the tax burden is at its highest ever level in the history of this country".

Furthermore, Cameron noted, Brown plans to borrow "£175 billion over six years". This, said Cameron, meant that Brown was "mortgaging this country's future". Cameron also argued that "The real challenge facing this country is competing in the new global economy. The Chancellor has given us the biggest tax burden in Britain's history, and cannot be the right person to meet that challenge. We used to have the 10th lowest business taxes in the developed world, but we now have the 10th highest."

Cameron's response and its deliverance has been variously received. The Financial Times and The Guardian both thought it impressive [34], [35]. However, others have criticised it for its brevity and harsh tone[citation needed].

On 1 April, 2006, the Guardian newspaper reported [36] that Coldplay's Chris Martin was backing Cameron and had written a new "theme song" for the party entitled Talk To David [37] which was later revealed to be an April Fool's joke.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Quoted in "Focus: Can Boy Wonder save the Tories?", The Sunday Times, October 9 2005
  2. ^ [1] 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
  3. ^ [2] The full text of Margaret Thatcher's quote to Women's Own magazine, 31 October, 1987
  4. ^ The Economist, 4 February, 2006, page 32
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Offices Held

Parliament of the United Kingdom

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Political offices
Preceded by Leader of the British Conservative Party
2005–present 		Incumbent
Leader of the Opposition
2005–present
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