David Cameron
The Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP | |
---|---|
File:David cameron photo.JPG | |
Leader of the Opposition | |
In office December 6, 2005 – present | |
Preceded by | Michael Howard |
Constituency | Witney |
Majority | 14,156 (26.3%) |
Personal details | |
Born | 9 October, 1966 Oxfordshire, England |
Political party | Conservative |
Spouse | Samantha Sheffield |
Children | Ivan, Nancy and Arthur |
Website | www.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.
Early life and early career
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. 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,
During his gap year between school and university he visited the Soviet Union where he was interviewed in what was possibly an effort by the KGB to recruit him.[1]
Following his gap year he 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".[2]
While at Oxford, he was a member of the student dining society the Bullingdon Club,[3] A society that has a reputation for drunken and destructive binges. He also belonged to the Octagon Club, another dining society.[4]
Having graduated in 1988 with a first class honours degree[citation needed], 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, 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 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."[5] The Camerons also have a daughter, Nancy (born 2003), and a son, Arthur Elwen (born 2006). When Cameron took paternity leave when his son was born the story was covered widely including on the BBC 6 O'clock News.[6] Cameron has been criticised for being frequently photographed in the newspapers with Ivan for publicity purposes.[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.
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.[8]
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.[citation needed]
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 of the election process, between Davis and Cameron only, 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.
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 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 prior drug use
During the leadership election allegations were made that Cameron had used cannabis and cocaine recreationally before becoming an MP.[13] 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."[14] 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.[15] [16] [17]
Cameron's politics
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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".[18] He has stated that he is "certainly a big Thatcher fan, but I don't know whether that makes me a Thatcherite."[19] He has also claimed to be a "liberal Conservative", and "not a deeply ideological person."[20] 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 wealth and money.[21] There have been rumours that he described himself to journalists at a dinner during the leadership contest as the "heir to Blair."[citation needed]
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.[22] 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.[23] 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.[24]
Political views and policies
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."[25] He has stated that he hoped to cut taxes and raise public spending, "as the economy grows". [19] 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..."[26]). 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 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.[27] Upon becoming party leader, he confirmed that the "patients passport" policy from the 2005 manifesto (subsidising patients who sought private treatment other than the NHS) had been dropped and specifically ruled out converting the NHS to an insurance-based system.[citation needed]
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".[28] He has stated the Conservative party will propose an NHS Independence Bill to this effect in January, and has publicly asked the Labour leadership to support the bill, after he supported Blair's education reforms.[citation needed]
Education
David Cameron endorses Tony Blair's creation of city academies, which are unpopular with many of Blair's own backbenchers, as a way of improving standards in deprived areas. He has called on the Blair government to go "further and faster" with the policy, and says that academies should be given even more freedom from central control.[29]
With regards to Higher Education, Cameron 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, 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".[27] 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.[citation needed] It has been widely publicised that Cameron sometimes cycles to work. Cameron has also urged people to see An Inconvenient Truth by former US Vice-President Al Gore.[citation needed]
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."[27] In a free vote in 2004 he supported the Civil Partnership Act 2004, which gave legal recognition to same-sex couples.[30].
Cameron has stated that the government needs to change social attitudes towards disability by setting an example for the private sector.[31] Under a Conservative government the state would prioritise increasing the number of disabled people employed at Whitehall for this effect. Disabled charity Scope have been called in by Cameron to advise on employment policy. He has claimed it is "morally wrong and economically stupid" for five million on incapacity benefit who "could work" to be "left on the scrap-heap." The Labour Party has disputed the figures.[citation needed]
Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
Cameron is in favour of drug law review, and its reform.[32] 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".[33] He has said that drugs policy must be based on evidence and acknowledges that the evidence concerning cannabis has shifted since 2002.[citation needed]
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]
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."[20]
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".[20]
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.[citation needed]
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, "I recognise the complexities of human nature, and will always be sceptical of grand schemes to remake the world."[27] 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.[34]. 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."[34]
Cameron has supported the alliance with the United States 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, of which some members 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" and argued that "questioning the approach of the US administration, trying to learn the lessons of the past five years, does not make you "anti-American."[27] 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.[35]. However he criticised the country's 2006 invasion of Lebanon, describing the force used as "disproportionate."[34]
Before becoming leader, he voted in favour of the Iraq war along with the majority of his party.[citation needed] This stance was also confirmed 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".[36] Nevertheless, he supported a motion brought by anti-war parties 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.[37] He was severely criticised for this in scathing editorials in The Sun and The Times newspapers.[38] He was also criticised by some Conservative MPs who claimed it was irresponsible to support an enquiry while British troops were still involved.[39]
Cameron supports the War on Terror. He has praised as its successes the removal of "two of the world's most repressive regimes", Libya's abandonment of nuclear weapons procurement, and Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon.[27] 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".[27] Cameron has accused Iran of encouraging the insurgency in Iraq and "the murder of British troops", and has criticised the regime for supporting the terrorist network Hezbollah.[27]
European Union
Cameron is not in favour of unilaterally withdrawing from the European Union's Common Fisheries Policy, as some on the Conservative Right have proposed.[40]
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.[41] [42]
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", and has asked the party's Commission on Democracy, led by Kenneth Clarke, to look at possible solutions.[citation needed]
Cameron has announced that he would scrap the 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". However, he has said that the country would remain within the European Court of Human Rights, on which the Human Rights Act is based.[43]
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.[44] Cameron has also called for a reduction in the number of Members of Parliaments in the House of Commons.[citation needed]
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.[45] [20]
Actions and initiatives
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Policy review
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,[46] 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.[47]
Front bench appointments
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.
Budget response
Cameron holds the record for the shortest Budget response in the House of Commons in recent times, at eight minutes and thirty seconds.[48] [49]
Attacks on Gordon Brown
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".[50] Cameron has also said John Prescott "clearly looks a fool" in light of allegations of ministerial misconduct.[51]
Criticism of UKIP
Cameron has accused the United Kingdom Independence Party of being "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists, mostly."[52] UKIP leader Nigel Farage has demanded an apology for the remarks, and Conservative MP Bob Spink has also criticised the remarks[53] as has the Conservative supporting newspaper, The Daily Telegraph.[54]
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.[55]
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.[56]
Criticism
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.[57] 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,[58] 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.[59] 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".[60]
Allegations of 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".[61] 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."[62] 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"[63]. In response to Blear's commnets, ConservativeHome accused her of reviving the language of class war. but UKIP-affiliated website UKIPHome contended that her criticism was "balanced and fair", and represented "non-toffs wondering why the Cameron reality again is so far from the media rhetoric"[64].
Candidate selection
Cameron's "A-List" of prospective Parliamentary Candidates has come under sustained attack from many members of his party.[65] 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. [66]
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.[67] However, critics of Cameron often refer to him as "Call me Dave" in an attempt to imply false populism.[68] The Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein has opposed those who attempt to belittle Cameron by calling him 'Dave'.[69]
- 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 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.[70] 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.[71]
- On 1 April 2006, the Guardian newspaper reported that Coldplay's Chris Martin was backing Cameron and had written a new "theme song" for the party entitled Talk to David.[72] [73] This was later revealed to be an April Fool's joke.
- Cameron was characterised as "Dave the Chameleon" in a Labour Party Political Broadcast, in a move that has been widely criticised. Cameron later claimed that the broadcast had become his daughter's "favourite video".[74]
See also
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikiquote-logo.svg/34px-Wikiquote-logo.svg.png)
- Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 2005
- Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (UK)
- 54th UK general election
- UK general election, 2005
- UK general election, 2001
Notes
- ^ Cameron: KGB tried to recruit me, BBC News Online, 28 May 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Brian Wheeler, The David Cameron story, BBC News Online, 6 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Richard Alleyne, Oxford hellraisers politely trash a pub, telegraph.co.uk, 3 December 2004, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Patrick Foster, How young Cameron wined and dined with the right sort, The Times Online, 28 January 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Quoted in "Focus: Can Boy Wonder save the Tories?", The Sunday Times, October 9 2005
- ^ Hansard, House of Commons Debates for 15 February 2006 (pt 3), 15 February 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Andrew Gimson, Leave your family at home, Mr Cameron, telegraph.co.uk, 6 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Contender: David Cameron, BBC News Online, 29 September 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Cameron targets 'new generation, BBC News Online, 4 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Cameron and Davis top Tory poll, BBC News Online, 20 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Philip Webster and Rosemary Bennett, The great gamble, The Times Online, 7 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Privy Council Appointment of David Cameron MP, 10 Downing Street, 14 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Nicholas Lezard, What cocaine says about you, Guardian Unlimited, 10 November 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Cameron pressed on drugs question, BBC News Online, 14 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Gary Gibbon, Cameron denies taking drugs, Channel 4 News, 20 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Benedict Brogan and Jane Merrick, Cocaine and me, by David Cameron, Daily Mail, 21 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Michael White, Cameron surges into Tory lead and answers cocaine question, Guardian Unlimited, 21 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Jonathan Freedland, Enough of this love-in: Bush was a compassionate conservative too, Guardian Unlimited, 7 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ a b Cameron: Tories need new identity, BBC News Online, 17 November 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ a b c d Andrew Rawnsley, 'I'm not a deeply ideological person. I'm a practical one', Guardian Unlimited, 18 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Make people happier, says Cameron, BBC News Online, 22 May 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Jo-Anne Nadler, So who are the Notting Hill set anyway?, Sunday Herald, 15 May 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Cameron: We stand for social responsibility, conservatives.com, 1 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Sweden's 'Cameron' offers an electable right-wing, Independent Online, 18 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Highlights of David Cameron's CBI speech, ConservativeHome.com, 28 November 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ 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
- ^ a b c d e f g h In full: Cameron speech, BBC News Online, 4 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Cameron wants 'independent' NHS, BBC News Online, 9 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Tory leader backs city academies, BBC News Online, 10 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ 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
- ^ Cameron job pledge for disabled, BBC News Online, 16 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Tania Branigan and Julian Glover, The drugs questions that won't go away, Guardian Unlimited, 15 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Select Committee on Home Affairs Third Report Summary of key conclusions and recommendations, The Stationery Office, 22 May 2002, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ a b c In full: Cameron on foreign policy, BBC News Online, 11 September 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Davis and Cameron promise to be friends of Israel, ConservativeHome.com, 25 November 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Cameron backs Blair on Iraq war, BBC News Online, 23 June 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Iraq inquiry call rejected by MPs, BBC News Online, 1 November 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Mike Smithson, Has Cameron upset Rupert over the Iraq debate?, Politicalbetting.com, 1 November 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Tory Iraq vote 'absolutely crazy', BBC News Online, 4 November 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Toby Helm, Cameron drops plans to pull out of Europe's deal on fishing, telegraph.co.uk, 8 June 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Cameron: I will never take Scotland for granted, conservatives.com, 15 September 2006, 6 November 2006
- ^ Cameron warning of 'danger to UK', BBC News Online, 14 September 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Q&A: Bill of Rights, BBC News Online, 26 June 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Cameron political 'clean-up' call, BBC News Online, 29 September 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ 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
- ^ Quality of Life Challenge, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ David Cameron, Quantity and quality, Guardian Unlimited, 9 December 2005, 6 November 2006
- ^ Hansard, House of Commons Hansard Debates for 22 March 2006 (pt 6), 22 March 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Video recording, Cameron attacks 'past it' Brown, BBC News Online, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Cameron attacks 'past it' Brown, BBC News Online, 22 March 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Cameron: Prescott looks a 'fool', BBC News Online, 2 May 2006, accessed 6 November, 2006
- ^ Nick Assinder, UKIP and Cameron's war of words, BBC News Online, 4 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Brendan Carlin, Tory MP defends Ukip in racist row, telegraph.co.uk, 6 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ UKIP deserves better, telegraph.co.uk, 5 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Stephen Mulvey, Q&A: The Tories and the EPP, BBC News Online, 13 July 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ UK Polling Report
- ^ Nick Cohen, The birth of Blameron, New Statesman, 8 August 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Bradley, Tom (2006). ITV News (Television series). ITN.
- ^ Peter Hitchens, The Tories are doomed, Guardian Unlimited, 14 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ The Economist, 4 February 2006, page 32
- ^ Matthew Taylor, Under the Green Oak, an old elite takes root in Tories, Guardian Unlimited, 12 August 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Robert Winnett and Holly Watt, Focus: Reservoir toffs, The Times Online, 8 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Class attack by Blears on Tories
- ^ Tory toffs who want to rule us
- ^ Don't ditch Tory values, MP warns, BBC News Online, 13 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ [1]
- ^ Helen Rumbelow, "The gilded youth whose son steeled him in adversity", The Times, 21 May 2005, p. 33
- ^ The first such reference in the British press appears to be Richard Kay, Cameron taking the Michael, Daily Mail, 1 July 2005, p. 45.
- ^ Daniel Finkelstein, The Dave Test, The Times Comment Central, 5 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ 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
- ^ Is this the perfect comedy face?, BBC News Online, 10 November 2006, accessed 10 November 2006
- ^ "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
- ^ "Talk to David" lyrics, Guardian Unlimited, 1 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006
- ^ Hugo Rifkind, Well, that worked, The Times "People" weblog, 17 May 2006, accessed 9 November 2006
External links
- David Cameron MP official site
- Webcameron.org.uk David Cameron's video blog & discussion website
- BBC Profile of his wife, Samantha Cameron
- 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
- Nick Cohen, from magazine New Statesman, 8 August 2005, "The birth of Blameron"
- 10 minute Newsnight fly-on-the-wall film of Cameron's leadership campaign. http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolavconsole/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_4500000/newsid_4504900/bb_rm_4504972.stm
- The Independent – Tory contender calls for more liberal drug laws 7 September 2005
- Cameron calls for enterprise-based approach to development from the Globalisation Institute
- David Cameron on climate change from Friends of the Earth
Offices held
- Current British MPs
- Conservatives
- Leaders of the British Conservative Party
- Conservative MPs (UK)
- Members of the United Kingdom Parliament from English constituencies
- Former students of Brasenose College, Oxford
- Old Etonians
- Natives of Oxfordshire
- 1966 births
- Living people
- UK MPs 2001-2005
- UK MPs 2005-
- Anglo-Scots
- Party leaders
- Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom