David Cameron
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| The Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP | |
| Born | 9 October, 1966 Oxfordshire, England |
|---|---|
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.
[edit] 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.<ref>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</ref> 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.<ref name="officialbio">David Cameron MP - About David, Official website biography, accessed 25 November 2006</ref>
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.<ref>Cameron: KGB tried to recruit me, BBC News Online, 28 May 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
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".<ref>Brian Wheeler, The David Cameron story, BBC News Online, 6 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
While at Oxford, he was a member of the student dining society the Bullingdon Club,<ref>Richard Alleyne, Oxford hellraisers politely trash a pub, telegraph.co.uk, 3 December 2004, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> A society that has a reputation for drunken and destructive binges. He also belonged to the Octagon Club, another dining society.<ref>Patrick Foster, How young Cameron wined and dined with the right sort, The Times Online, 28 January 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
Having graduated in 1988 with a first class honours degree,<ref name="officialbio"/> 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,<ref name="officialbio"/> and until August 2005 he was a non-executive director of Urbium PLC, operator of the Tiger Tiger bar chain.
[edit] 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."<ref>Quoted in "Focus: Can Boy Wonder save the Tories?", The Sunday Times, October 9 2005</ref> The Camerons also have a daughter, Nancy (born 2003), and another 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.<ref>Hansard, House of Commons Debates for 15 February 2006 (pt 3), 15 February 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> Cameron has been criticised for being photographed frequently with Ivan for publicity purposes.<ref>Andrew Gimson, Leave your family at home, Mr Cameron, telegraph.co.uk, 6 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
[edit] 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.<ref>Contender: David Cameron, BBC News Online, 29 September 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
[edit] 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 electoral procedure.
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<ref>Tory leadership: Who backed who?, BBC News Online, 17 October 2005, accessed 25 November 2006</ref> and former party leader William Hague.<ref>Hague backs Cameron as new leader, BBC News Online, 12 November 2005, accessed 25 November 2006</ref> 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."<ref>Cameron targets 'new generation, BBC News Online, 4 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
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.<ref>Cameron and Davis top Tory poll, BBC News Online, 20 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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.<ref>Cameron chosen as new Tory leader, BBC News Online, 6 December 2005, accessed 25 November 2006</ref>
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.<ref>Philip Webster and Rosemary Bennett, The great gamble, The Times Online, 7 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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.<ref>Privy Council Appointment of David Cameron MP, 10 Downing Street, 14 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> Cameron was not the youngest post-war leader of the Conservative Party; this record belongs to William Hague, elected at the age of 36.
[edit] Allegations of prior drug use
During the leadership election allegations were made that Cameron had used cannabis and cocaine recreationally before becoming an MP.<ref>Nicholas Lezard, What cocaine says about you, Guardian Unlimited, 10 November 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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."<ref>Cameron pressed on drugs question, BBC News Online, 14 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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.<ref>Gary Gibbon, Cameron denies taking drugs, Channel 4 News, 20 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> <ref>Benedict Brogan and Jane Merrick, Cocaine and me, by David Cameron, Daily Mail, 21 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> <ref>Michael White, Cameron surges into Tory lead and answers cocaine question, Guardian Unlimited, 21 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
[edit] Career as leader of the Conservative Party
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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.<ref>UK Polling Report</ref>
[edit] 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".<ref> Jonathan Freedland, Enough of this love-in: Bush was a compassionate conservative too, Guardian Unlimited, 7 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> He has stated that he is "certainly a big Thatcher fan, but I don't know whether that makes me a Thatcherite."<ref name="new identity">Cameron: Tories need new identity, BBC News Online, 17 November 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> He has also claimed to be a "liberal Conservative", and "not a deeply ideological person."<ref name="Rawnsley">Andrew Rawnsley, 'I'm not a deeply ideological person. I'm a practical one', Guardian Unlimited, 18 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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.<ref>Make people happier, says Cameron, BBC News Online, 22 May 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> There have been claims that he described himself to journalists at a dinner during the leadership contest as the "heir to Blair".<ref>Andrew Pierce, Horror as Cameron brandishes the B word, The Times Online, 5 October 2005, accessed 25 November 2006</ref>
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,<ref>Quality of Life Challenge, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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.<ref>David Cameron, Quantity and quality, Guardian Unlimited, 9 December 2005, 6 November 2006</ref>
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.<ref>Jo-Anne Nadler, So who are the Notting Hill set anyway?, Sunday Herald, 15 May 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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.<ref>Cameron: We stand for social responsibility, conservatives.com, 1 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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.<ref>Sweden's 'Cameron' offers an electable right-wing, Independent Online, 18 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
[edit] 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."<ref>Highlights of David Cameron's CBI speech, ConservativeHome.com, 28 November 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> He has stated that he hoped to cut taxes and raise public spending, "as the economy grows". <ref name="new identity"/> He has referred to this approach as "sharing the proceeds of growth".
[edit] 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...",<ref>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</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.
[edit] 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.<ref name="party speech">In full: Cameron speech, BBC News Online, 4 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> Upon becoming party leader, he confirmed that the "patient's 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.<ref>Patrick Hennessy, Cameron ditches health policy in high-risk manifesto, telegraph.co.uk, 1 January 2006, accessed 25 November 2006</ref>
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".<ref name="independentNHS">Cameron wants 'independent' NHS, BBC News Online, 9 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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.<ref name="independentNHS"/> <ref>Matthew Tempest, Cameron plans bill to give NHS 'independence', Guardian Unlimited, 9 October 2006, accessed 25 November 2006</ref>
[edit] 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.<ref>Tory leader backs city academies, BBC News Online, 10 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
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.<ref>Tories plan to keep student fees, BBC News Online, 9 January 2006, accessed 25 November 2006</ref> <ref>Cameron says Tories will keep tuition fees, Guardian Unlimited, 9 January 2006, accessed 25 November 2006</ref>
[edit] 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".<ref name="party speech"/> 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.<ref>Tories plan climate levy overhaul, BBC News Online, 21 April 2006, accessed 25 November 2006</ref> <ref>Cameron pledges to firm up green credentials with carbon levy, Guardian Unlimited, 21 April 2006, accessed 25 November 2006</ref> Cameron proposed a Climate Change Bill which would include committing to binding annual carbon reduction targets.<ref>David Cameron: Labour's carbon targets amount to a cop-out, Independent Online, 27 October 2006, accessed 1 December 2006</ref> However, a memo leaked to the Labour Party, suggested the binding targets proposal may be dropped.<ref>Cameron climate policy 'too soft' BBC News Online, acccessed 1 December 2006</ref> and these do not form part of the proposed Bill as of November 2006.<ref>[1]</ref>
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".<ref>Cameron's bike ride to work - with a car in tow, Daily Telegraph, 29 April 2006, accessed 25 November 2006</ref><ref>Oliver King and agencies, Cameron rejects accusations of green spin, The Guardian, 2 May 2006, accessed 25 November 2006</ref> 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.<ref>Cameron reveals weekly bike ride, BBC News Online, 8 August 2006, accessed 26 November</ref>
David Cameron has also urged people to see An Inconvenient Truth by former US Vice-President Al Gore.<ref>Full text of David Cameron's speech, Guardian Unlimited, 4 October 2006, accessed 25 November 2006</ref>
[edit] 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."<ref name="party speech"/> In a free vote in 2004 he supported the Civil Partnership Act 2004, which gave legal recognition to same-sex couples.<ref>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</ref>.
Cameron has stated that the government needs to change social attitudes towards disability by setting an example for the private sector.<ref name="Disabled">Cameron job pledge for disabled, BBC News Online, 16 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> Under a Conservative government the state would prioritise increasing the number of disabled people employed at Whitehall. Cameron has asked the disabillity 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.<ref name="Disabled"/>
[edit] Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
Cameron is in favour of drug law review and reform.<ref>Tania Branigan and Julian Glover, The drugs questions that won't go away, Guardian Unlimited, 15 October 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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".<ref>Select Committee on Home Affairs Third Report Summary of key conclusions and recommendations, The Stationery Office, 22 May 2002, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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 the complete ban on smoking indoors.[citation needed]
[edit] 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."<ref name="Rawnsley"/>
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".<ref name="Rawnsley"/>
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]
[edit] 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."<ref name="party speech"/> 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.<ref name="foreign policy">In full: Cameron on foreign policy, BBC News Online, 11 September 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>. 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."<ref name="foreign policy"/>
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, 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."<ref name="party speech"/> 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.<ref>Davis and Cameron promise to be friends of Israel, ConservativeHome.com, 25 November 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>. However he criticised the country's 2006 invasion of Lebanon, describing the force used as "disproportionate."<ref name="foreign policy"/>
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".<ref>Cameron backs Blair on Iraq war, BBC News Online, 23 June 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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.<ref>Iraq inquiry call rejected by MPs, BBC News Online, 1 November 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> He was criticised for this in editorials in The Sun and The Times newspapers.<ref>Mike Smithson, Has Cameron upset Rupert over the Iraq debate?, Politicalbetting.com, 1 November 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> He was also criticised by some Conservative MPs who claimed it was irresponsible to support an enquiry while British troops were still involved.<ref>Tory Iraq vote 'absolutely crazy', BBC News Online, 4 November 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
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.<ref name="party speech"/> 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".<ref name="party speech"/> Cameron has accused Iran of encouraging the insurgency in Iraq and "the murder of British troops", and has criticised the regime for supporting Hezbollah.<ref name="party speech"/>
[edit] 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.<ref>Stephen Mulvey, Q&A: The Tories and the EPP, BBC News Online, 13 July 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
Cameron against unilaterally withdrawing from the European Union's Common Fisheries Policy, as some on the Conservative Right have proposed.<ref>Toby Helm, Cameron drops plans to pull out of Europe's deal on fishing, telegraph.co.uk, 8 June 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
[edit] 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."<ref>Cameron: I will never take Scotland for granted, conservatives.com, 15 September 2006, 6 November 2006</ref> <ref>Cameron warning of 'danger to UK', BBC News Online, 14 September 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
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 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.<ref>Q&A: Bill of Rights, BBC News Online, 26 June 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
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.<ref>Cameron political 'clean-up' call, BBC News Online, 29 September 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> Cameron has also called for a reduction in the number of Members of Parliaments in the House of Commons.[citation needed]
[edit] 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.<ref>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</ref> <ref name="Rawnsley"/>
[edit] Criticism of other parties and politicians
Cameron has accused the United Kingdom Independence Party of being "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists, mostly,"<ref>Nick Assinder, UKIP and Cameron's war of words, BBC News Online, 4 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> leading UKIP leader Nigel Farage to demand an apology for the remarks. Conservative MP Bob Spink also criticised the remarks<ref name="spink">Brendan Carlin, Tory MP defends Ukip in racist row, telegraph.co.uk, 6 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>, as did the The Daily Telegraph.<ref name="Telegraph">UKIP deserves better, telegraph.co.uk, 5 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
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".<ref>Cameron attacks 'past it' Brown, BBC News Online, 22 March 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> He has also said that John Prescott "clearly looks a fool" in light of allegations of ministerial misconduct.<ref>Cameron: Prescott looks a 'fool', BBC News Online, 2 May 2006, accessed 6 November, 2006</ref> During a speech to the Ethnic Media Conference on 29 November 2006<ref>Ethnic Media Conference agenda, 29 November 2006, accessed 30 November 2006</ref> Cameron also described Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, as an "ageing far left politician" in reference to Livingstone's views on multiculturalism.<ref>Cameron attacks 'outdated' mayor, BBC News Online, 30 November 2006, accessed 30 November 2006</ref>
[edit] Criticism of Cameron
[edit] 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.<ref>Nick Cohen, The birth of Blameron, New Statesman, 8 August 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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,<ref>Bradley, Tom. (2006). ITV News [Television series]. ITN. </ref> 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.<ref>Peter Hitchens, The Tories are doomed, Guardian Unlimited, 14 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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".<ref>The Economist, 4 February 2006, page 32</ref>
[edit] 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".<ref>Matthew Taylor, Under the Green Oak, an old elite takes root in Tories, Guardian Unlimited, 12 August 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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."<ref>Robert Winnett and Holly Watt, Focus: Reservoir toffs, The Times Online, 8 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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"<ref>Greg Hurst, Class attack by Blears on Tories, The Times Online, 21 November 2006, accessed 28 November 2006</ref>.
[edit] Candidate selection
Cameron's "A-List" of prospective Parliamentary Candidates has come under sustained attack from many members of his party.<ref>Don't ditch Tory values, MP warns, BBC News Online, 13 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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. <ref> A List Meritocracy Cameron-style, Progressive Politics (blog), 27 September 2006, accessed 25 November 2006</ref>
[edit] 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.<ref name="Rumbelow">Helen Rumbelow, "The gilded youth whose son steeled him in adversity", The Times, 21 May 2005, p. 33</ref> However, critics of Cameron often refer to him as "Call me Dave" in an attempt to imply false populism.<ref name="RichardKay">The first such reference in the British press appears to be Richard Kay, Cameron taking the Michael, Daily Mail, 1 July 2005, p. 45.</ref> The Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein has condemned those who attempt to belittle Cameron by calling him 'Dave'.<ref name="Finkelstein">Daniel Finkelstein, The Dave Test, The Times Comment Central, 5 October 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
- 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.<ref>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</ref> 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.<ref>Is this the perfect comedy face?, BBC News Online, 10 November 2006, accessed 10 November 2006</ref>
- 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.<ref>"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</ref> <ref>"Talk to David" lyrics, Guardian Unlimited, 1 April 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> 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".<ref>Hugo Rifkind, Well, that worked, The Times "People" weblog, 17 May 2006, accessed 9 November 2006</ref>
- Cameron holds the record for the shortest Budget response in the House of Commons in recent times, at eight minutes and thirty seconds.<ref>Hansard, House of Commons Hansard Debates for 22 March 2006 (pt 6), 22 March 2006, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> <ref>Video recording, Cameron attacks 'past it' Brown, BBC News Online, accessed 6 November 2006</ref>
[edit] See also
- Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 2005
- Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (UK)
- 54th UK general election
- UK general election, 2005
- UK general election, 2001
[edit] Notes
<references/>
[edit] External links
- David Cameron MP official site
- [2] 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
- Full content of selected speeches in text and video - BBC News
- 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
[edit] Offices held
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Shaun Woodward | Member of Parliament for Witney 2001–present | Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by: Michael Howard | Leader of the British Conservative Party 2005–present | Incumbent |
| Leader of the Opposition 2005–present | ||
cy:David Cameron de:David Cameron (Politiker) es:David Cameron fr:David Cameron id:David Cameron it:David Cameron nl:David Cameron ja:デービッド・キャメロン no:David Cameron pl:David Cameron fi:David Cameron sv:David Cameron zh:大卫·卡梅伦
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