David Cameron

The Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton
Born	David William Donald Cameron 9 10, 1966
Birthplace	Marylebone, London, England
Nationality	British
Occupation	Politician
Known for	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2010–2016), Foreign Secretary (2023–2024), Brexit referendum
Education	Brasenose College, Oxford (BA)
Children	4

David William Donald Cameron, Baron Cameron of Chipping Norton (born 9 October 1966) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016 and as Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs from 2023 to 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, Cameron became one of the youngest prime ministers in nearly two hundred years when he entered 10 Downing Street in May 2010 at the age of forty-three. He led the first peacetime coalition government in the United Kingdom since 1945, governing alongside the Liberal Democrats until winning an outright Conservative majority in the 2015 general election. His premiership was defined by austerity measures in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, the legalisation of same-sex marriage in England and Wales, the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, and—most consequentially—the 2016 referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union. When the electorate voted to leave the EU, Cameron resigned as prime minister and was succeeded by Theresa May. After several years away from frontline politics, he returned to government in November 2023, when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appointed him Foreign Secretary, a post he held until July 2024. Cameron has been a member of the House of Lords since November 2023.

Early Life

David William Donald Cameron was born on 9 October 1966 in Marylebone, London, into an upper-middle-class family with deep roots in the British establishment. His family background encompassed finance, the aristocracy, and public service. Cameron's father, Ian Donald Cameron, was a stockbroker, and his mother, Mary Fleur Mount, was the daughter of Sir William Mount, 2nd Baronet. The Cameron family had longstanding connections to the financial world, with interests in offshore investment vehicles and international finance.

Cameron has spoken publicly about his ancestry on several occasions. During a visit to Israel, he discussed his family's Jewish heritage on his mother's side, noting that one of his ancestors had been an emissary of the Jewish community. The family also had connections to Scotland, with Cameron tracing descent from a line of Camerons in the Highlands.

Cameron was raised in comfortable surroundings in Berkshire and received a privileged education from a young age. He attended Heatherdown Preparatory School, an exclusive establishment in the Berkshire countryside that catered to the children of Britain's social elite. The school's environment was competitive and encouraged ambition among its pupils. His upbringing positioned him within a social milieu that included members of the royal family; fellow pupils at Heatherdown included Princes Edward and Andrew.

Education

From Heatherdown, Cameron proceeded to Eton College, Britain's most prominent public school, which has produced more than twenty British prime ministers. He entered Eton in 1979 and remained until 1984. Cameron has spoken about his time at the school and its influence on his development, at one point suggesting that Eton should consider running a state school to help share its educational expertise more broadly.

After Eton, Cameron matriculated at Brasenose College, Oxford, where he read Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE), the degree programme that has long served as a pathway into British politics. He graduated with a first-class honours degree. At Oxford, Cameron was a member of the Bullingdon Club, an exclusive dining society. His time at the university also placed him among a cohort of future political figures, including Boris Johnson and other contemporaries who would later occupy prominent positions in British public life.

Career

Early Career and Conservative Research Department

After graduating from Oxford, Cameron entered the Conservative Research Department (CRD) in 1988, joining the party's policy machinery during the later years of Margaret Thatcher's government. He rose through the ranks at the CRD, working as a researcher and adviser during a period of significant political change. During the 1992 general election campaign, Cameron served on the party's briefing team, helping to prepare ministers and senior figures for media engagements and parliamentary questions.

Following the Conservative victory in 1992, Cameron moved into government as a special adviser, serving in the Treasury and then at the Home Office. His experience in government departments during the John Major era provided him with an insider's understanding of Whitehall and policy formulation. After the Conservatives' defeat in the 1997 general election, Cameron transitioned to the private sector, working in corporate affairs at Carlton Communications, a media company. His time in the corporate world lasted until 2001, when he stood for election to Parliament.

Member of Parliament for Witney

Cameron was elected as Member of Parliament for Witney in Oxfordshire at the 2001 general election, succeeding Shaun Woodward, who had defected to the Labour Party. He entered the House of Commons at a time when the Conservative Party was in opposition, having suffered successive heavy electoral defeats in 1997 and 2001.

Cameron made a relatively swift impact in Parliament. He served in various shadow ministerial roles under successive party leaders. Under Michael Howard, who became Conservative leader in 2003, Cameron was appointed to the Shadow Cabinet. He served as the Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills and later as the Conservative Policy Review Coordinator, a role that placed him at the centre of the party's efforts to develop a new policy platform.

Leader of the Conservative Party

Following the Conservatives' third consecutive general election defeat in 2005, Michael Howard announced his intention to stand down as party leader. Cameron entered the leadership contest as an outsider but delivered a memorable speech at the party conference in Blackpool in October 2005 that transformed his candidacy. On 6 December 2005, he was elected Leader of the Conservative Party, defeating David Davis by a convincing margin among the party membership.

At 39, Cameron was one of the youngest leaders in the party's modern history. He positioned himself as a moderniser, adopting a rhetoric of social liberalism and environmental concern that sought to broaden the Conservative Party's appeal beyond its traditional base. He described himself as a one-nation conservative and pursued a programme to update the party's image, including changes to candidate selection and public messaging.

Cameron served as Leader of the Opposition from December 2005 until May 2010, facing first Tony Blair and then Gordon Brown as prime minister across the dispatch box. He sought to present the Conservatives as a changed party, embracing the National Health Service and pledging to match Labour spending on health and education while also promising fiscal responsibility. His leadership was tested by the global financial crisis of 2008, which he used to argue against government borrowing and in favour of austerity.

Prime Minister (2010–2016)

Coalition Government (2010–2015)

The 2010 general election produced a hung parliament, with the Conservatives as the largest party but short of an overall majority. After several days of negotiations, Cameron reached an agreement with Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, to form a coalition government. On 11 May 2010, Cameron became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, succeeding Gordon Brown. At 43 years of age, he was the youngest person to assume the office since Lord Liverpool in 1812.

The coalition government's central economic programme was one of fiscal consolidation, commonly referred to as austerity. The government sought to reduce the budget deficit through a combination of spending cuts and tax increases, arguing that the state of the public finances left by the previous Labour government necessitated urgent action. The programme included significant reductions to welfare spending and public services, enacted in part through the Welfare Reform Act 2012, which introduced Universal Credit and imposed a cap on total household benefits.

Cameron's government also passed the Health and Social Care Act 2012, which introduced large-scale structural changes to the National Health Service in England, including the creation of clinical commissioning groups and the expansion of competition within healthcare provision. The legislation proved controversial and was criticised by medical professional bodies.

In education, the government expanded the academy programme and introduced free schools, allowing groups of parents, teachers, and organisations to set up new state-funded schools outside local authority control. These reforms represented a continuation and acceleration of policies begun under the previous Labour government.

The coalition oversaw the 2012 London Olympics, which were widely considered a logistical and sporting success. The government also pursued the privatisation of Royal Mail, which was sold to private investors in 2013.

On social policy, Cameron's government legalised same-sex marriage in England and Wales through the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, a measure that Cameron personally championed despite opposition from a significant number of Conservative MPs. The government also implemented the Equality Act 2010, which had been passed in the final days of the Labour government.

Immigration policy under the coalition was shaped significantly by the Home Office's "hostile environment" policy, designed to make remaining in the United Kingdom difficult for people without legal immigration status. The policy was later criticised for its impact on the Windrush generation and other legal residents.

Constitutionally, Cameron's government held two significant referendums. The 2011 Alternative Vote referendum asked whether the UK should adopt a different electoral system; the proposal was rejected. The 2014 Scottish independence referendum asked whether Scotland should become an independent country; voters chose to remain part of the United Kingdom. Both outcomes aligned with Cameron's preferred position.

In foreign affairs, Cameron authorised British participation in Operation Ellamy, the military intervention in the First Libyan Civil War in 2011, as part of a NATO-led coalition to enforce a United Nations Security Council resolution. The operation contributed to the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi's government, though Libya subsequently descended into prolonged instability. Cameron also authorised British air strikes against the Islamic State in Syria, following a vote in the House of Commons in 2015.

Majority Government (2015–2016)

In the 2015 general election, the Conservatives won an unexpected outright majority of 330 seats in the House of Commons, defying pre-election polls that had predicted another hung parliament. Cameron continued as prime minister, this time heading a single-party government without the need for coalition partners.

The central issue of his second term rapidly became the question of the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union. Cameron had pledged in January 2013 to hold an in-out referendum on EU membership if the Conservatives won a majority at the next election, partly in response to the rise of the UK Independence Party and Eurosceptic sentiment within his own party. Following the 2015 victory, he sought to renegotiate the terms of Britain's EU membership before putting the question to the public.

The referendum was held on 23 June 2016. Cameron campaigned for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union, supporting the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign. However, the Vote Leave campaign won with 51.9% of the vote. The result was a profound political shock and had immediate consequences for Cameron's premiership.

On 24 June 2016, Cameron announced his intention to resign as prime minister, stating that the country required "fresh leadership" to take the process of withdrawal from the European Union forward. He formally left office on 13 July 2016, when Theresa May succeeded him as prime minister and Conservative Party leader.

Post-Premiership (2016–2023)

Cameron resigned his seat as MP for Witney on 12 September 2016, triggering a by-election. He largely withdrew from public political life in the years following his departure from Downing Street, though he remained active in several charitable and business endeavours. He served as president of Alzheimer's Research UK from 2017 to 2023.

Cameron published his memoir, For the Record, in 2019, in which he reflected on his time in office, the decisions of his government, and the circumstances surrounding the Brexit referendum. The book provided his account of the coalition years, the referendum campaign, and his subsequent resignation.

In 2021, Cameron was implicated in the Greensill scandal, which concerned his lobbying activities on behalf of Greensill Capital, a financial services company that subsequently collapsed. Cameron had contacted senior government officials, including the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to seek access to government-backed lending schemes for Greensill. The affair raised questions about lobbying standards and the conduct of former prime ministers in the private sector.

Foreign Secretary (2023–2024)

On 13 November 2023, Cameron was appointed Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, succeeding James Cleverly. The appointment was notable because Cameron was not a member of the House of Commons; to take up the post, he was created a life peer as Baron Cameron of Chipping Norton and introduced into the House of Lords. His return to frontline politics after seven years was unexpected and attracted significant media attention.

As Foreign Secretary, Cameron's responsibilities included managing the United Kingdom's relationships with international partners during a period of global instability, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine following Russia's invasion and tensions in the Middle East. He served in the role until 5 July 2024, when the Conservative government was replaced by a Labour administration led by Keir Starmer following the 2024 general election. Cameron was succeeded as Foreign Secretary by David Lammy.

Personal Life

Cameron married Samantha Gwendoline Sheffield in 1996. Samantha Cameron, as she became known publicly, worked in the fashion and creative industries, serving as creative director of the stationery brand Smythson. The couple have four children. Their eldest son, Ivan, was born with Ohtahara syndrome, a rare neurological condition, and died in February 2009 at the age of six. Cameron has spoken publicly about the impact of Ivan's life and death on his family and on his understanding of the National Health Service, which provided care for his son.

The family has been based in the Cotswolds in Oxfordshire, consistent with Cameron's constituency of Witney. After leaving Downing Street, Cameron and his family maintained their home in the area.

Cameron has described his political philosophy as one-nation conservatism, combining economic liberalism with social liberalism. He has cited his support for same-sex marriage, environmental policy, and international development as expressions of this outlook.

Recognition

Cameron's tenure as prime minister attracted significant international attention. Time magazine profiled him as one of the significant political figures of the early 2010s. Upon becoming prime minister in 2010, he was noted as the youngest holder of the office in almost two centuries, a fact widely reported in the British press.

His creation as Baron Cameron of Chipping Norton in November 2023, upon his appointment as Foreign Secretary, formally elevated him to the peerage. The appointment itself was considered a significant political event, representing the first time a former prime minister had returned to a Cabinet-level post in such a manner in decades.

Cameron's charitable work, particularly his presidency of Alzheimer's Research UK, has been noted as a significant commitment following his departure from frontline politics. He returned to the role in 2025 after stepping down temporarily during his service as Foreign Secretary.

Legacy

Cameron's political legacy is shaped by several major policy outcomes, the most consequential of which is the 2016 Brexit referendum. His decision to hold the referendum, and the subsequent vote to leave the European Union, set in motion a process that dominated British politics for years after his departure from office and fundamentally altered the United Kingdom's relationship with Europe. The referendum result is regarded as one of the most significant political events in modern British history.

His government's austerity programme remains a subject of considerable debate. Supporters argue that it was necessary to restore fiscal discipline after the financial crisis, while critics contend that it caused significant harm to public services and to the most economically vulnerable members of society.

The legalisation of same-sex marriage during his premiership represented a landmark social reform. Cameron's personal advocacy for the measure, despite resistance from within his own party, marked a shift in the Conservative Party's position on social issues.

Cameron's coalition with the Liberal Democrats demonstrated that coalition government was workable in the British political system, though it had lasting electoral consequences for the junior partner. The Scottish independence referendum, while resulting in a vote to remain in the Union, did not settle the constitutional question, and the issue of Scottish independence continued to feature prominently in political debate.

His return to government as Foreign Secretary in 2023 was an unusual chapter in British political history. Few former prime ministers have returned to Cabinet-level positions, and Cameron's appointment underlined both the fluidity of political careers and the particular circumstances of the Conservative Party in its final period in government before the 2024 general election.

Cameron's implication in the Greensill scandal raised broader questions about the post-political careers of former prime ministers and the regulation of lobbying in the United Kingdom. The affair contributed to public discussion about standards in public life and the boundaries between government service and private enterprise.