David Cameron: Difference between revisions
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'''David Cameron''' (born 9th October 1966) | '''David Cameron''' (born 9th October 1966) is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and leader of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative party]]. He has been the head of the Conservatives and [[Leader of the Opposition (UK)|Leader of the Opposition]] since 2005. Cameron's Conservative Party had the largest party in the 2010 general election but not enough to form a majority government. Cameron's Conservatives have formed a coalition with [[Nick Clegg]]'s [[Liberal Democratic Party]] in order to form a stable majority coalition - and [[Nick Clegg]] has become the deputy Prime Minister.<ref>BBC News, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8676607.stm David Cameron's coalition government sets to work], 12 May 2010.</ref> | ||
As a [[Member of Parliament (UK)|Member of Parliament]] he has represented the constituency of [[Witney]] in the [[House of Commons]] since May 2001. Cameron had previously been a researcher and special adviser for the party, and was Director of Communications for [[Carlton Communications]] for seven years. He is married with two children; his eldest son, Ivan, died in 2009. The Camerons announced in 2010 that they were expecting a fourth child that year. | |||
==Early life, career and family== | ==Early life, career and family== | ||
Cameron was born in 1966 to Ian Cameron, a stockbroker, and Mary Cameron, a Justice of the Peace for 30 years. Before attending [[Eton]], the top public school in [[Windsor]], Cameron attended [[Heatherdown]], an exclusive prep school. Having gotten three A's at A-level in history, history of art and economics with politics, Cameron headed for [[Oxford University]] to gain a first in politics, philosophy and economics ("PPE"). During a gap year before university, he worked for the Conservative MP [[Tim Rathbone]]. At university, he was - along with Conservative London mayor and former MP [[Boris Johnson]] - a member of the [[Bullingdon Club]], an invitation-only exclusive dining club which was satirised by [[Evelyn Waugh]] in ''[[Brideshead Revisited]]'' and ''[[Decline and Fall]]''.<ref name="bbc_profile">BBC News, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8661964.stm David Cameron: Life and times of new UK Prime Minister], 11 May 2010</ref> | |||
===Early parliamentary and party career=== | ===Early parliamentary and party career=== | ||
==Leader of the Conservative Party, 2005-== | ==Leader of the Conservative Party, 2005-== | ||
In 2005, [[Michael Howard]], the Home Secretary under [[John Major]], ran against Tony Blair's Labour Party on the Conservative ticket but lost. Following this defeat, he resigned as leader of the Conservative Party and made way for a lengthy leadership contest. <ref>BBC News, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4521941.stm Howard to stand down as leader], 6 May, 2005</ref> Cameron was involved in formulating the 2005 Conservative manifesto. | |||
Cameron was elected as the leader of the Conservative Party against [[David Davis]], a more traditional Conservative candidate but with a strong civil libertarian streak, as well as [[Ken Clarke]] and [[Liam Fox]]. Cameron rejected a number of standard Conservative policies: he stated that he was for the then recently introduced same-sex civil partnerships and started talking up his support for green policies on [[climate change]], [[recycling]] and the environment. The slogan "vote blue, go green" was used by the party to highlight this new position on climate change. Similarly, Cameron has tried to get the support of the gay community - not supportive of Conservatives especially since the passing of [[Section 28]] during the Thatcher years - meeting with [[Peter Tatchell]], giving interviews to gay magazines, pledging support for anti-homophobia campaigns and selecting a number of openly gay candidates.<ref>SameSame, [http://www.samesame.com.au/news/international/5375/New-Brit-PM-believes-in-gay-equality.htm New Brit. PM 'believs in gay equality']</ref><ref>PinkNews, [http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/04/10/david-cameron-on-gay-rights-as-he-answers-questions-from-pinknews.co.uk-readers/ Exclusive: David Cameron on Gay Rights as he answers questions from PinkNews.co.uk readers]</ref> | |||
==Footnotes== | ==Footnotes== | ||
Revision as of 07:13, 12 May 2010
David Cameron (born 9th October 1966) is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and leader of the Conservative party. He has been the head of the Conservatives and Leader of the Opposition since 2005. Cameron's Conservative Party had the largest party in the 2010 general election but not enough to form a majority government. Cameron's Conservatives have formed a coalition with Nick Clegg's Liberal Democratic Party in order to form a stable majority coalition - and Nick Clegg has become the deputy Prime Minister.[1]
As a Member of Parliament he has represented the constituency of Witney in the House of Commons since May 2001. Cameron had previously been a researcher and special adviser for the party, and was Director of Communications for Carlton Communications for seven years. He is married with two children; his eldest son, Ivan, died in 2009. The Camerons announced in 2010 that they were expecting a fourth child that year.
Early life, career and family
Cameron was born in 1966 to Ian Cameron, a stockbroker, and Mary Cameron, a Justice of the Peace for 30 years. Before attending Eton, the top public school in Windsor, Cameron attended Heatherdown, an exclusive prep school. Having gotten three A's at A-level in history, history of art and economics with politics, Cameron headed for Oxford University to gain a first in politics, philosophy and economics ("PPE"). During a gap year before university, he worked for the Conservative MP Tim Rathbone. At university, he was - along with Conservative London mayor and former MP Boris Johnson - a member of the Bullingdon Club, an invitation-only exclusive dining club which was satirised by Evelyn Waugh in Brideshead Revisited and Decline and Fall.[2]
Early parliamentary and party career
Leader of the Conservative Party, 2005-
In 2005, Michael Howard, the Home Secretary under John Major, ran against Tony Blair's Labour Party on the Conservative ticket but lost. Following this defeat, he resigned as leader of the Conservative Party and made way for a lengthy leadership contest. [3] Cameron was involved in formulating the 2005 Conservative manifesto.
Cameron was elected as the leader of the Conservative Party against David Davis, a more traditional Conservative candidate but with a strong civil libertarian streak, as well as Ken Clarke and Liam Fox. Cameron rejected a number of standard Conservative policies: he stated that he was for the then recently introduced same-sex civil partnerships and started talking up his support for green policies on climate change, recycling and the environment. The slogan "vote blue, go green" was used by the party to highlight this new position on climate change. Similarly, Cameron has tried to get the support of the gay community - not supportive of Conservatives especially since the passing of Section 28 during the Thatcher years - meeting with Peter Tatchell, giving interviews to gay magazines, pledging support for anti-homophobia campaigns and selecting a number of openly gay candidates.[4][5]
Footnotes
- ↑ BBC News, David Cameron's coalition government sets to work, 12 May 2010.
- ↑ BBC News, David Cameron: Life and times of new UK Prime Minister, 11 May 2010
- ↑ BBC News, Howard to stand down as leader, 6 May, 2005
- ↑ SameSame, New Brit. PM 'believs in gay equality'
- ↑ PinkNews, Exclusive: David Cameron on Gay Rights as he answers questions from PinkNews.co.uk readers