David Cameron

David William Donald Cameron, Baron Cameron of Chipping Norton,^[1] PC (born 9 October 1966)^[2] is a British politician and the 68th Foreign Secretary from 2023 to 2024. He was the 53rd Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016. He was First Lord of the Treasury and 14th Leader of the Conservative Party until July 2016.

The Right Honourable The Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton PC
Official portrait, 2023
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office 11 May 2010 – 13 July 2016
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Deputy	Nick Clegg (2010–2015) Vacant (2015–2016)
Preceded by	Gordon Brown
Succeeded by	Theresa May
Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
In office 13 November 2023 – 5 July 2024
Prime Minister	Rishi Sunak
Preceded by	James Cleverly
Succeeded by	David Lammy
Leader of the Conservative Party
In office 6 December 2005 – 11 July 2016
Preceded by	Michael Howard
Succeeded by	Theresa May
Leader of the Opposition
In office 6 December 2005 – 11 May 2010
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Tony Blair Gordon Brown
Deputy	William Hague
Preceded by	Michael Howard
Succeeded by	Harriet Harman
Shadow portfolios Shadow Secretary of State 2005 Education and Skills Shadow Minister 2003 Privy Council Office 2004 Communities and Local Government 2004–2005 Conservative Policy Review Coordinator
Parliamentary offices Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal Life peerage 17 November 2023 Member of Parliament for Witney In office 7 June 2001 – 12 September 2016 Preceded by Shaun Woodward Succeeded by Robert Courts
Personal details
Born	David William Donald Cameron (1966-10-09) 9 October 1966 (age 58) Marylebone, London, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Samantha Sheffield ​ (m. 1996)​
Children	4
Relatives	Cameron family
Education	Eton College Brasenose College, Oxford (MA)
Signature
Website	Official website

On 24 June 2016, following a vote in a referendum to leave the European Union,^[3] Cameron announced that he would step down before the October 2016 Conservative Party Conference to make way for a new Prime Minister.^[3][4] After Theresa May became the only candidate in the elections, she became the designated Prime Minister. Cameron later announced he would resign on 13 July and was replaced by May.^[5]

Early life and career

David Cameron was born at The London Clinic in Marylebone, London,^[6] and grew up in Peasemore, Berkshire. He went to Eton College, a private school for boys, when he was thirteen. He has a brother, Alexander Cameron and two sisters.^[7] He then studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at the University of Oxford. He has Scottish, Welsh, English, Irish and German Jewish descent.^[8] He worked as a researcher for Carlton TV, and as an adviser for Conservative politicians Norman Lamont and Michael Howard. He first became a Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) at the 2001 General Election for the constituency of Witney, after making an unsuccessful attempt to become an MP during the 1997 General Election. He briefly entered the shadow cabinet in 2005, before being elected leader of the Conservative Party in December 2005.

Prime Minister (2010–2016)

Premiership of David Cameron
11 May 2010 – 13 July 2016
Premier	David Cameron
Cabinet	Cameron–Clegg coalition 2nd Cameron ministry
Party	Conservative
Election	2010, 2015
Appointer	Elizabeth II
Seat	10 Downing Street
← Gordon Brown • Theresa May →
Royal Arms of the Government

Cameron led the Conservatives through the 2010 general election, where it received the highest share of the vote and more seats than any other party, but did not get enough votes to form a government by themselves. A Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government was formed, and David Cameron became Prime Minister on 11 May 2010. He is Britain's youngest Prime Minister for over 200 years. Since being elected, Cameron's government has declared £6.2 billion worth of cuts to help reduce the budget deficit. He was re-elected as Prime Minister in 2015. His party got 36.9% of the vote, a majority. The Liberal Democrats only got 7.9% so the coalition between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats ended.

On 24 June 2016, following a vote in a referendum to leave the European Union,^[3] Cameron announced that he would step down before the October 2016 Conservative Party Conference to make way for a new Prime Minister.^[3][4] Cameron announced he would resign on July 13, after Theresa May became the designated Prime Minister.

Foreign Secretary (2023–2024)

On 13 November 2023, there was a cabinet reshuffle in which former Home Secretary Suella Braverman was dismissed and replaced by former Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. Cameron replaced Cleverly as Foreign Secretary. In addition to his role, a life peerage was given to Cameron, making him a member of the House of Lords and the first Prime Minister to receive a peerage since Margaret Thatcher.^[9][10][11]

After the Conservatives lost the 2024 general election in a landslide to the opposition Labour Party led by Keir Starmer, Cameron was replaced by David Lammy, whom he congratulated.^[12] He announced a few days later that he would be retiring from frontline politics while continuing to support the party.^[13][14][15]

Personal life

He is married to Samantha Cameron, and they have 4 children. His son Ivan was born with disabilities and died when he was six. Nancy Gwen was born in 2004. His youngest child, Florence, was born on holiday in Cornwall. Because she was born in St. Endellion, they decided to make her middle name Endellion.^[16]

He said on Channel 4 News in 2013 that he is a feminist,^[17] but some people don't agree.^[18] During a debate with MP Angela Eagle at Prime Minister's Questions in April 2011 he told her to "calm down, dear".^[19] Some people found this rude, and have used it to claim he is not a feminist.