David Cameron biography

Synopsis

Early Life

United Kingdom Prime Minister David William Donald Cameron, a descendant of King William IV's, was born into a wealthy English family on October 9, 1966, in London, England. He was raised in Peasemore, Berkshire by father Ian, a stockbroker, and mother Mary Fleur, a retired Justice of the Peace.

An excelling student at the Heatherdown Preparatory School, Cameron entered its top academic class two years early and went to Eton College, described as one of the most famous independent schools in the world, at the age of 13. He later received his Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy, politics and economics, and attended Brasenose College, Oxford, from which the graduated in 1988 with a first-class honors degree.

Early Political Career

Upon graduating, Cameron worked for the Conservative Party's research department, where he remained for five years. The day he was scheduled for a job interview at the Conservative Central Office, a man from Buckingham Palace, called the CCO, put in a good word for Cameron. According to a March 2007 Daily Mail article, "the testimonial, of which Cameron was unaware, was an early intimation of how the ambitious Etonian was helped by well-placed friends and family."

In 1991, Cameron began briefing then-Prime Minister John Major, and the following year he was promoted as special adviser to Chancellor of the Exchequer Norman Lamont. Later, Home Secretary Michael Howard recruited Cameron to work for him, primarily in a media relations role. In 1994, Cameron left politics to work as the director of corporation affairs at Carlton Communications, a British media company. He resigned from that role in 2001, in order to continue his pursuit of a Parliamentary seat, which he won.

Political Success

Cameron was officially declared winner of the Leader of the Conservative Party election in December 2005. His win was due in large part to his vow to inspire a new generation; he wanted people to "feel good about being Conservatives again," according to an October 2005 BBC article, which also quoted him as saying, "I want to switch on a whole new generation." Cameron also said that Conservatives had to evolve, otherwise further movement to the right would turn the party into a "fringe group."

Seeking to modernize the party and shed it's right-wing image, Cameron dazzled the Conservative Party and the populace with his bold eloquence, and positioned it well for the 2010 general election; when Gordon Brown resigned as prime minister, Cameron replaced him. At age 43, Cameron became the youngest prime minister of the United Kingdom since 1812.