Early Life and Education of David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron was born on 9th October 1966 in Marylebone, London. He belongs to a Scottish aristocracy, the fifth of seven children born to Mary Fleur Mount and Ian Donald Cameron.
David was primarily educated at Heatherdown School in Berkshire before moving on to Eton College, an esteemed British boarding school for boys. During his time at Eton, he was actively involved in student government and showed an early interest in politics.
Following Eton, Cameron attended Brasenose College, Oxford, where his academic pursuits focused on Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). He would graduate in 1988.
Career in Politics
In 1988, David Cameron began his role as a legislative researcher for the Conservative Party. After several years in this position, he transferred to the Department of National Heritage (now the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport) as a special advisor.
In 2001, Cameron was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Witney in Oxfordshire, holding the position until his resignation in 2016. In 2005, the Conservative Party elected him as their leader in a surprising landslide victory.
Premiership 2010 – 2016
In May 2010, after the general elections resulted in a hung parliament, Cameron became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The Conservatives formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats, with Nick Clegg serving as Deputy Prime Minister. This was the first coalition government in the UK since World War II.
During his tenure, Cameron faced significant challenges, including the European sovereign debt crisis, domestic policy reforms, and the controversial 2014 Scottish independence referendum.
In 2015, Cameron led the Conservatives to secure an outright majority in the general elections, eliminating the need for a coalition partner.
Brexit and Resignation
David Cameron’s premiership will be synonymous with the Brexit referendum. In 2016, he decided to hold a referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union to resolve an internal dispute within the Conservative Party. However, the result was an unforeseen majority voting to leave the EU.
Cameron, having campaigned for Remain, announced his resignation soon after the referendum result, believing he could not effectively lead the country in its chosen direction.
Post-Premiership
Following his resignation as Prime Minister, Cameron also stepped down as MP for Witney, marking the end of his political career. He has since focused on various charitable work, notably his role as President of Alzheimer’s Research UK.