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David Cameron Leadership

 

David Cameron LeadershipDavid Cameron  (1966- )

 

Cameron (pictured right) became leader of the British Conservative Party in 2005 and prime minister in 2010.

 

Why did he become prime minister?

 

1. Luck

He had a very posh upbringing, educated at Eton and Oxford University.

His mother is an aristocrat, and his father was a wealthy stockbroker.

 

2. Charm and communication

He is photogenic, a charismatic TV performer and a great public speaker (as he showed in his decisive speech for the Conservative Party leadership, when he spoke spontaneously without an autocue).

But his privileged background means that he is often out of touch with the feelings of ordinary people.

 

 3. Familydavid cameron leadership

He has a supportive and loving family – his wife, Samantha, and children, Nancy, Elwen and Florence.

His severely disabled son, Ivan (who died in 2009, pictured right with Samantha), made him more compassionate and appreciative of the NHS (Britain’s free, universal government health service).


 

4. Self-belief and willpower

He has total confidence in his ability to succeed. “He doesn’t do doubt”, as one friend put it.

This self-belief is accompanied by an enormous will to win and determination to put his policies into action.

 

5. Visionary purpose

He has a clear vision of the Britain he wants to create, based upon:

  • fairness. 
  • the “Big Society” (emphasizing individual and community action). 
  • protection of the environment.  david cameron leadership
  • a mixture of capitalism and government action.

 

6. Learning and change

He learned from the success of Tony Blair (pictured right) - Blair's:

  • media appeal.
  • suppression of extremists in his party.
  • principled policies.
  • a mixture of capitalism and government intervention.David Cameron Leadership

So (encouraged by his wife, Samantha, pictured right) Cameron abandoned his old right wing views like his opposition to the promotion of homosexuality in schools.

 

7. Intellect

He is extremely bright. One of his professors at Oxford University described him as “one of the nicest and ablest pupils I ever taught”.

 

8. Tough

He’s competitive, ambitious and ruthless, as he showed in his opposition to the Conservative Party’s right wingers who aren’t so enthusiastic about the NHS, welfare state, racial equality and gay rights.


 

Key quotes on leadership

This is my DNA: family, community, country.

Mine is not just a vision of a more powerful country. It is a vision of a more powerful people.

It’s where you are going to, not where you have come from that matters.

 

Key quote on Tony Blair

I want to talk about the future. He was the future once (talking about Tony Blair).

 

Key quote on society

Society is not a spectator sport

 

Key quote on success

There’s no massive thing I’ve done [where] I lie awake thinking I wish I’d never done that.

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