David Cameron's educational journey began at England's most prestigious institution, Eton College, before he proceeded to attend Brasenose College, Oxford University, where he earned a first-class degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. This academic accomplishment laid the foundation for his subsequent entry into the world of politics.
Cameron's political career took off when he became the Member of Parliament for Witney at the 2001 general election. Following the Conservative Party's third election defeat to Tony Blair's Labour, Cameron was elected leader of the Conservative Party in 2005, defeating the older right-winger David Davis.
Cameron's leadership was marked by his modernizing programme for the Tories, which included apologizing for Margaret Thatcher's Section 28, which had prohibited the promotion of homosexual relationships to children by local authorities. This move was seen as a significant departure from the party's traditional stance.
Following Tony Blair's departure from the position of Prime Minister in 2007, Cameron gained ground against Blair's replacement, the dour Gordon Brown. In the 2010 general election, Cameron became Prime Minister by forming a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats, making him the youngest Prime Minister in almost 200 years.
As Prime Minister, Cameron continued his modernization programme and introduced same-sex marriage with the support of the Lib Dems, despite opposition from a majority of his own parliamentary party. However, he became increasingly concerned by the growing split in the Conservative Party over Britain's membership of the European Union and the threat posed by UKIP, led by charismatic ex-Tory Nigel Farage.
Cameron promised a national referendum on the issue if he won the 2015 general election, and he kept his promise. However, he lost the referendum the following year, leading to his decision to immediately resign as Prime Minister. In his final speech to the House of Commons, Cameron cited introducing same-sex marriage as his greatest achievement in government.
