David  runs in charity mud race

Conservative Party leader David Cameron has taken part in the fourth Great Brook Run in the village of Chadlington on Sunday. Runners on the one-mile (1.6km) cross-country course have to tackle freezing water and pass through a tunnel. Mr Cameron said: "The main thing is to complete the run, survive and to get home to have lunch." He finished the course in about 15 minutes, while the winner made it in 8.5 minutes. Mr Cameron added: "I enjoyed it. It's for charity and it's a good thing to do, it brings everyone together, it's a nice day out, 'ish'. It's called a brook, but it is more like a river and it is quite cold in there." The race started at the Tite Inn and wound its way through muddy fields before finishing back at the pub. Mr Cameron was met by his wife Samantha after the run, when he and the other competitors were given a medal for taking part.

Dave gets down and dirty

Participants off started at the Tite Inn, ran half-a-mile along a muddy footpath before turning round and running back through a brook. Mr Cameron finished a respectable 25th beating a runner dressed as Spiderman and joked it was a good way to run off the Christmas turkey. This was the first year Mr Cameron had taken part in the event, having always been a keen spectator.

Conservative leader David Cameron was beaten by three girls and a semi-naked man as he braved a cold and muddy charity run in Oxfordshire. Mr Cameron joined competitors on the third Great Brook Run in Chadlington to raise funds for the village school. The Witney MP finished the mile-long race in just under 15 minutes, in 25th place out of more than 100 runners. Afterwards, Mr Cameron joked: "Gordon Brown should come down next year and we could decide the election that way."

The race was won by Ben Chapman, 15, from Chadlington. Another villager, Ric Yapp, who was wearing only a pair of black briefs, a red waistcoat and a Santa hat, also finished ahead of the Tory leader. After hugging his wife Samantha and his three children, Mr Cameron said: "It was very cold. We had to crawl under a bridge and it was very muddy. But, you know, I really enjoyed it." The race started at the Tite Inn, Chadlington, and wound its way through muddy fields before finishing back at the pub. Adam Engberg, one of the race organisers, said he was pleased Mr Cameron had taken part. "No-one told him about the tunnel they had to crawl through," he said. "He was quite surprised by that." All the contestants were awarded a medal.

David Cameron 'Most Googled'

DAVE'S GREAT WEEK

I'M ONLY HERE FOR THE BEER

David Cameron Opens Owen Mumford's
Expanded Manufacturing Facility

Cameron keeps his mind on compost heap

TORY leader David Cameron was unusually coy about his views of Gordon Brown as he visited a green waste recycling plant in his constituency. Mr Cameron was given a tour of the two-acre site near Chipping Norton which is operated by private firm Agrivert and composts over 60,000 tonnes of organic waste collected from Oxfordshire homes which is then sold on to local agriculture

Speaking after his tour, Mr Cameron quipped to assembled school children and local dignitaries, Someone wrote me a letter the other day saying, Dear Mr Cameron, if you care so much about climate change and carbon emissions why dont you stop breathing. But asked about his preferences for green over Brown, he merely smiled and responded, Ive always said that if you vote blue, you can go green and of course the alternative to green is Brown.

MUSLIM COUNCILLOR BACKS CAMERON

CAMERON COMES OUT IN
FAVOUR OF HUNTING.

On Tuesday, Mr Cameron told Talksport radio he still found time to shoot "the odd pigeon". Asked if he saw anything wrong with hunting or shooting he said: "No, I don't see anything wrong with it at all. I was brought up in the country, I enjoy country sports, I still have a bit of time for the odd pigeon. And sometimes do a bit of fishing." He described the ban as a "farce" and said: "We've passed a law that everyone is openly flouting and it makes the law look stupid."

Penny Little, of the organisation Protect Our Wild Animals, based in Great Haseley, described his comments as "appalling." Is it Mr Cameron's theory that all laws that are broken should be repealed I hope people take careful note that this is what David Cameron is really about - supporting his blood sport-loving friends. His caring, kindly image has gone out the window."

Labour MP for Oxford East MP Andrew Smith said: "His enthusiasm for killing animals for fun is shocking, and exposes the myth of the image he is trying to put across." The League Against Cruel Sports said: "Many people in Oxfordshire will find these remarks distasteful and distressing."

DAVID CAMERON PROTESTS OVER CLINIC CUTS

Chipping Norton's  hospital has been earmarked for replacement by a new hospital offering a more limited range of services. Work was originally to start next month with the hospital opening in spring 2008, but planning delays have seen approval for the site deferred.

David Cameron speaks up for Horton
Pledges to challenge the Labour party over the cutbacks

CHIPPING Norton MP and Conservative leader David Cameron visited the Horton Hospital in Banbury today (Friday), and left making a pledge to speak up over the effects of proposed cuts. Mr Cameron spoke to nurses, paediatricians and cleaners during his half hour at the hospital. Paediatrics, maternity, gynaecology, emergency surgery and trauma, A&E and microbiology departments are all under threat. Mr Cameron was particularly struck at hearing that cleaners are now expected to clean operating theatres in just three-and-a-half hours. They were previously allowed seven. He also referred to his eldest son Ivan, who was born severely disabled meaning his wife Samantha had to undergo an emergency Caesarean section within ten minutes to ensure the baby survived. Proposed cuts to paediatric services at the Horton mean any mothers suffering complications during birth will have to be rushed to the John Radcliffe in Oxford, what Mr Cameron called a 'dreadful prospect'.

Pledging to challenge the Labour party over the cutbacks, he said: "There are real concerns expressed by the staff about the knock-on effects of reductions.
My constituents in and around Chipping Norton value the Horton. Everyone in Banbury values the Horton and everyone wants it to be a fully functioning, successful hospital serving what is a growing community.

David is pictured above supporting the Chippy Hospital Campaign last year.

Gerrymandering boundaries
to give Labour a boost at the polls.

Chipping Norton MP David Cameron has said moves to scrap Oxford's two-tier system of local government in favour of a unitary authority for the city were "gerrymandering" to give Labour a boost at the polls. The new Department for Communities and Local Government is undertaking a review of the structure of local government and is due to publish proposals in a White Paper in October. Oxford City Council, which is responsible for planning, waste collection and environmental health, wants to take over responsibility for functions carried out by County Hall, like education, social services and highways maintenance.

But the Conservative Party leader said reorganising councils risked "setting different groups of councillors against each other". In an exclusive interview with the Oxford Mail, the Tory leader suggested ministers might be seeking to grant unitary status to Oxford because Labour was more likely to win power in the city than it was at county level, which is dominated by the Conservatives. He said ministers had launched their review because they had run out of ideas and "to destroy a very effective and growing army of Conservative councillors who work very hard for local people".He said: "When a Government has been in power for this long and when they're so out of touch and so arrogant about power, you do begin to suspect their motives. "And I do wonder whether they are gerrymandering boundaries to suit their own purposes, which is what it feels like in Oxfordshire."

SUMMER IS OFFICIALLY HERE. THE POOL IS OPEN

The recent Health White Paper promised care close to home yet the PCT is still pushing ahead with cuts and closures to the very hospitals that can provide it.  It is time for Ministers to act to make sure that the PCT has the resources and will to protect vital local services. Patricia Hewitt has repeatedly been warned that closures are going ahead. She should issue immediate guidance to local health bosses on how to implement the proposals in the White Paper. Closures are still being driven by financial, not health, considerations, with only token nods to the White paper and this must be addressed by Ministers.

The Chipping Norton Hospital Action Group participated on 28th March  The Chippy delegation was led by Clive Hill. Several hundred signatures in support of this record attempt by CHANT were collected  in Chippy Market Square last Saturday morning.  Chippys own petition last year collected over 10,000 signatures.
 

Cameron joins 'world's sexiest men'

Tory leader David Cameron has made it into a poll of the world's 100 sexiest men - with the top place taken by Brad Pitt.  Lord of the Rings star Orlando Bloom, 29, is the highest-ranking British actor, in third place. Jake Gyllenhaal, 25, star of gay cowboy movie Brokeback Mountain, is second. Johnny Depp is fourth in the list of the 100 Sexiest Men in the World, followed by British star Clive Owen. Shayne Ward, the X Factor winner, ranks higher than Jude Law and Bond star Daniel Craig by winning seventh place in the poll for New Woman magazine. With 59 names in the top 100, more than half the Sexiest Men in the World are British, compared with 30 from the US. Mick Jagger is the oldest name, with the 62-year-old Rolling Stone in 67th place. The youngest on the list, where the average age is 33, is 16-year-old Soapstar Superstar Richard Fleeshman, at number 77.  David Beckham is 14th  New Conservative party leader David Cameron, 39, is the only politician to make it into the top 100, grabbing 92nd place. The Eton-educated MP has been voted more sexy than You're Beautiful singer James Blunt, fiery actor Russell Crowe, footballer Ashley Cole, and pop star Will Young.

Conservative leader David Cameron has said he is "really excited" after wife Samantha gave birth to their third child - a boy - by Caesarean section.  Mrs Cameron, 34, gave birth at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London, with her husband, 39, at her bedside. Baby Cameron was delivered at 1155GMT, weighing 7lb 13oz. Both mother and child are said to be doing well. The Camerons, who have been married since 1996, have a son Ivan, three, and a daughter Nancy, two. Mr Cameron told reporters outside the hospital that his new son had blue eyes and black curly hair.  He added that his wife was "sitting up" comfortably and said of the birth: "It was all over very quickly." Mr Cameron said: "We are going to be here for a couple of days while we make sure everything is OK. "We haven't got a name yet - I can't make decisions like that." Asked whom the baby most resembled, he said: "All of us." Mr Cameron had been in a meeting with his shadow cabinet in the House of Commons at 0845GMT when he got a call to say his wife was on her way to hospital. The baby was born slightly earlier than the expected date by Caesarean for medical reasons - both previous births have been by Caesarean.

Friday
Conservative leader David Cameron has announced his new baby son is to be called Arthur Elwen.   The Tory leader said the names did not have any particular significance but he believed somebody on his father's side of his family was called Arthur. "Arthur we've always liked as a name and Samantha found Elwen in a book. We thought it was a good name," he said. He said the family were doing fine, despite sleep deprivation. "It's absolutely great to be home and it's actually been very easy," he told reporters. Parliament has just begun a week's break but Mr Cameron defended his decision to take two weeks' paternity leave. The family are planning to go to their house in Mr Cameron's Witney constituency later on Friday.

Mr Cameron said Ivan and Nancy were getting used to the idea of a new baby brother. "They seem very chuffed about everything and it's lovely. I have had a better nights' sleep - but that's all part of it." The family later headed back to their home in posh Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.

WELCOME TO CAMERON COUNTRY!

David and his family in Chippy Market Square back at
election time in May. The picture belongs to chippingnorton.net
and anyone is welcome to use it
 

CHIPPING NORTON BRANCH WEST OXFORDSHIRE CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION AGM AND ANNUAL DINNER AT THE CROWN & CUSHION

  
District Councillor Michael Howes (Chairman) introduced our local MP David Cameron (Leader of the Conservative Party) David presented and explained his strategy for the Conservative Party.
 
   
District Councillor Michael Howes (Chairman) congratulates County Councillor Hibbert-Biles on her
election last May and a year of non-stop activity on behalf of the town. Sam Birkett, Chairman of Conservative Futures, setting out his plans for making contact with the 18-30s in this part of the District.
 

CONGRATULATIONS TO DAVID ON
WINNING THE LEADERSHIP!

September 2005  The Editor wrote in Parish Pump.....

.......I've never been a Tory but I voted for David Cameron last time.  I'm a big fan - based on what I've seen him doing over the last year to help us with the Hospital campaign.  Last evening - on his hols - he came along to a meeting of the Healthcare Users Group and put us through our paces. He is razor sharp this guy. He pressed us hard on what exactly we were still fighting for - playing devils advocate.  Not letting us get away with any flannel.  He remembered with incredible precision all the figures and arguments from our previous meeting last month. How on earth does he do this with all that he has on his plate. David made copious notes and said he was meeting the new boss of the PCT later in the week and would get  back to us. And he is so personable with it.  If the Tory Party don't vote this man Leader they will have gone off their collective rocker. We should make the most of him while he still remembers where Chipping Norton Town Hall is!! ........

Cameron tells of new `exciting' job

NEWLY-elected Conservative leader David Cameron made his first official visit outside London last week, when he came to present a prize at St Mary's C of E Primary School in Chipping Norton. As befits the leader of the opposition, Mr Cameron arrived at the school in The Green, with a much larger entourage of minders than he would have previously been used to. He also turned up 20 minutes late - blaming the traffic out of London - leaving staff to keep a hall full of lively primary school children entertained for half an hour. But when Mr Cameron eventually arrived, dressed in an open necked blue shirt and navy blue suit, he was charm personified. As a 39-year-old father-of-two, the Tory leader appeared genuinely at ease with the children, apologising for being late and telling them about his new job, which he described as "very new and exciting". He told the children that his West Oxfordshire constituency was "a really important part of my job." "If your mums and dads need my help I'm still here," he said. He then presented two 50 cheques for the charities Sightsavers and Save the Children Fund to eight-year-old Iona Brown, winner of his Christmas card competition. He said he was "really proud" to have the card, which depicts Father Christmas and his reindeer flying over the town's most famous landmark, Bliss Mill. He was then joined on stage by birthday girls Jazmin Lenney, five on December 11 and Ellie Ravenscroft, eight the same day, to light the school's Advent candles. He sang along falteringly as the children treated him to a rendition of The Holly and The Ivy. Fortunately, the words were written out on a board on stage, so the MP soon managed to get on song, which is presumably what his party and the country will do over the years leading up to the next General Election. Head teacher Yvonne Barnes was clearly delighted with the success of the visit. "I was really pleased. It was a lovely occasion for Iona," said Ms Barnes

David Cameron, newly re-elected Conservative MP for Witney, has been appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Education in Michael Howards Shadow Cabinet reshuffle. David will lead the shadow education team for Conservatives calling the Government to account in Parliament and setting out Conservative education policy. David Cameron said: I am really excited by this new challenge.  I have a strong interest in education both locally and nationally and this will allow me to focus on what is undoubtedly one of the most important areas of policy. My experience of meeting heads, teachers, governors and students in West Oxfordshire will be extremely useful.  We have very good schools in West Oxfordshire and I look forward to discussing with them the important issues that need to be dealt with. I have no doubt that achieving high standards and effective discipline will be key priorities.

Nice comment this morning from John Pinaar on Radio 4....."If David Cameron is going to run in the Tory leadership election he is going to have spend the next few months having some of his smooth edges knocked off"  ED

ELECTION TIME 2005

DAVID GOING IN TO BAT FOR US AGAIN ON THE HOSPITAL

An important meeting in the Town Hall today when our MP David Cameron came with Barry Norton (Leader of the WODC) to hear what members of the Hospital Action Group had to report from their discussions with local residents - following the "decisions" of the PTC last week. David has been a terrific supporter of the NO CUTS Campaign since the very beginning. Barry marshalled the District Council's strong support of the call for NO CUTS back in September. Both have been influential in lobbying the PCT and pushing the town's case. Barry had a last-minute meeting with the PCT just before decision day. They have been really important and powerful friends to Chippy during the campaign period and we are grateful. The Action Group told them that the mood in the town was that we must continue the fight to maintain a Minor Injuries Unit. Given agreement on that it was possible that peace could break out and allow all the details of location and "ownership" to be worked through in a co-operative fashion. David told us we must hold absolutely firm on the MIU issue. He would now write to the PCT urging them to come up fast with some concrete proposals on Minor Injuries - pointing out how close they were now to finding an overall agreement. We formulated a number of suggestions together during the meeting - particularly ways of trying to overcome nurse recruitment problems (where the District may be able to help on housing issues), of possible job-sharing schemes with the JR,  and creative ways of involving paramedics from the Ambulance service. David would now ask for a meeting with the PCT. He is by far the best intermediary in sight. Lets hope the PCT will listen and that he can broker a deal. Wish him luck. Everyone keep their fingers crossed. If he can't then its back to the barricades.

DAVID CAMERON - ONWARDS & UPWARDS

David Cameron was last seen disappearing heavenwards into a deep blue firmament after yet another stellar promotion from Tory Leader Michael Howard. (We know he's a future Prime Minister but this is getting ridiculous!) David is now to become Head of Policy Co-ordination, working directly for Michael Howard. The job involves working with members of the Shadow Cabinet to set out a full range of policies in the run up to the General Election and deliver an attractive Conservative manifesto. Previously, David was the Conservative spokesman on Local Government Finance.

David Cameron said following his appointment: "This is an exciting job at an exciting time. People are pretty fed up with the current Government and want to hear about the alternative. We already have policies that extend choice in health and education and that will put more police on the streets. But we still have a lot more to do. We need to give people a clear feeling about how life would be different and better under a Conservative Government. I will consider three points when coordinating policy. Will it make peoples lives better Is it simple to understand And above all - will it work All the things I have seen and people I have met in West Oxfordshire and throughout the county will give me a good insight into this job and Im looking forward to it."

Prior to visiting Parker Knoll our MP David Cameron will first be meeting with representatives from Oxfordshire County Council and West Oxfordshire District Council to discuss the Parker Knoll Factory Closure. Following this David Cameron will then go to the factory to discuss the impact of the closure at a 5pm meeting with the Managing Director and Site Director of the company. What about holding a Public Meeting straight after that David

  


CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR MP DAVID CAMERON
AND HIS WIFE SAMANTHA ON THE BIRTH OF NANCY

Hansard for Jan 8th reports:

Mr. David Cameron (Witney) (Con): What estimate has been made of the cost of enforcing new legislation on horse passports.......What will the Department tell people when they see an army of snoopers paid for with council tax to inspect their stables; when they see a law that has been condemned as defective by a Committee of the House; and when they see a measure that excludes most wild ponies, which do occasionallyand regrettablyend up in the food chain, while including donkeys and other ponies, virtually none of which do Why have the Government wasted so much time in introducing such a ridiculous piece of bureaucracy just so that the French can go on eating horsemeat

Alun Michael: The hon. Gentleman obviously knows very little about the legislation and the reasons for it. It will clearly surprise him to learn that it has strong support in the horse industry. The advantage of the horse passport system..... is that the industry will be able to go on using the methods that it currently uses, which are extremely valid and would not be used unless the regulations were in place.

Mr. Owen Paterson (North Shropshire) (Con): That was an amazing reply. The National Audit Office has confirmed that the British Cattle Movement Service has lost more than 100,000 cattle, at a cost to the British taxpayer of 15 million a year. Can the Minister name three clear lessons from that fiasco to prove to the House that this latest bureaucratic nightmare will not lose a similar number of horses

Alun Michael: It was an amazing reply because it was made in response to an amazing question from an Opposition Back Bencher, but the Front Benchers are even better: they do not seem to understand the difference between horses and cattle.

Thursday 27^th November 2003

Campaign for Broadband Bears Fruit

David Cameron,has been campaigning for broadband access for rural areas BT Broadband has recently announced comprehensive trigger levels for all exchanges in West Oxfordshire, ahead of their meeting with David Cameron and members of the constituency. Details of the trigger levels are attached to this e-mail. The meeting will be taking place on the 4^th December at 7pm in Witney Councils Woodgreen Offices, and in attendance will be spokespeople for local businesses as well as public who are eager to get broadband set up in rural Oxfordshire.

David Cameron said: "This is good news for the constituency. Some of the trigger levels are still too high, but now we have targets to aim for. More areas in West Oxfordshire can look forward to receiving broadband connections in their homes and businesses."

For further details of the meeting on the 4^th December, please contact Patrick Clark on 020 7219 3475 a copy of the invitation to the meeting is also attached.

DAVID CAMERON
BECOMES DEPUTY CHAIRMAN

The new Leader of the Conservative Party Michael Howard has chosen David Cameron to become the Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, with a major campaigning role in the run up to the next General Election. Davids responsibilities will include working with the campaigning team and the communications department. He will be used as a spokesman for the Conservative party on national and regional media. David says: "I worked in Central Office before the 1992 election victory, and it is a huge challenge being back on the team. I will look forward to ensuring that we put the message across successfully. The next election is now wide open".

Wednesday November 5^th, 2003

Witney MP sponsors new call for referendum on EU Constitution

David Cameron MP has signed a Bill in the House of Commons calling for a referendum on the European Constitution before it is ratified by the Government.

John Maples, Member of Parliament for Stratford-Upon-Avon, has proposed the Ten Minute Rule Bill, which will demonstrate to the Labour Government just how much support there is amongst MPs for a referendum. (It is expected that there will be a division, during which MPs can demonstrate their support, or opposition to the Bill).

David is one of the sponsors of the Bill. Speaking from Parliament today, David said: "I am against transferring further power from Westminster to Brussels. Movement along the road to closer union with Europe is taking place with ever increasing steps. While calls for a referendum on the Constitution are loud and clear from the British people, the Government is taking us towards integration and refuses to ask people what they want in a referendum. If they are doing referenda on regional assemblies, why on earth cant we have one about the European constitution"

The bill will be introduced to Parliament on the Wednesday 12^th November. The full text can be obtained from David Camerons office the next day (13^th November) by writing to the e-mail address below: