For the Record audiobook cover - An honest account from a prime minister who truly altered his country’s course

For the Record

An honest account from a prime minister who truly altered his country’s course

David Cameron

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PoliticsBiography & Memoir

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For the Record
Early Life & Rise to Power+
Modernizing the Conservative Party+
Family & Personal Life+
Relationship with the Monarchy+
2015 Election Victory+
The Brexit Referendum+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 10
What event at Eton served as a major turning point that motivated David Cameron to take his education more seriously?
  • A. Failing his final exams and having to retake them.
  • B. Getting caught smoking cannabis and narrowly avoiding expulsion.
  • C. A conversation with Prince Edward about royal duties.
  • D. Being embarrassed while reading a Bible lesson in front of the Queen.
Question 2 of 10
How did David Cameron justify his support for legalizing gay marriage to the Conservative Party?
  • A. He argued it was necessary to win over younger, liberal voters.
  • B. He stated that marriage is an institution that binds society together, aligning with Conservative beliefs.
  • C. He claimed it was a required step to align UK law with European Union human rights directives.
  • D. He explained it was a necessary compromise for governing in a coalition with the Liberal Democrats.
Question 3 of 10
How did Cameron’s personal life intersect with his deep appreciation for Britain’s National Health Service (NHS)?
  • A. His wife Samantha worked as an NHS nurse before they moved to 10 Downing Street.
  • B. He required emergency heart surgery during his first year as Prime Minister.
  • C. His family spent extensive time in hospitals due to his son Ivan’s rare, incurable condition.
  • D. He spearheaded a massive personal funding campaign for the NHS after his daughter's birth.
Question 4 of 10
How did Cameron typically prepare for his weekly meetings with the Queen?
  • A. By reading detailed briefings from the security services MI5 and MI6.
  • B. By memorizing the names of all visiting foreign dignitaries.
  • C. By reviewing the latest polling data on the Conservative Party's popularity.
  • D. By watching the BBC news headlines and consulting a horse racing expert.
Question 5 of 10
What was a primary reason for the Conservative Party's surprising outright majority victory in the 2015 general election?
  • A. They formed a strategic electoral alliance with the Green Party.
  • B. They relied on relentless message discipline, repeatedly emphasizing a 'Long Term Economic Plan.'
  • C. They promised an immediate, unilateral withdrawal from the European Union without a referendum.
  • D. They focused entirely on traditional print media rather than modern digital campaigns.
Question 6 of 10
According to the text, what was David Cameron's primary justification for calling the Brexit referendum?
  • A. He personally believed that leaving the EU would greatly benefit the British economy.
  • B. He wanted to permanently silence the anti-European members of his own cabinet.
  • C. He felt the British people had repeatedly been promised a say and deserved to vote on their deeply rooted skepticism toward the EU.
  • D. He was legally forced to do so by a ruling from the UK Supreme Court.
Question 7 of 10
What specific aspect of EU immigration caused the most grievance among British voters and became a focal point of Cameron's EU renegotiations?
  • A. The fact that new arrivals could immediately claim benefits from Britain’s non-contributory welfare system.
  • B. The refusal of Eastern European immigrants to pay into the British healthcare system.
  • C. The European Union's mandate that Britain accept a specific quota of refugees from Turkey.
  • D. The high rate of violent crime associated with the sudden influx of immigrants.
Question 8 of 10
What significant concession did David Cameron secure from the EU during his renegotiations prior to the referendum?
  • A. A complete halt on all immigration from Eastern European member states.
  • B. A guarantee that Britain would be exempt from the EU’s commitment to 'ever-closer union.'
  • C. The ability to unilaterally deport any EU citizen without cause.
  • D. A permanent reduction in Britain's financial contributions to the euro bailout fund.
Question 9 of 10
How did the Leave campaign utilize the topic of Turkey during the Brexit referendum?
  • A. They praised Turkey's economic growth as a model for a post-Brexit Britain.
  • B. They falsely claimed that Turkey was on the verge of joining the EU, implying mass immigration to the UK would follow.
  • C. They argued that remaining in the EU would force Britain to go to war alongside Turkey.
  • D. They pointed to Turkey's independent trade agreements as proof that Britain didn't need the EU.
Question 10 of 10
Why did David Cameron resign as Prime Minister immediately after the referendum, despite previously stating he wouldn't?
  • A. His party held a vote of no confidence and forced him out of office.
  • B. He realized he lacked the personal credibility to lead the negotiations for Britain's departure from the EU.
  • C. He was offered a lucrative position as an advisor to the European Union.
  • D. The Queen privately requested that he step down to unify the country.

For the Record — Full Chapter Overview

For the Record Summary & Overview

In For the Record (2019), David Cameron gives a behind-the-scenes account of his life, career, and time as prime minister. He opens up about his upper-class upbringing, his school life, and his family. He describes how he tried to push the Conservative Party toward a more modern outlook on the world and reflects on the decisions that led to Britain’s vote to leave the European Union. 

Who Should Listen to For the Record?

  • Political animals
  • Anyone who wants to understand why Brexit happened 
  • Modern Conservatives

About the Author: David Cameron

David Cameron grew up in Berkshire, England, and was educated at Eton College and Oxford University. He was elected as Conservative member of Parliament for Witney in 2001, became party leader in 2005, and served as prime minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland between 2010 and 2016. Whatever else he might have achieved in power, he may go down in history as the leader who ushered in Brexit – Britain’s departure from the European Union.

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