Donald Cameron

Donald Andrew John Cameron of Lochiel, Baron Cameron of Lochiel (born 26 November 1976), is a Scottish Conservative politician who served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland from February to July 2024. He was elected a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the electoral region of the Highlands and Islands in 2016, serving the Conservative Shadow Cabinet in various roles before his elevation to the House of Lords in 2024.

Early life and education Born in 1976 at St Mary's Hospital, London, to Donald Angus Cameron of Lochiel, later 27th Lochiel, and Lady Cecil Cameron , daughter of Peter Kerr, 12th Marquess of Lothian, he was educated at Harrow School. Cameron then went up to read modern history at Oriel College, Oxford, graduating MA with first-class honours. After receiving a Diploma in Law from City University, on the Bar Vocational Course, Cameron was called to the Bar at the Middle Temple in 2005.

Cameron worked as an advocate for ten years before being elected to parliament and acted for a range of clients in public, agricultural and crofting law.

Political career Cameron stood as the Scottish Conservative candidate in the UK Parliament constituency of Ross, Skye and Lochaber, coming fourth of seven candidates at the 2010 general election with 12.2 per cent of the vote; he came third of the five candidates contesting Orkney and Shetland at the 2015 general election, with 8.9 per cent.

Member of the Scottish Parliament At the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Cameron finished third in the constituency of Argyll and Bute, but was elected as the Conservatives' third-placed candidate on the Highlands and Islands regional list. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson nominated Cameron to be Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport.

The Scottish Conservatives' 2021 Policy Co-ordinator since 2017, Cameron was appointed Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance by the Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw in February 2020, and subsequently Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport by his successor Douglas Ross. In May 2021, Cameron was appointed Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture.

Cameron helped re-establish the Cross-Party Group on Health Inequalities as one of its three co-convenors until May 2021. He was co-convenor of the Cross-Party Group on MS and the vice-convenor of the Cross-Party Group on Gàidhlig as well as sitting on various other cross-party groups, including those on beer and pubs and on crofting.

In 2022, Cameron joined Ross in calling for Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister over the Westminster lockdown parties controversy, along with a majority of Scottish Conservative MSPs.

Peerage Upon the death of his father in October 2023, he succeeded to the chiefship of Clan Cameron, becoming the 28th Lochiel.

Appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland in the Scotland Office on 9 February 2024, Cameron resigned his Scottish parliamentary seat on the same day, being replaced by Tim Eagle as Conservative regional MSP for the Highlands and Islands. He was created a Life Peer on 4 March 2024, taking the title of Baron Cameron of Lochiel, of Achnacarry in the County of Inverness, and was introduced to the House of Lords on 5 March 2024, supported by his kinsmen, former Prime Minister David Cameron, Baron Cameron of Chipping Norton, and Ewen Cameron, Baron Cameron of Dillington, a grandson of the 25th Cameron of Lochiel.

Personal life In 2009, Cameron married Sarah Elizabeth Maclay, only daughter of the Hon. Angus Grenfell Maclay and a niece of Joseph Maclay, 3rd Baron Maclay.

Ancestry

Coat of arms