CCHQ has just announced that Samantha Cameron has gone into labour.
ConservativeHome wishes Mr and Mrs Cameron the very best as they await arrival of their third child.
If the baby is born in the next few hours - their Valentine's Day baby - it raises the question of who will deputise for the Tory leader at PMQs tomorrow. With William Hague and George Osborne in the USA the obvious candidates are Theresa May, Shadow Leader of the House, or David Davis, as the next most senior frontbencher.
Update: Samantha gives birth to her third and as yet un-named child - a healthy baby boy weighing 7lb 13oz.
David Cameron will take a week of paternity leave, followed by another week shortly afterwards. William Hague will step in for Prime Minister's Questions tomorrow, before heading to Washington at which point David Davis is said to become acting-leader.
Please continue to use this post to send the Cameron family your congratulations.
I initially read that as a defection.
Now I fully understand the situation, Congratulations to the couple, I hope everything goes well.
Posted by: EU Serf | February 14, 2006 at 12:20
Theresa May against Tony Blair? *gulps*
Posted by: Daniel Vince-Archer | February 14, 2006 at 12:24
Maybe they could get Howard back lol.
Difficult choice, I've never really heard May in any kind of debate and David Davis is usually good..if he doesn't start babbling.
Posted by: Jaz | February 14, 2006 at 12:27
All the best to David and Samantha Cameron and their imminent arrival!
Perhaps they could have Ken Clarke fill in on a one-off basis tomorrow considering the unusual circumstances? That would be fun.
Posted by: A H Matlock | February 14, 2006 at 12:31
David Davis would probably be the logical choice, and allow us a glimpse of 'what might have been'.
An indicator of just how inclusive Cameron's Conservatives™ are would be to let Theresa May (Shadow Leader of the House) or Caroline Spelman (technically Shadow Deputy PM) stand in for David Cameron.
Posted by: Daniel Vince-Archer | February 14, 2006 at 12:38
According to CCHQ Hague is going to do PMQs and Davis will be nominally in charge of the party when Hague flies to Washington later in the afternoon.
Posted by: Dominic Llewellyn | February 14, 2006 at 12:47
Editor,
Perhaps we could start a thread to record our congratulations on David's 3rd child and email it to him? I hope that the delivery goes well, that the baby and mother are healthy and that the couple and the two sibblings are very happy. What a wonderful St. valentine's gift for Sam and David! On who stands in for David at PMQs, perhaps we should allow Caroline Spelman to have a go (she has been very impressive on TV recently).
Posted by: Justin Hinchcliffe | February 14, 2006 at 12:51
Congratulations to Sam and David Cameron. Babies are the best thing in the world. I wish them all the joy possible and a quick transition to sleeping through the night.
Posted by: Reasonable | February 14, 2006 at 12:54
I thought there was a defection too.
Congratulations to them both and best wishes.
Posted by: James Maskell | February 14, 2006 at 13:20
Its a boy!!! I'll add my congratulations on the Happy Event.
Posted by: James Burdett | February 14, 2006 at 13:58
Fantastic news!
Posted by: James Maskell | February 14, 2006 at 14:16
Apparently it's a boy...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4712264.stm
Posted by: Paul Bavill | February 14, 2006 at 14:31
I also thought it was a defection.
Congratulations to David and Sam.
The blast from the past tomorrow should be great fun.
Posted by: Andrew Woodman | February 14, 2006 at 14:46
And William Hague will do PMQs before leaving for the USA. Hague versus Blair. Should be fun...
Posted by: Editor | February 14, 2006 at 14:48
And then David Davis takes over as Leader nominally...well, he got there eventually!
Posted by: James Maskell | February 14, 2006 at 14:49
Many congratulations on the safe delivery.
Now comes the question of the name. Tony? Benjamin? Ronald...?
And it will be interesting to see the effects of two weeks' paternity leave on the polls.
Posted by: Burkean | February 14, 2006 at 14:53
I too look forward to seeing Blair being utterly demolished by Hague on Wednesday.
Posted by: Stefan Fraczek | February 14, 2006 at 15:02
Congrats to both of them. Good job it wasn't twins or the press would be calling them Flip and Flop.
As we all know, taking time off when things are a bit shaky at work (last week's PMQ's) the last thing you need is your star performer to cover for you.
Looking forward to watching Hague tomorrow. I'd love him to ask Blair what % of identity fraud he thinks his ID cards will solve or that Apacs put the full figure at just 37 million not 1.7bn
(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0%2C%2C17129-2022675%2C00.html)
Posted by: Chad | February 14, 2006 at 15:03
Congratulations.
Posted by: Sean Fear | February 14, 2006 at 15:04
Congrats to the Camerons.
When someone misses PMQs their opposite number sits out as well, so Hague will actually be against...Prescott.
I'm getting popcorn.
Posted by: wasp | February 14, 2006 at 15:18
I thought the rule was more than that...if Cameron pulls out and Hague takes over, Hagues opposite number is the Governments slot...Jack Straw? I thought that was the way it went...
Posted by: James Maskell | February 14, 2006 at 15:26
Benito has a nice ring to it!
Congratulations to both David & Samantha and I hope they come up with a better name than their friends(?)at Conservativehome!
If you read this Mr Cameron choose Ken Clarke for PMQs tomorrow,he'll flatten Blair for you.
Posted by: malcolm | February 14, 2006 at 15:31
"When someone misses PMQs their opposite number sits out as well, so Hague will actually be against...Prescott."
Eh?
It is Prime Minister's Questions, so MPs will get the chance to question the PM regardless of whether the Leader of the Opposition leader is there or not.
It's only when the PM himself is away that the other parties start sending deputies etc - which has always struck me as a bit odd.
So it will be Blair vs Hague tomorrow.
Posted by: Rob P | February 14, 2006 at 15:45
Jonathan Isaby notes that four Tory MPs will have had babies within three weeks.
Are elections aphrodisiacs?!
Posted by: Sam Coates | February 14, 2006 at 16:10
best wishes and fingers crossed for the camerons.
Posted by: alex williams | February 14, 2006 at 16:16
Ah how lovely I'm feeling all broody
no I'm over it
Seriously many congratulations to all the Camerons (William is my guess).
Posted by: a-tracy | February 14, 2006 at 16:20
Congratulations to the happy couple.
NOW - this is where the Editor's globetrotting comes into its own.
Open-source christening
Harness the power of the worldwide web. The CH survey was only 1% out on predicting the leadership election (as we keep being told) - how accurate will be it be in predicting the name of young Master Cameron? Think of it as a very large, very badly-managed focus group.
Because, after all, we mustn't forget what's really important: what are the implications of this news for the Conservative Party, its re-branding, the Policy Groups, sales of chocolate oranges, etc. etc.
"David" would be the safe option: but surely the Camerons need to take risks at this stage in the baptismal cycle?
"Tony" builds on the Heir To Blair theme, but can they afford to alienate traditionalists?
"Norman" would be a gracious olive branch, but would it raise fears of a reversion to a core vote strategy?
"Winston" plays to the anti-EPP Eurosceptics but won't win friends in Curtisland.
"Kylie" is probably a shade too aggressive in its courting of metrosexual metropolitan liberal support.
Sporting coves could probably find very attractive odds for "Mahatma", but personally I've always thought that "William" conjures up the right connotations of soundness, flair, wit, charm, reliability, intelligence.....
Posted by: William Norton | February 14, 2006 at 16:23
Just go for Jack, will please the 24 fans.
Posted by: Rob Largan | February 14, 2006 at 16:55
Congratulations!
Posted by: Goldie | February 14, 2006 at 17:19
With my strange little hobby, I could not resist doing some calculations. 14th Feb 2006, "just before midday" Baby Cameron has gemini as his rising sign - chatty, Sun in Aquarius - quirky,moon in Virgo - analytical. That will do for now! Congratulations to the family.
Posted by: Annabel Herriott | February 14, 2006 at 17:22
Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Cameron on the safe arrival of their son. As far as names go, I've always been partial to Alastair personally. ;o)
Posted by: A H Matlock | February 14, 2006 at 17:33
"Jonathan Isaby notes that four Tory MPs will have had babies within three weeks".
I think you mean that their wives have had the babies, Sam.
"Are elections aphrodisiacs?!"
It is highly unlikely that that MPs abstain during elections.
Posted by: Selsdon Man | February 14, 2006 at 17:37
Well done and best wishes for them all.
My vote would go on James. Jamie Cameron... It has a ring to it.
Posted by: James Cleverly | February 14, 2006 at 17:44
How about Gideon? He can change it George later.
Posted by: Selsdon Man | February 14, 2006 at 17:49
I will bet it's not Anthony!
Posted by: Selsdon Man | February 14, 2006 at 17:50
Congratulations!
Posted by: Goldie | February 14, 2006 at 17:55
James is a good name...solid, still popular, has connotations of royalty. Also of course he would then be the namesake of the famous film director James Cameron!
Posted by: James Maskell | February 14, 2006 at 18:21
James is indeed a classy name for the boy Cameron.
Best wishes to Sam and Dave. At least he didn't announce: 'We have become a father'.
Posted by: James Bath | February 14, 2006 at 18:49
All this name-guessing is academic as whatever Dave names the littl'un now, he'll change his mind and name it something else in a few months.
Posted by: Martin Smith | February 14, 2006 at 19:00
Congrats to the Camerons. Plenty of sleepless nights coming!
Hague v Blair. Hague will have him on toast. I will be in the car travelling to Oxford, so I may get to listen to it.
Posted by: Howard Stevenson | February 14, 2006 at 20:55
Wonderful news! Congratulations to the family! Tom is a good solid name, but in my experience most Etonians are called Oliver. That or Octavius.
Posted by: Tom Ainsworth | February 15, 2006 at 00:16
Congratulations to the Camerons, excellent news.
Posted by: Frank Young | February 15, 2006 at 10:43
Congratulations David & Samantha! Hope baby and mum are well!
Posted by: Dominic Llewellyn | February 15, 2006 at 11:36
Congratulations to the Camerons. If it were the Beckams the lad would be called Valentine!!!
Posted by: Robbo | February 15, 2006 at 13:59
It seems the baby was born by Caesarean section. I hope that means that Mrs Cameron wont be castigated by certain sections of the press as being "too posh to push"...
Posted by: verulamgal | February 15, 2006 at 14:51
Verulamgal,that was totally unneccessary, and somewhat thoughtless. Surely you can remember that David and Samantha's first child has cerebral palsy, and was probably an emergency c/s. As a retired nurse, midwife, health visitor, may I inform him that in such instance, it is only good obstetric practice, not to put any future babies at similar risk. I think an apology is due from him to the Camerons forthwith!
Posted by: Annabel Herriott | February 15, 2006 at 16:53
Hearty congratulations to the proud parents.
My suggestion for a name: Webster (webcam for short).
Posted by: johnC | February 16, 2006 at 09:39
My betting would go for Tarquin or Octavius, maybe Oliver if he's lucky. Either these or some even more new age type name. Should be Michael, after all it's Howard's decision for a long leadership election that lead to Cameron's rise.
Posted by: DavidB | February 16, 2006 at 12:55