Mississippi State University hosted former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron for the 2023 Global Lecture Series Feb. 7.
The event was hosted at Bettersworth Auditorium in Lee Hall.
Student Association President Kennedy Guest welcomed the audience and introduced Cameron by highlighting the key points of his career.
“Mr. David Cameron served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 2010 to 2016, leading Britain’s first coalition government in nearly 70 years,” Guest said.
Cameron began the lecture by speaking about the special relationship that exists between the U.S. and the U.K.
“It’s not some meaningless phrase,” Cameron said. “Our troops were fighting with yours in Iraq and Afghanistan. President Obama and I wanted our planes to fly missions together as we defeated ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Today, we work hand-in-glove together to help the Ukrainian throw Putin out of their country.”
After speaking on the importance of the fight for democracy, Cameron offered the audience four areas of thought.
His opening point was to continue striving for international collaboration.
“I know that you are tired of being the world’s policemen, that you think the cost of intervening overseas has been high, but I can tell you this: the cost of trying to pull up the drawbridge would be even higher,” Cameron said.
Using the fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war on terror as examples, Cameron stressed the importance of aid, development and involvement.
In his second consideration, Cameron asked the audience not to give up on free trade and the global economy.
“You need rules. You need fairness, but you don’t underestimate the power of trade and markets and investment across borders to create wealth and jobs and progress at home,” Cameron said.
Thirdly, Cameron spoke on working with political opponents to enhance productivity.
“I lead the first coalition government in the United Kingdom for 70 years. Two parties that loathe each other, put aside their differences and worked together in government for the common good. We got things done,” Cameron said.
Cameron finished his presentation by highlighting the importance of truth. He spoke on the effects of the dark side of social media, which perpetuates an alternative reality of truth.
“There is no my truth or your truth. There is only the truth, there is fact and there is fiction,” Cameron said.
After Cameron’s presentation, Chief Communications Officer Sid Salter arrived on stage to host a Q&A session with the guest speaker.
“As you will soon discover Mr. Cameron and I are kinsmen separated by a common language. He is enduring a deep South accent, and I am enjoying a proper British, and we’re going to have a conversation,” Salter said.
Salter asked the former Prime Minister a list of questions, which touched on international foreign policy, his experience with the royal family, his role as president of Alzheimer’s Research UK and the similarities and differences between the U.S. and the U.K.’s healthcare programs.
Among many questions, Salter asked about the reasoning behind the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union and what might be occurring in the country post-Brexit.
Cameron said Great Britain had always had an issue with the united symbolism of the E.U.
“Our identity is bound up in our sense of nationhood and independence and self-government,” Cameron said.
Salter finished the session by asking about what the relationship between the U.S. and U.K. looked like as a prime minister.
In response, Cameron explained his commitment to the British-American collaboration and how it positively impacted sensitive topics like national security.
“On a personal level, I’ve always felt very strongly about it, and what was great about becoming Prime Minister is, it really does exist,” Cameron said. “Yes, of course, we’re the junior partner. You know, we’re a country of 60 million people. You’re a country of over 300 million people, the world’s greatest superpower, but the relationship does matter.”