Samantha Cameron gives birth to baby girl
Updated on 24 August 2010
David and Samantha Cameron have announced the birth of their fourth child - a girl, born during a holiday in Cornwall. After Leo Blair, Political Editor Gary Gibbon assesses the impact of Downing Street babies.
The Camerons' second daughter was born in Cornwall around midday today weighing 6lb and 1oz, a Downing Street spokesman said.
Mr Cameron, who will remain in Cornwall with his wife, said: "We're absolutely thrilled, she is an unbelievably beautiful girl and I'm a very proud Dad. And both baby and Mum seem to be doing really well."
The couple were just days into their two-week annual holiday in Cornwall when Mrs Cameron went into labour. The baby arrived a couple of weeks early and was delivered by Caesarean section at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.
The couple had previously announced Mrs Cameron was due in September. Mr Cameron said today that the birth happened "very quickly", praising the hospital staff. "They were fantastic...(they put us) completely at our ease, you know because it's quite nerve-wracking when everything happens so quickly," he said.
Political Editor Gary Gibbon blogs: I predict 'Lowenna'
David Cameron has just said he's talking of going for a middle name for his new baby girl that is Cornish. I predict Lowenna. The local reporter on the scene asked if his wife was in a private room and he glided over that one.
The redecoration work on the No. 11 flat is not quite yet ready for the newly expanded family so I suspect the family will head for Chequers whenever mother and baby are discharged from hospital.
Nick Clegg may get a bit more time in the spotlight while the boss takes paternity leave. His team will be hoping that will give him some good moments of exposure which will allow him to remind his troops that he’s got some rewards for coalition.
But recent history suggests that the political significance of this moment will be negligible.
Read more
While the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has insisted he is not "acting prime minister", Mr Clegg may now "hold the fort" for longer, as Mr Cameron takes paternity leave on top of his two-week break.
Downing Street retracted an earlier statement to Channel 4 News that the prime minister would take a full two week's paternity leave, instead a spokesman said he would take "some leave".
Dubbed Mr Cameron's "secret weapon" in the run-up to the General Election, the baby girl is the Camerons' second daughter after Nancy, aged six.
Cameron's blue blooded ties:
How royal is David Cameron? Channel 4 News' Who Knows Who investigates the 13 steps between the Queen and her new prime minister. Read more here.
Mr Cameron said the couple had yet to decide on a name, but added: "I think that maybe we'll have to have – not that I'll have any say in it of course – something Cornish in the middle, because it's very exciting we're on holiday and thought that we were going to get through the holiday and then have the baby but it all just sort of kicked off a bit quickly."
The newborn is only the second baby to be born to a serving British prime minister in more than 150 years – after Leo Blair's arrival on May 20, 2000.
Francis Albert Rollo Russell, the third child of Lord John Russell, was the last before Leo, born on July 11, 1849.
The Camerons suffered tragedy in February last year when their severely disabled elder son Ivan died aged just six. They also have a four-year-old son, Arthur Elwen.
Mr Cameron said he had told Arthur and Nancy who are "bouncing up and down, dying to say hello to the new baby".
Shadow foreign secretary and Labour leadership favourite David Miliband said: "I'd like to offer many congratulations to Samantha and David Cameron on the birth of their baby girl."
Twittersphere: @channel4news asked for your baby name suggestions. Here are some of the best:
@scraticusheapus Loveday. Tis good'un Cornish, my luvver.
@sassylad Margaret?
@NeilLindsay I'm thinking Tamsin - good Cornish name, for either middle or first name
@LiberationLover Nicole, Nicola, Nicky, Nikita... Pattern emerging? #babycam #babycameron
@EMWrunner Constance Libby - simples!
@nigellegg for a cornish name Cameron should consider Trevanian. Actually a surname but nice for a middle name.
@peterbbdavis Serena - with middle Cornish name – Elowen
@haydenmead Baby name suggestion Austerity Cameron. Has a lovely ring to it!
@AndrewRatcliffe Pasty
@donph Possible - Tamara . Unlikely - Nichola. Not-at-all-likely - Condemelza #littlecamname
@caracourage prudence
@jason_manc I'm with @BBCJonSopel on this one. Gotta be Tamsin.
