Tory Leader David Cameron's Son Has Died

Guest Wed 25 Feb - 15:52

Tory leader David Cameron's disabled son Ivan has died.

Tory Leader David Cameron's Son Has Died 15229608

David Cameron and his son Ivan (Photo by Roger Taylor / Rex Features)

A Conservative Party spokesman said: "It is with great sadness that David and Samantha Cameron must confirm the death of their six-year-old son Ivan. Ivan, who suffered from cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy, was taken ill overnight and died at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, early this morning. David and Samantha would ask that their privacy is respected at this terribly difficult time."

The Queen has sent a private message of sympathy to the Camerons, and in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister, whose own baby daughter died in 2002, expressed his condolences.

"I know that the whole House will want to express our sorrow at the sad death this morning of Ivan Cameron, at the age of just six years old and our condolences go out to David Cameron, to Samantha and to the Cameron family,"he said. "I know that in his all-too-brief young life, he brought joy to all those around him, and I know also that for all the days of his life, he was surrounded by his family's love. Every child is precious and irreplaceable. And the death of a child is an unbearable sorrow that no parent should ever have to endure. Politics can sometimes divide us, but there is a common human bond that unites us in sympathy and compassion in times of trial, and in support for each other, at times of grief."

William Hague, shadow foreign secretary, said: "I want to thank the Prime Minister on, behalf of David and his family, for his very generous and, I know, heartfelt words and for his private condolences that he has passed on this morning. The Prime Minister will understand the dimensions of this loss, something which no parent, as he has said, should have to endure. The six years of Ivan Cameron's life were not easy, his parents lived with the knowledge that he could die young, but this has made their loss no less heartbreaking. They also wanted me to say once again how hugely grateful they are to the many many NHS and care workers who not only did their utmost for their son this morning, but have helped him, every day, from the moment he was born."

Tory Leader David Cameron's Son Has Died 15229359

Tory Leader David Cameron's Son Has Died 15229359

David Cameron with his family

Acting Lib Dem leader Vince Cable said to MPs:"On behalf of my party leader, my parliamentary colleagues and my party, we would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the David Cameron family.

"I think that everyone in the house has experienced bereavement, but there is something especially sad and shocking about the loss of a child and we recognise, I think, that this is something that is especially difficult to cope with."

Mr Cameron will take up to a fortnight off work. Mr Hague will stand in for him as Tory leader.

Professor Stephen Smith from St Mary's Hospital confirmed Ivan died at 6:30am.

"He suffered from a severe, complex neurological disability and was taken in overnight," he said. "He has been a patient at this hospital for some time, and is well known to members of staff. Our deepest sympathies are with David, Samantha and their family at the saddest of times."

Sky's political correspondent Joey Jones said: "It has been well known that Ivan has been extremely ill for most of his life but this will come as a devastating shock for David Cameron and his family. I think that everyone across the political spectrum will share in the sadness of this news."

Sky's health correspondent Thomas Moore said: "Cerebral palsy in itself is not a degenerative condition, you do not die of cerebral palsy. There may have been other factors like epilepsy that may have caused his death."

Mr Cameron is a vice president at the National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy (NCYPE).

NCYPE chief executive David Ford said: "We are very saddened to hear this news. We express our deepest sympathy to David and Samantha Cameron and their family."

Ivan was the Camerons' first child, born at Queen Charlotte's Hospital in London on April 8, 2002.

He suffered his first seizure within weeks and was in and out of hospitals all of his life.

On learning of his son's illness, Mr Cameron has said in the past: "It hits you like a freight train because all the expectations you have for your child change immediately."

They have two other children, Nancy, five, and Arthur, three.

Friends have previously attributed Mr Cameron's "modernising" leadership of the Conservatives to the NHS care Ivan received.

"When your family relies on the NHS all the time - day after day, night after night - you know how precious it is," he has said.

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RIP Little Ivan, you are free of pain now x
My thoughts go out to the Cameron family.