David Cameron's memoir to be published in September

David Cameron's autobiography, For the Record, will be published this September by HarperCollins imprint William Collins, with author profits from the £25 r.r.p. going to charity. 

The former prime minister's memoir will be published in the UK on Thursday 19th September, 10 days before the Conservative Party Conference and a month before Brexit, followed by HarperCollins US on Tuesday 24th September under the Harper imprint. Retailing at £25 in hardback, it will also be published in e-book and audio with Cameron reading the audiobook himself. HarperCollins Publishers holds world rights. 

The Bookseller understands that author profits are going to a range of charities closely aligned with the Camerons including those associated with the armed forces, disabled children, and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Cameron was elected Conservative leader in 2005, promising to modernise the party following its three successive electoral defeats. He became prime minister in 2010, forming Britain’s first coalition government in 70 years, at a moment of economic crisis, and went on to win the first outright Conservative majority for 23 years at the 2015 general election before announcing his resignation on 24th June 2016, one day after the EU referendum. Speaking outside Downing Street, Cameron announced plans to step down by the start of the Tory Party Conference that October. He left office on 13th July 2016. 

“In For the Record, he will explain how the governments he led transformed the UK economy while implementing a modern, compassionate agenda that included reforming education and welfare, legalising gay marriage, honouring the UK’s commitment to overseas aid and spearheading environmental policy,” William Collins said. “He will shed light on the seminal world events of his premiership—the Arab Spring; the rise of ISIS; the invasion of Ukraine; the conflicts in Libya, Iraq and Syria – as well as events at home, from the Olympic Games in 2012 to the Scottish referendum. He will provide, for the first time, his perspective on the EU referendum and his views on the future of Britain’s place in the world in the light of Brexit.”

The publisher added: “Revealing the battles and achievements of his life and career in intimate and frank detail, For the Record will be an important assessment of the significant political events of the last decade, the nature of power and the role of leadership at a time of profound global change.”

Last month HarperCollins stood by the autumn publication date amid claims Cameron was pushing back publication due to a promise he made to Theresa May. 

William Collins bought the autobiography in a "hotly contested and significant deal", reportedly worth £800,000, negotiated with the late literary agent Ed Victor in 2016. As originally reported, the book will draw on over 50 hours-worth of audio tapes recorded with Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein. At the time publication was scheduled to take place in 2018.