Ex-PM David Cameron returns as foreign secretary, Suella Braverman sacked as home secretary in British cabinet reshuffle
Former PM David Cameron is back in a dramatic reshuffle of the flagging Rishi Sunak government, including the axing of outspoken home secretary Suella Braverman.
The former prime minister David Cameron has been made Britain’s foreign secretary in a dramatic reshuffle of the flagging Rishi Sunak government, including the sacking of outspoken home secretary Suella Braverman, to prepare for next year’s general election.
In scenes that left political observers gobsmacked, Mr Cameron strode into No. 10 Downing Street on Monday night (AEDT) during a reshuffle of the cabinet.
It was an extraordinary scene not predicted since he stood forlornly outside the same premises in 2016 after the Brexit referendum result, resigning as the country’s leader.
Mr Cameron, who will now be known as Lord Cameron after King Charles conferred a life peerage on Monday, said: “At this time of profound global change, it has rarely been more important for this country to stand by our allies, strengthen our partnerships and make sure our voice is heard.”
He added: “While I have been out of front-line politics for the last seven years, I hope that my experience – as conservative leader for 11 years and prime minister for six – will assist me in helping the Prime Minister to meet these vital challenges.”
He said that he “may have disagreed” with some individual decisions of the current government but added “Rishi Sunak is a strong and capable Prime Minister, who is showing exemplary leadership at a difficult time”.
Mr Sunak came into parliament only months before Mr Cameron left, and their relationship is unclear but the two men have separate close friendships with Sir William Hague, who may have acted as a broker for the deal.
Mr Sunak has brought in Mr Cameron, 57, to bolster his government’s solidity, but some backbenchers were immediately highlighting that it showed Mr Sunak had no confidence in his own MP’s to do the job. But bringing in such a senior and experienced politician who initiated the Brexit referendum could re-open still festering Remain-Brexit wounds.
In his time post-politics, Mr Cameron was embroiled in the scandal involving Australian financier Lex Greensill, giving him access to the inner workings of government. Three years after leaving office Mr Cameron became a highly paid adviser to Mr Greensill’s company Greensill Capital, arranging private meetings for Mr Greensill and government ministers and permanent secretaries, before the company’s spectacular collapse in 2020.
Mr Cameron was also criticised for being vice-chair of the £1bn China-UK investment fund. The British parliament’s intelligence and security committee later found that appointment was in part engineered by the Chinese state government.
Mr Sunak has wanted to create a “unity” cabinet to prepare for the election, which has yet to be announced but is expected to be held in the latter stages of 2024.
Mr Cameron, prime minister from May 2010 to July 2016, is not a sitting member of parliament, but Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles made Mr Cameron a life peer, which has enabled his return to the cabinet.
Mr Cameron was last seen at the Remembrance Sunday commemorations, standing alongside other former prime ministers Liz Truss, Boris Johnson, Gordon Brown, Theresa May, Sir Tony Blair and Sir John Major.
Also on Monday, Ms Braverman was sacked as home secretary, a move that was expected just days after she accused the Metropolitan Police of bias without obtaining Downing Street’s consent. She has been replaced by James Cleverly, who has vacated the foreign post for Mr Cameron.
In other moves, Steve Barclay has replaced Liz Truss-ally Therese Coffey as environment secretary; Victoria Atkins assumes Barclay’s health secretary role; Richard Holden is the new conservative party chairman, replacing Greg Hands; Laura Trott is the new chief secretary to the treasury, with John Glen being moved on.
After Saturday’s huge march by pro-Palestinian supporters, and a smaller counter demonstration, Ms Braverman criticised the anti-Semitic messaging seen on the streets of London: ”This can’t go on. Week by week, the streets of London are being polluted by hate, violence, and anti-Semitism … Jewish people in particular feel threatened – further action is necessary.”
Mr Sunak’s ousting of Ms Braverman – speaking what many Tory voters believe – could create difficulties ahead as she may mount a leadership campaign, appealing to the right wing of the Tory party.
In a short message, Ms Braverman said being Home Secretary has been “the greatest privilege of my life’’, adding “I will have more to say in due course’’.
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