Rishi Sunak, the prime minister of the United Kingdom (UK), has made a surprising move by bringing back his predecessor David Cameron as his new foreign secretary, as part of a wider cabinet reshuffle that saw the ousting of the home secretary following a controversial article.
Mr Cameron, who was the UK’s leader from 2010 to 2016, will join the upper house of the British parliament as a baron so he can take up one of the most senior roles in government.
The surprise move marks a dramatic comeback for the Conservative veteran, who has been embroiled in a lobbying scandal over his work for the collapsed finance firm Greensill.
Mr Sunak said he was “delighted” to welcome Mr Cameron back to the cabinet, praising his “immense experience and expertise” on the global stage.
He said Mr Cameron would be “a strong voice for Britain” and “a key partner” in delivering his vision for the country.
The prime minister of UK also announced that James Cleverly, the former foreign office minister, would replace Suella Braverman as home secretary, after she was fired over her controversial article accusing the police of bias in handling pro-Palestinian protests.
A source close to Mr Sunak said he had asked Ms Braverman “to leave government and she has accepted”, adding that Mr Cleverly would bring “energy and drive” to the Home Office.
READ MORE
The reshuffle, which Mr Sunak said would “strengthen his team in government to deliver long-term decisions for a brighter future”, also saw changes in other key departments, such as health, education and defence.
However, the return of Mr Cameron Fomer UK minister overshadowed the other moves, as it sparked a furious reaction from the opposition parties and some Conservative MPs.
Labour, the main opposition party, said the appointment of Mr Cameron, who has criticised Mr Sunak’s decision to scrap a high-speed rail project in northern England, made the prime minister’s claim to be the change candidate “laughable”.
Keir Starmer, Labour’s leader, said: “A few weeks ago Rishi Sunak said David Cameron was part of a failed status quo – now he’s bringing him back as his life raft.”
The Liberal Democrats, a smaller opposition party, said Mr Cameron’s peerage should be blocked given his “shady past” – highlighting his role in the Greensill lobbying scandal.
The party’s foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran said Mr Sunak’s surprise move had the “stench of desperation”, adding “Handing him a peerage makes a mockery of our honours system. Cameron’s peerage should be blocked given his shady past.”
Mr Cameron’s work lobbying for government loans for the failed finance firm Greensill sparked a scandal in 2021. The former Conservative leader admitted he should have communicated with ministers via “formal channels” rather than through text and WhatsApp.
King Charles, the British monarch of UK, has handed Mr Cameron the “dignity of a Barony”, the prime minister’s office said on the hastily-awarded peerage that allows him to take up the foreign secretary role.
Lord Cameron has strongly criticised Mr Sunak’s move to scrap the high-speed rail project in northern England at the recent Conservative conference in Manchester – saying the “wrong” decision meant a “once-in-a-generation opportunity was lost”.
But, in his first words in his new role, the new foreign secretary said that while “I may have disagreed with some individual decisions” made by Mr Sunak, he said the current Conservative leader was “a strong and capable prime minister, who is showing exemplary leadership at a difficult time”.
Theresa May, a former Conservative prime minister of UK, congratulated Mr Cameron on his return to government.
“His immense experience on the international stage will be invaluable at this time of great uncertainty in our world. Looking forward to working together again!” She tweeted. #UK