In a surprise move, Rishi Sunak appointed David Cameron as the new Foreign Secretary in a major reshuffle of the government in a bid to reduce his Conservative Party’s deficit in the opinion polls. Cameron, a former prime minister who resigned in 2016 after the Brexit referendum, will join the House of Lords, on Monday, the 13th of November, reports Politico.
Rishi Sunak began reshuffling the government on Monday by sacking Home Secretary Suella Braverman. She will be replaced by James Cleverly, who was previously Foreign Secretary.
David Cameron’s unexpected return to government on Monday caused a stir in Westminster and in the Conservative Party. It is a rare case, the first since the 1970s, of a former prime minister taking a post in the cabinet of the next prime minister.
In response to his appointment, David Cameron pledged the UK’s commitment to supporting allies, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring a strong national voice. Despite previous disagreements,
Cameron expressed his confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
and reaffirmed his commitment to contribute to the security and prosperity of the country as part of a strong team in the forthcoming general election.
Although both are seen as Tory centrists, Cameron and Sunak were on opposite sides in the 2016 Brexit referendum. Cameron’s reputation as a critic of the current prime minister’s decisions suffered in 2021 due to a lobbying scandal. His foreign policy record, including a “Golden Era” with China, is a source of controversy among some Conservatives.
Read also: Rishi Sunak becomes Britain’s new prime minister
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