David Cameron exited Downing Street seven years ago when his Brexit move backfired
David Cameron, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has been appointed as the foreign secretary in a surprise move while reshuffling the cabinet. The reshuffling took place under the direct orders of the current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who made the former prime minister make a comeback to frontline politics.
David Cameron exited Downing Street seven years ago when his Brexit move backfired. He made a big bet on holding the referendum on Brexit that failed and ultimately led to his resignation, bringing his six-year term to an end.
David Cameron’s political career was saved under a royal decree. British law requires that only the present MPs or members of the House of Lords can attain the chairs as government ministers. But in 2016, when Cameron resigned, King Charles III raised him as a Lord, concealing his fate as a life peer and allowing his resumption as a foreign secretary.
David Cameron’s appointment as the foreign secretary by PM Sunak himself at the start of the week sent a euphoric wave amongst the centrist wing of the Conservative Party. They are of the viewpoint that Britain required a familiar face on the global forum and also someone who could prove to be an asset during the elections.
The opposition is, as always, not happy, criticising the decision of appointment of someone whose policies led to his resignation. His leadership abilities are questioned, and his appointment is labelled as a desperate act to save the government. The recent opinion polls displayed a fallback of 20 points with an upcoming election in the coming year.
Lord Cameron was appointed to the House of Lords on Monday after a job offer only last week. The ex-PM would be working in one of the most significant portfolios in the cabinet. The critics were having a tough time gulping down the news while the Lord took upon his responsibilities to conduct the official duties.
The Foreign Office said that Cameron held a call with Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, and reaffirmed the long-term partnership and strength of the US-UK relations. They also discussed the situations of the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict, humanitarian halts for the safe passage of Gaza civilians, and Israel’s right to self-defence.
Cabinet reshuffle
The cabinet reshuffle is looked upon as Sunak’s attempts to solidify his position and ensure the future of his Conservative Party, which is 20 points behind the Labour Party.
Suella Braverman was dismissed over her criticism of the Metropolitan Police. Her dismissal was the result of her written op-ed published in The Times, where she accused the London police of sidelining orders from Downing Street and being politically biased during protests. She has been the centre for controversial remarks since long ago over her plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda and calling homelessness a lifestyle choice.
James Cleverly, former foreign secretary, was appointed as the new interior minister, Braverman’s successor. There also came a resignation from Therese Coffey, the Environment Minister. Steve Barclay, the ex-health minister, was roped into cover Coffey’s absence while Victoria Atkins took upon his old job.
Youngest PM
David Cameron was Britain’s youngest prime minister in over two centuries and also the first one to head a coalition government since WWII. He had a different approach to restructuring his party by supporting modern thoughts like same-sex marriage and climate change issues.
But he made a grave mistake that cost him his career. He isolated most of his party’s right-wing allies who wanted to realise Brexit. His appointment has angered those who backed Brexit, but there’s more burden ahead.
David Cameron was criticised by a parliamentary committee for lobbying ministers and senior officials for Greenshill, a supply chain finance that later filed for insolvency protection in 2021. He garnered support from his prime ministerial successor, Theresa May, that his experience in global affairs would be invaluable.