Former British Prime Minister David Cameron has returned to the cabinet of the UK's Conservative Party government after he was designated by his Downing Street successor, Rishi Sunak, as Foreign Secretary on Monday (November 13).
Cameron - who was prime minister from 2010 to 2016 - replaced James Cleverly in the role. Cleverly himself was redesignated as Home Secretary to replace Suella Braverman, who was dismissed from the role after sparking tensions over Remembrance Weekend.
Braverman previously made statements calling pro-Palestinian protesters "mobs" organizing "hate marches" and also called homelessness a "lifestyle choice."
The Prime Minister has asked me to serve as his Foreign Secretary and I have gladly accepted.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) November 13, 2023
We are facing a daunting set of international challenges, including the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East. At this time of profound global change, it has rarely been more…
"We are facing a daunting set of international challenges, including the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East," Cameron wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
"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."
The Guardian also reported that British Chancellor Jeremy Hunt retained his portfolio, while Will Quince resigned as health minister as he expressed his intention to not contest his seat in the next general election. Quince added that his decision was influenced by his intention to finish his training as a reservist officer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Lord Cameron Returns to Westminster
Since Cameron was no longer a member of the House of Commons after he resigned both as prime minister and MP in 2016, he was given a peerage in order to sit in the House of Lords, the upper house of the British parliament.
Sunak's office in Number 10 additionally said on Monday that King Charles III approved giving Cameron a life peerage as a Tory lord.
Reuters reported that Cameron's return to politics came after he spent the last seven years writing his memoirs and involving himself in business, including Greensill Capital, a finance firm that later collapsed.
Greensill's downfall sparked questions about the extent to which former leaders could use their status to influence government policy after Cameron repeatedly contacted senior ministers in 2020 to lobby for the firm.
