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Rishi Sunak on Monday stunned Westminster by restoring David Cameron to the political frontline as foreign secretary, in a dramatic reshuffle that included the sacking of controversial home secretary Suella Braverman.
The moderate James Cleverly, who was foreign secretary, replaced Braverman at the Home Office, in a clear shift by the UK prime minister towards the centre ground that alarmed some on the right of the Conservative party.
The biggest surprise came when Cameron, who has played virtually no political role since quitting as prime minister after the 2016 Brexit vote, was handed the post of foreign secretary. Jeremy Hunt remains as chancellor.
Sunak used his Tory party conference speech last month to promise to be the “change” prime minister; now he has turned to his centrist predecessor for help.
With the Conservatives trailing Labour by more than 20 points in opinion polls, the reshuffle represents Sunak’s last throw of the dice in terms of building a team ahead of the next election.
The move of the emollient Cleverly to the Home Office and the restoration of Cameron, a classic Home Counties Tory, suggests Sunak has decided to present a less abrasive face to the public. Cameron will become a life peer.
Cameron, Tory prime minister between 2010 and 2016, was recently at the centre of the biggest lobbying scandal in Britain for decades when the Financial Times revealed he had secretly lobbied former colleagues in government on behalf of his employer Greensill Capital.
He also spent several years after leaving Downing Street trying to set up a $1bn UK-China investment fund, but by 2021 the project was mothballed amid worsening relations between Beijing and London.
Pat McFadden, Labour’s campaign chief, said: “This puts to bed the prime minister’s laughable claim to offer change from 13 years of Tory failure.”
Braverman’s sacking has upset some rightwing Conservative MPs, but Sunak’s allies believe the political fallout can be contained. “She hasn’t got an army behind her,” said one.
The home secretary was sacked after she wrote an article last week accusing the police of bias. Downing Street said it had not “been cleared”. Braverman’s allies on Sunday night described Number 10 as “clowns”.
The acrimonious nature of her departure suggests Braverman may now mount a campaign for a future party leadership bid from the backbenches, supported by members of the rightwing Common Sense Group of Tory MPs.
The Supreme Court will rule on Wednesday on her plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. If it is deemed unlawful, Braverman will probably renew her calls for Britain to quit the European Convention on Human Rights.
Braverman said: “It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve as home secretary. I will have more to say in due course.”
Sunak will portray the moves as a chance to promote younger ministers and clear out some underperforming members of the cabinet ahead of an election expected next year.
“Today Rishi Sunak strengthens his team in government to deliver long-term decisions for a brighter future,” the Conservative party said on social media platform X.
Thérèse Coffey announced her resignation as environment secretary, while health secretary Steve Barclay was also seen in Downing Street and is expected to be moved.
Laura Trott, pensions minister, and Richard Holden, transport minister, are among those tipped for promotion.
Braverman’s sacking comes after she prompted widespread anger with her comments on rough sleeping being a “lifestyle choice” and criticism of the Metropolitan Police’s handling of pro-Palestinian protests in recent days.
It also comes just 13 months after she was forced to resign from the same job by then prime minister Liz Truss for a technical security breach in which she used her personal email to send information relating to government business.
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