Former United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron has returned to Frontline politics as the country's foreign secretary after a break of eight years.

Cameron’s return comes amidst turmoil in the government of the current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, who recently fired his Home Secretary Suella Braverman.

Today we have built a united team ready to deliver the changes this country needs for the long term.

Professionalism, integrity and experience – this is a team that will be bold in making the right decisions for our great country, not the easy ones. pic.twitter.com/5smHSH0sI7

— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) November 13, 2023

Cameroons

Cameron served as Prime Minister between 2010 and 2015 and was the last Conservative Party prime minister to have won two elections, albeit barely, as the first of those governments was a coalition with the Liberal Democrat Party.

He is also arguably the last prime minister to have resigned of his own accord, with all his successors effectively either coming under pressure to resign or being ousted by their party; although Cameron did resign after losing the 2016 Brexit referendum vote despite saying he would remain PM regardless.

With Sunak trailing badly in the polls, Cameron's experience and political nous will likely be a welcome addition to his core leadership team.

But as several political analysts have observed, Cameron comes with a certain amount of foreign policy baggage from his time as prime minister, as the Financial Times notes.

Chief among them is the role he played in first offering a Brexit referendum, then failing to win it, and finally leaving 10 Downing Street after losing despite saying he would remain, something not that everyone has forgiven him for.

Danny Dyer said all I have to say about David Cameron. pic.twitter.com/rh7fUPVMW5

— Femi (@Femi_Sorry) November 13, 2023

Another concern is his attempt to build a closer relationship with China, ushering what he called a "golden era", as described by Bloomberg. However these days China is viewed unfavourably by the British public.

But as a 2010 incident illustrates, even his relationship with China is overstated.

Is this your seat?

There have been further concerns about Cameron not being a Member of Parliament, having resigned his seat in 2016.

Sunak has gotten around this requirement by making Cameron a baron, allowing him to sit in the Upper House of Parliament, the House of Lords.

But as the main legislative body is the lower house, the Commons, and only members of the Commons may address it, Cameron would only have to answer in parliament to other Lords, a more genteel process, as reported by the BBC.

Bravermen

Paving the way for Cameron's return was the sacking of the Home Secretary, the equivalent of Singapore's home affairs minister, Suella Braverman.

Braverman has been a controversial Home Secretary, and this is the second time she's been sacked from the same role in just over a year.

In 2022 she was sacked by then-PM Liz Truss for breaches of the ministerial code by sharing privileged information with another MP.

She was reinstated in the position six days later, after Liz Truss ignominiously resigned, by the incoming Sunak.

But Braverman seemed to be in pursuit of her own goals, often giving speeches at home and abroad that seemed at odds with her government, with persistent whispers that she coveted the PM position, as reported by the Spectator.

Still, Braverman would make odd choices that did not endear her to the public.

Under the Conservative government, in power for 13 years, homelessness has increased.

Braverman proposed laws that would ban charities from distributing tents to the homeless, saying that the government would support those who were "genuinely" homeless, but not those who viewed it as a "lifestyle choice".

This policy was decried by homeless charities, especially in the face of an oncoming winter, as reported by the BBC.

Ides of March

But what likely sealed Braverman's fate was an Op-ed she penned for The Times, alleging that the police was biased when policing demonstrations, and cast doubt over its ability to do so over Remembrance Day, as reported by the Independent.

Remembrance Day falls on Nov. 11, and commemorates the end of the First World War and the fallen. It is marked by solemn ceremonies at London's Cenotaph.

The police report to the Home Secretary, so even if the accusation was true, she would have been responsible for it.

Braverman was instructed to edit significant parts of the Op-ed by Sunak and did not do so, as reported by the Guardian.

This led to an awkward picture of Sunak, the Home Secretary he was about to sack, and the Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, the man who was about to replace her, standing together during the ceremony at the Cenotaph.

We will never forget the sacrifice of those who gave their lives so that we could be free.

It was an honour to pay tribute at the Cenotaph in remembrance of their service. pic.twitter.com/wynL3ldRRv

— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) November 12, 2023

Sunites

There was much speculation as to who would replace Cleverly at the foreign ministry, and the revelation of David Cameron arriving to take up the role sparked some life in the usually jaded British press.

BREAKING: Former PM David Cameron has been seen entering Downing Street amid a government re-shuffle.

Latest 🔗 https://t.co/YV3ggpde5d

📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/8vEjPNnpzK

— Sky News (@SkyNews) November 13, 2023

But after the surprise faded, recriminations began, with critics asking what it meant that in a parliament where the Conservative Party held over 350 seats, not a single one of them was deemed capable of replacing James Cleverly by Sunak.

So, Sunak couldn't find any other Tory MP to fill that post? 350 MPs and he couldn't pick one??

I suspect Suank allies may well feel burned over this. Imagine licking Sunak's rung piece, only to see David Cameron waltzing in. How humiliating. https://t.co/t1Hxyexoet

— Trailer Swift (Original Recording) (@Trailer_Swift69) November 13, 2023

The Sunak government has just over a year left before it must call a general election, one that it is speculated to lose either badly, or extremely badly, as reported by The Independent.

The sacking of Braverman had the potential to be a major news story that would fester over the coming week.

If nothing else, the appointment of Cameron as foreign secretary came as such a surprise that it has taken the wind out of the sails of Braverman's critics and allies, dominating the British press as the main story of the reshuffle, as reported by the BBC.

Even Braverman's fiery resignation letter has caused a stir, but not a conflagration.

The rapidly changing situation appears to have led to some amusing schedule changes, with India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar meeting Cleverly in both his outgoing and incoming roles.

Met UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly at High Commissioner’s reception last evening.

Met UK Home Secretary James Cleverly this evening.

Discussed the importance of mobility, skills and talent in the development of our bilateral cooperation.

Exchanged views on addressing… pic.twitter.com/hnArW4vfXz

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) November 13, 2023

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Top image via Theresa May/X & James Cleverly/X