Sunak fires hardliner – ex-PM celebrates surprise comeback
David Cameron has been appointed as the new Foreign Secretary under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak – shortly after the sacking of previous Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
Back on the big political stage for David Cameron: His return to government is a big surprise.
Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth (AP/Keystone)
Conservative British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has appointed former Prime Minister David Cameron as the country’s Foreign Secretary. The government headquarters at 10 Downing Street in London made the announcement on Monday. Cameron replaces James Cleverley with recently sacked Home Secretary Suella Braverman taking over. So Cameron should also be appointed to the British House of Lords.
Sunak earlier sacked his controversial home secretary. The right-wing politician has caused controversy several times in the conservative prime minister’s cabinet recently. Among other things, he accused the police of being blind in the left eye and tolerating law-breaking by pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
An essay in which he criticized the police is now his undoing: Suella Braverman.
Photo: APA
In recent days he has described demonstrators as “pro-Palestinian mobs”. He accused the “pack” and “Islamists” of organizing actual “hate marches” through London, which the police had to stop. Right-wing protesters clashed with police officers in London over the weekend. Critics accused Braverman of inciting anxiety.
Remembrance Day in London yesterday: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pushed for controversial Braverman’s sacking. A day later he replied.
Photo: AP/Keystone
Sunak’s spokesman confirmed last week that he made the allegations in a guest column in The Times without consulting the Prime Minister’s Office. So this move was expected.
Braverman: “I’ll have more to say soon”
“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve as Home Minister. “I’ll say more soon,” Braverman said.
As expected, he is seen as a promising candidate for the party leadership if the Conservatives lose the election. There was speculation that he wanted to establish himself as the party’s right-wing candidate through police scolding and other statements — and may even want to deliberately oust him.
He has caused quite a stir in the past with his right-wing populist initiatives. He once described his dream of seeing a plane carrying asylum seekers take off for Rwanda. The British government wants to deport asylum-seekers from all over the country in the future, without examining their asylum applications – instead, requiring people to seek asylum in the East African country and stay there. But so far it has failed due to opposition from the courts. A ruling by the Supreme Court, Great Britain’s highest court, is expected on Wednesday.
Former Foreign Minister takes over
Braverman’s ouster coincides with a major cabinet reshuffle. As Secretary of State James brilliantly took Braverman’s post, Cameron became the brilliant successor.
Cameron was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016 and Party Leader from 2005 to 2016. Cameron resigned as Prime Minister in 2016 after Britain’s EU membership referendum. Unlike Cameron, Prime Minister Sunak campaigned for Brexit.
In a lengthy statement on Twitter, Cameron wrote that as foreign secretary he wanted to focus on supporting allies and strengthening partnerships. He also praised Sunak as an able Prime Minister who exhibits exemplary leadership qualities.
Cameron’s return to such a high-profile political position is unusual. The former Prime Minister is also not a Member of Parliament. Mr Sunak’s office said Cameron would have a seat in the House of Lords.
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