Is David Cameron an MP and how can he be in the Cabinet?
DAVID CAMERON has made a surprise return to politics seven years after stepping down as Prime Minister.
The former MP’s comeback was announced as part of a huge shake up to Rishi Sunak‘s cabinet in November 2023.
Is David Cameron an MP?
David Cameron is not an MP, having resigned as MP to Witney in 2016.
The politician, who has had four children with wife Samantha, had served as a constituency MP since 2001.
Cameron left his MP role at the same he quit as Prime Minister – the morning after the UK voted for Brexit on June 23, 2016.
His reign as PM was, of course, defined by the results of the EU referendum, after he decided to call for the vote.
Cameron himself campaigned for the UK to remain as part of the union, but the country voted to leave with a 52 percent majority.
How can David Cameron be in the Cabinet if he is not an MP?
Cameron is no longer an elected politician but has been made a peer in the House of Lords to allow him to return to Cabinet.
The former PM was granted a peerage by King Charles on the morning of November 13, 2023.
This allowed him to take over the role of Foreign Secretary from James Cleverly, who replaced Suella Braverman as Home Secretary.
Cameron, who retired as one of youngest ex-PMs in history – will no doubt have jumped at the chance to be back in the thick of UK politics.
In 2018 he is said to have told friends he was “bored s***less” without his political career, and even had his eye on a comeback to a top job.
Why was Suella Braverman sacked as Home Secretary?
Braverman left her role as Home Secretary for the second time on November 13, 2023.
She said in a brief statement at the time: “It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve as Home Secretary.
“I will have more to say in due course.”
Her firing came after an article she wrote for The Times sparked outrage amongst the public, her political rivals, and even members of the Tory party.
In the controversial piece, written ahead of the November 11 pro-Palestine march in London, Braverman accused the Met Police of favouring left wing protesters.
Her comments sparked backlash and, after the protest saw far-right thugs clashing with police and protesters, they were blamed by critics of Braverman for inciting violence.
It was also reported that Sunak had actually requested edits to be made to the piece before it was published but these requests were ignored.
The Prime Minister was said to be “livid” over Braverman’s apparent breach of Downing Street’s ministerial code.
Braverman, who has been replaced by Cleverly, held the role of Home Secretary twice within just 14 months.
She was briefly appointed to the job by Liz Truss in September 2022 but stepped down the following month after using her personal email for official business.
Sunak then swiftly re-appointed her once he became Prime Minister.