Cameron made Foreign Secretary...a full on rejoiner.... what a snub to the natcon, brexiteer, erg crowd.... is this a precursor to the party splitting? It is such an antagonistic move.....
"With the fraught negotiations over Brexit continuing to embroil British politics, the nation's former prime minister, David Cameron, says his "greatest regret" is that those who advocated to stay in the EU lost the vote"
As with all things Sunak, this move is all about getting short-term headlines (in this case, a dead cat distracting from the Suella Sacking) and electoral positioning vs. Labour.
It's not a move about good government or setting the scene after the next GE. Will be hard to be FSec in the Lords during two wars.
Once the novelty wears off, this might be a source of ongoing trouble.
When was the last time a major cabinet position was held by someone not in the HoC?
Lord Carrington: Foreign Secretary until 5 April 1982.
For the other Great Offices of State:
The Earl of Rosebery was PM until 22 June 1895 The Marquess of Normanby was Home Secretary until 13 March 1839 Lord Denman was the last peer to be CoE (acting) in 1834.
This update is brought to you by Wiki Research Services Inc.
Cameron made Foreign Secretary...a full on rejoiner.... what a snub to the natcon, brexiteer, erg crowd.... is this a precursor to the party splitting? It is such an antagonistic move.....
"With the fraught negotiations over Brexit continuing to embroil British politics, the nation's former prime minister, David Cameron, says his "greatest regret" is that those who advocated to stay in the EU lost the vote"
..... will the party survive this??? I see drama ahead.... holy cow. Crack out the popcorn
Dave resigned after he lost the referendum as it undermined such a central plank of his platform, but I've never heard him join any sort of calls to rejoin.
Cameron pretending he thinks Brexit is a great idea will be amusing.
He will of course say as everyone knows I didn't agree with Brexit but it is my job to ensure the UK prospers....good relations....neighbours....all europeans....blah, blah.
And so much the better to have someone sensible as our FS rather than someone who actually dislikes them. Not that I think Cleverly did, that said.
First statement if not visit? Has to be Middle East. Expect it to be well-judged.
Cameron made Foreign Secretary...a full on rejoiner.... what a snub to the natcon, brexiteer, erg crowd.... is this a precursor to the party splitting? It is such an antagonistic move.....
"With the fraught negotiations over Brexit continuing to embroil British politics, the nation's former prime minister, David Cameron, says his "greatest regret" is that those who advocated to stay in the EU lost the vote"
..... will the party survive this??? I see drama ahead.... holy cow. Crack out the popcorn
Dave resigned after he lost the referendum as it undermined such a central plank of his platform, but I've never heard him join any sort of calls to rejoin.
That was my reaction as well. I don't think Cameron is a rejoiner. And he was also a Eurosceptic (though not a Europhobe).
I'm in the dentist waiting room. They've got Sky News on the TV. Kay Burley and some other fella sitting on the sofa heads down, reading stuff off their phones. No wonder I don't watch live telly anymore.
I do like Ed Balls. Can we not have him as Mayor of London, over the execrable Khan? Please?
He is box office, excellent. However he would never take the mayoral job – the money isn't good enough. He earns a decent crust through his media work.
Cameron made Foreign Secretary...a full on rejoiner.... what a snub to the natcon, brexiteer, erg crowd.... is this a precursor to the party splitting? It is such an antagonistic move.....
"With the fraught negotiations over Brexit continuing to embroil British politics, the nation's former prime minister, David Cameron, says his "greatest regret" is that those who advocated to stay in the EU lost the vote"
..... will the party survive this??? I see drama ahead.... holy cow. Crack out the popcorn
Dave resigned after he lost the referendum as it undermined such a central plank of his platform, but I've never heard him join any sort of calls to rejoin.
That was my reaction as well. I don't think Cameron is a rejoiner. And he was also a Eurosceptic (though not a Europhobe).
Wasn't Cameron overheard saying something like "Brexit isn't as bad as we thought it would be"? Not exactly a ringing endorsement but it does feel like the world has moved on.
What happened to Sunak's: "We’ve had thirty years of a political system that incentivises the easy decision, not the right one. Thirty years of vested interests standing in the way of change. Thirty years of rhetorical ambition which achieves little more than a short-term headline."?
I'm in the dentist waiting room. They've got Sky News on the TV. Kay Burley and some other fella sitting on the sofa heads down, reading stuff off their phones. No wonder I don't watch live telly anymore.
They were taking it in turns to read out Lord Cameron's long statement and wondering when he'd had written it.
As with all things Sunak, this move is all about getting short-term headlines (in this case, a dead cat distracting from the Suella Sacking) and electoral positioning vs. Labour.
It's not a move about good government or setting the scene after the next GE. Will be hard to be FSec in the Lords during two wars.
Once the novelty wears off, this might be a source of ongoing trouble.
Yes, I agree
It is pleasingly surprising - we all enjoy political theatre - but in the end it won’t do anything. It’s too late. This really is sacking the trombonist on the Titanic (as I said earlier) and replacing her with a robot elephant on Moog synthesiser
It will distract and maybe even amuse. But the band will likely get worse, and the ship is still decidedly sinking
When was the last time a major cabinet position was held by someone not in the HoC?
Lord Carrington: Foreign Secretary until 5 April 1982.
For the other Great Offices of State:
The Earl of Rosebery was PM until 22 June 1895 The Marquess of Normanby was Home Secretary until 13 March 1839 Lord Denman was the last peer to be CoE (acting) in 1834.
This update is brought to you by Wiki Research Services Inc.
I wonder if something happened on 4 April 1982 to convince them that FS was not a job for a superannuated old fool?
As others have said, it's rather telling that Sunak doesn't think any of his 350 MPs are up to the job of Foreign Secretary. I suspect some of the more ambitious may feel rather snubbed.
When was the last time a major cabinet position was held by someone not in the HoC?
Lord Carrington: Foreign Secretary until 5 April 1982.
For the other Great Offices of State:
The Earl of Rosebery was PM until 22 June 1895 The Marquess of Normanby was Home Secretary until 13 March 1839 Lord Denman was the last peer to be CoE (acting) in 1834.
This update is brought to you by Wiki Research Services Inc.
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Cameron made Foreign Secretary...a full on rejoiner.... what a snub to the natcon, brexiteer, erg crowd.... is this a precursor to the party splitting? It is such an antagonistic move.....
"With the fraught negotiations over Brexit continuing to embroil British politics, the nation's former prime minister, David Cameron, says his "greatest regret" is that those who advocated to stay in the EU lost the vote"
..... will the party survive this??? I see drama ahead.... holy cow. Crack out the popcorn
Dave resigned after he lost the referendum as it undermined such a central plank of his platform, but I've never heard him join any sort of calls to rejoin.
That was my reaction as well. I don't think Cameron is a rejoiner. And he was also a Eurosceptic (though not a Europhobe).
Wasn't Cameron overheard saying something like "Brexit isn't as bad as we thought it would be"? Not exactly a ringing endorsement but it does feel like the world has moved on.
"I keep saying, it's a mistake not a disaster" was, IIRC, the line.
Well, colour me stumped. I didn't think she'd get sacked.
And whilst I broadly liked Cameron, and think ex PMs being properly involved in politics is not a bad idea, that's a bizarre appointment for all sorts of reasons.
Sunak sacking Suella, Bad Enoch, Coffey and recruiting a few people who are in possession of more than one brain cell is surprising. I agree with @isam that it will move the needle a bit. A wholesale purge of the populist right.
Though I may have disagreed with some individual decisions, it is clear to me that Rishi Sunak is a strong and capable Prime Minister, who is showing exemplary leadership at a difficult time.
When was the last time a major cabinet position was held by someone not in the HoC?
Lord Carrington: Foreign Secretary until 5 April 1982.
For the other Great Offices of State:
The Earl of Rosebery was PM until 22 June 1895 The Marquess of Normanby was Home Secretary until 13 March 1839 Lord Denman was the last peer to be CoE (acting) in 1834.
This update is brought to you by Wiki Research Services Inc.
I wonder if something happened on 4 April 1982 to convince them that FS was not a job for a superannuated old fool?
Yes, a momentous event. A cabinet minister took responsibility for a f*ck-up and resigned as a point of honour.
An unelected PM appointing as, an unelected, Foreign Secretary the man who cratered our international alliances and closet political and trading relationships, of decades of diplomacy and statecraft, because he was scared of his nutters, the swivel-eyed xenophobic nostalgics hankering for a return of Empire.
You think the Tories can’t get any lower but they always, somehow, manage it.
A damning indictment of the state of the party. The lack of quality on the backbenches and the deep divisions within the party as a whole are clear. Wasn’t Brexit meant to bring the party together?
Sunak sacking Suella, Bad Enoch, Coffey and recruiting a few people who are in possession of more than one brain cell is surprising. I agree with @isam that it will move the needle a bit. A wholesale purge of the populist right.
Possibly - I haven't looked in detail - would have been a decent first cabinet to mark the change from Johnson and Truss. Too late now though, I think. People were willing to give Sunak a chance, but he's made too many mistakes now.
I'm in the dentist waiting room. They've got Sky News on the TV. Kay Burley and some other fella sitting on the sofa heads down, reading stuff off their phones. No wonder I don't watch live telly anymore.
I wondered why you were at the dentist with Kay Burley until I read it again...
Conversation in my (middle class, fairly politically attuned) office: 'well who the leader of the party is is quite important, isn't it? Labour had it bad a couple of years back, didn't they, with the old guy who nobody liked' [pause while the three of them scrabble unsuccessfully for the name of Jeremy Corbyn] Always quite sobering to realise how little attention most people pay to politics.
It takes a certain type of Labour hack to think that Braverman being replaced by Cameron is good news for Labour!
Braverman is being replaced by Cleverly.
While I'm not a Labour hack, I do think this is a net neutral for Labour. While it does indicate a tack to the centre, that will bring back some centrist Tory voters, in recent years Foreign Sec has been distinctly lower profile than in the past, and reinserting an ex-PM doesn't exactly scream "change" or "fresh ideas".
Cameron made Foreign Secretary...a full on rejoiner.... what a snub to the natcon, brexiteer, erg crowd.... is this a precursor to the party splitting? It is such an antagonistic move.....
"With the fraught negotiations over Brexit continuing to embroil British politics, the nation's former prime minister, David Cameron, says his "greatest regret" is that those who advocated to stay in the EU lost the vote"
..... will the party survive this??? I see drama ahead.... holy cow. Crack out the popcorn
Dave resigned after he lost the referendum as it undermined such a central plank of his platform, but I've never heard him join any sort of calls to rejoin.
That was my reaction as well. I don't think Cameron is a rejoiner. And he was also a Eurosceptic (though not a Europhobe).
Wasn't Cameron overheard saying something like "Brexit isn't as bad as we thought it would be"? Not exactly a ringing endorsement but it does feel like the world has moved on.
When you've predicted WW3, things tend to surprise on the up side. You hope.
It takes a certain type of Labour hack to think that Braverman being replaced by Cameron is good news for Labour!
Strictly speaking she’s been replaced by Cleverly.
The net effect of this reshuffle today is clearly positive for the Conservatives. The long term impacts remain to be seen: if it triggers a right wing revolt then it may damage Sunak, but I’m not sure it will.
Cleverly just needs to do a half decent job for a year and he’s then odds on for next Tory leader.
Cameron made Foreign Secretary...a full on rejoiner.... what a snub to the natcon, brexiteer, erg crowd.... is this a precursor to the party splitting? It is such an antagonistic move.....
"With the fraught negotiations over Brexit continuing to embroil British politics, the nation's former prime minister, David Cameron, says his "greatest regret" is that those who advocated to stay in the EU lost the vote"
..... will the party survive this??? I see drama ahead.... holy cow. Crack out the popcorn
Dave resigned after he lost the referendum as it undermined such a central plank of his platform, but I've never heard him join any sort of calls to rejoin.
I do like Ed Balls. Can we not have him as Mayor of London, over the execrable Khan? Please?
He is box office, excellent. However he would never take the mayoral job – the money isn't good enough. He earns a decent crust through his media work.
Does he need the money that much? Besides, the mayor makes £155k a year and soon his wife will be a Cabinet Minister again, so the household income won’t exactly be meagre
And he is still quite young and obviously political. He must miss the cut and thrust compared to silly TV gigs. And, finally, he’d save us from ANOTHER term of the intolerably boring Khan
Probably too late to save the election of course but I welcome Cameron back to the party - he respresents the centre ground and they need their toes back on it!
Today’s decision on HS2 is the wrong one. It will help to fuel the views of those who argue that we can no longer think or act for the long-term as a country; that we are heading in the wrong direction...
"The Prime Minister has asked me to serve as his Foreign Secretary and I have gladly accepted.
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 important for this country to stand by our allies, strengthen our partnerships and make sure our voice is heard.
While I have been out of front-line politics for the last seven years, I hope that my experience – as Conservative Leader for eleven years and Prime Minister for six – will assist me in helping the Prime Minister to meet these vital challenges.
Britain is a truly international country. Our people live all over the world and our businesses trade in every corner of the globe. Working to help ensure stability and security on the global stage is both essential and squarely in our national interest. International security is vital for our domestic security.
Though I may have disagreed with some individual decisions, it is clear to me that Rishi Sunak is a strong and capable Prime Minister, who is showing exemplary leadership at a difficult time. I want to help him to deliver the security and prosperity our country needs and be part of the strongest possible team that serves the United Kingdom and that can be presented to the country when the General Election is held.
I believe in public service. That is what first motivated me to get involved in politics in the 1980s, to work in government in the 1990s, become a Member of Parliament in the 2000s and put myself forward as Party Leader and Prime Minister.
The UK’s Foreign Office, our Diplomatic Service, our Intelligence Services and our Aid and Development capabilities are some of the finest assets of their kind anywhere in the world. I know from my time in office that they are staffed by brilliant, patriotic and hard-working people. They have been well led by James Cleverly, with whom I look forward to working in his vital new role.
It will be an honour to serve our country alongside our dedicated FCDO staff and provide the continued leadership and support that they deserve."
Sunak sacking Suella, Bad Enoch, Coffey and recruiting a few people who are in possession of more than one brain cell is surprising. I agree with @isam that it will move the needle a bit. A wholesale purge of the populist right.
Truly I don’t think it will move the dial one iota, except if anything more to Labour.
How so? Because such a massive shake up of the high offices of state 12 months before the election tells most people what they already knew: that this government is out of control and shambolic.
The only people who will see beyond that are the very few nerdy types on here (me incl.) who see someone like DC as a sensible choice.
But this has all been, and is, catastrophic for the party and their fortunes at the next election.
It takes a certain type of Labour hack to think that Braverman being replaced by Cameron is good news for Labour!
Braverman is being replaced by Cleverly.
While I'm not a Labour hack, I do think this is a net neutral for Labour. While it does indicate a tack to the centre, that will bring back some centrist Tory voters, in recent years Foreign Sec has been distinctly lower profile than in the past, and reinserting an ex-PM doesn't exactly scream "change" or "fresh ideas".
I'm not sure foreign affairs wins you votes even if it can cost you vote. Especially when Labour are sensible now.
As with all things Sunak, this move is all about getting short-term headlines (in this case, a dead cat distracting from the Suella Sacking) and electoral positioning vs. Labour.
It's not a move about good government or setting the scene after the next GE. Will be hard to be FSec in the Lords during two wars.
Once the novelty wears off, this might be a source of ongoing trouble.
Labour will doubtless be trawling Cameron's record on Foreign Policy (wrong on China & Middle East; questionable on Europe) and also his business record (Greensill and Covid VIP pipelines).
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
An unelected PM appointing as, an unelected, Foreign Secretary the man who cratered our international alliances and closet political and trading relationships, of decades of diplomacy and statecraft, because he was scared of his nutters, the swivel-eyed xenophobic nostalgics hankering for a return of Empire.
You think the Tories can’t get any lower but they always, somehow, manage it.
A damning indictment of the state of the party. The lack of quality on the backbenches and the deep divisions within the party as a whole are clear. Wasn’t Brexit meant to bring the party together?
For God’s sake give us an election.
TBF Dave did win both a leadership election and two general elections (well, one anyway) as leader, which is more than can be said for his new boss.
I do like Ed Balls. Can we not have him as Mayor of London, over the execrable Khan? Please?
He is box office, excellent. However he would never take the mayoral job – the money isn't good enough. He earns a decent crust through his media work.
Does he need the money that much? Besides, the mayor makes £155k a year and soon his wife will be a Cabinet Minister again, so the household income won’t exactly be meagre
And he is still quite young and obviously political. He must miss the cut and thrust compared to silly TV gigs. And, finally, he’d save us from ANOTHER term of the intolerably boring Khan
Lots don't need more money but still grasp every opportunity to get more.
Though I may have disagreed with some individual decisions, it is clear to me that Rishi Sunak is a strong and capable Prime Minister, who is showing exemplary leadership..
The last time a peer was Foreign Secretary Argentina invaded the Falklands and gifted the sitting Tory PM with a poll boost and an election victory. This occurred to me immediately and I imagine it's occurred to Sunak too. Will the Argies play ball though? If they don't all he's left with is a peer as Foreign Secretary.
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
Where is the idea that people like David Cameron coming from? Labour voters don't like him, Lib Dem voters don't like him, I don't even know if the majority of Tory voters still like him (their golden boy is still Johnson).
Cameron made Foreign Secretary...a full on rejoiner.... what a snub to the natcon, brexiteer, erg crowd.... is this a precursor to the party splitting? It is such an antagonistic move.....
"With the fraught negotiations over Brexit continuing to embroil British politics, the nation's former prime minister, David Cameron, says his "greatest regret" is that those who advocated to stay in the EU lost the vote"
..... will the party survive this??? I see drama ahead.... holy cow. Crack out the popcorn
Dave resigned after he lost the referendum as it undermined such a central plank of his platform, but I've never heard him join any sort of calls to rejoin.
That was my reaction as well. I don't think Cameron is a rejoiner. And he was also a Eurosceptic (though not a Europhobe).
Wasn't Cameron overheard saying something like "Brexit isn't as bad as we thought it would be"? Not exactly a ringing endorsement but it does feel like the world has moved on.
"I keep saying, it's a mistake not a disaster" was, IIRC, the line.
Possibly said a few years ago when it might have been true
It takes a certain type of Labour hack to think that Braverman being replaced by Cameron is good news for Labour!
Strictly speaking she’s been replaced by Cleverly.
The net effect of this reshuffle today is clearly positive for the Conservatives. The long term impacts remain to be seen: if it triggers a right wing revolt then it may damage Sunak, but I’m not sure it will.
Cleverly just needs to do a half decent job for a year and he’s then odds on for next Tory leader.
Yes, this is fair. Braveman out, Cameron in is clearly a move to the centre, which is what the Tories desperately need.
Lol at Balls calling Owen Jones 'intellectually second rate' (which is generous) on GMB.
I don’t actually think Owen Jones is intellectually second rate. But he has turned into an insufferably self-regarding twat, so it’s fun to see him squashed
Really? I don't think he's that smart at all. His books are a right mess, probably because he can't parlay an 800 word opinion piece into a proper coherent argument.
I do like Ed Balls. Can we not have him as Mayor of London, over the execrable Khan? Please?
He is box office, excellent. However he would never take the mayoral job – the money isn't good enough. He earns a decent crust through his media work.
Does he need the money that much? Besides, the mayor makes £155k a year and soon his wife will be a Cabinet Minister again, so the household income won’t exactly be meagre
And he is still quite young and obviously political. He must miss the cut and thrust compared to silly TV gigs. And, finally, he’d save us from ANOTHER term of the intolerably boring Khan
He's also a part time lecturer at Harvard isn't he ? Recently co-published a paper on regional economic inequalities in the UK, with some interesting analysis of how they might be addressed.
Cameron made Foreign Secretary...a full on rejoiner.... what a snub to the natcon, brexiteer, erg crowd.... is this a precursor to the party splitting? It is such an antagonistic move.....
"With the fraught negotiations over Brexit continuing to embroil British politics, the nation's former prime minister, David Cameron, says his "greatest regret" is that those who advocated to stay in the EU lost the vote"
..... will the party survive this??? I see drama ahead.... holy cow. Crack out the popcorn
Dave resigned after he lost the referendum as it undermined such a central plank of his platform, but I've never heard him join any sort of calls to rejoin.
Good! She’s gone! Now, Rishi, face up to the ERG. If they don’t like it, let them join Reform and see if anyone other than corrupt policemen, taxi drivers and football hooligans vote for them.
I do like Ed Balls. Can we not have him as Mayor of London, over the execrable Khan? Please?
He is box office, excellent. However he would never take the mayoral job – the money isn't good enough. He earns a decent crust through his media work.
Does he need the money that much? Besides, the mayor makes £155k a year and soon his wife will be a Cabinet Minister again, so the household income won’t exactly be meagre
And he is still quite young and obviously political. He must miss the cut and thrust compared to silly TV gigs. And, finally, he’d save us from ANOTHER term of the intolerably boring Khan
Lots don't need more money but still grasp every opportunity to get more.
Ed Balls was one of those ministers the public loved to hate. He only achieved national treasure status after Strictly.
I still cannot understand the choice given i doubt the party base likes Cameron, and him at the FCO won't presage a talk to the centre domestically, on top of the poor look of not being able to find a single MP to do the job.
Just a case of wanting to minimise a reshuffle?
In any case bravo Rishi, for baffling me so effectively.
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
It certainly seems to be working as a variant of dead cat. Cameron is more newsworthy than Suella’s sacking.
I’ve always thought FS would be by far the most enjoyable cabinet post, and the least risky. If things go really wrong in foreign affairs it’s the PM who gets the blame. There’s no BMA or police federation or teachers’ unions to piss off, and you’re not on the front line of spending arguments.
Home Sec must by contrast be the worst job. If I were Cleverly I’d be a bit annoyed.
Iain Martin @iainmartin1 · 15m Sacked Suella Braverman departs, presumably headed for GB News. What is much more likely than Braverman becoming Tory leader is that she will become an active member of the conservative entertainment complex.
I still cannot understand the choice given i doubt the party base likes Cameron, and him at the FCO won't presage a talk to the centre domestically, on top of the poor look of not being able to find a single MP to do the job.
Just a case of wanting to minimise a reshuffle?
In any case bravo Rishi, for baffling me so effectively.
If I was a back bencher, I'd be fizzing. You've just been told that no one in the parliamentary party is good enough.
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
Where is the idea that people like David Cameron coming from? Labour voters don't like him, Lib Dem voters don't like him, I don't even know if the majority of Tory voters still like him (their golden boy is still Johnson).
I think the idea might be to stem any leakage of centrist votes to Labour. I've seen some chatter about Reform being over represented in polling methodology but I confess that's a bit of a closed book to me. If I were to venture an opinion his looks like a "come and have a go if you think you're hard enough" to the ERG etc.
It takes a certain type of Labour hack to think that Braverman being replaced by Cameron is good news for Labour!
A net increase of one more grown up in government is probably a good thing for the country, if a very small one now that things have got so bad on all fronts
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
It certainly seems to be working as a variant of dead cat. Cameron is more newsworthy than Suella’s sacking.
I’ve always thought FS would be by far the most enjoyable cabinet post, and the least risky. If things go really wrong in foreign affairs it’s the PM who gets the blame. There’s no BMA or police federation or teachers’ unions to piss off, and you’re not on the front line of spending arguments.
Home Sec must by contrast be the worst job. If I were Cleverly I’d be a bit annoyed.
Cleverly must however be the front running 'sensible' candidate for LOTO. It won;t be Cameron or Hunt, so he's the only one of the 'big four' in place post election.
That one was inevitable. Otherwise Britain would have been at a huge competitive disadvantage vs not only the EU but the rest of the world. CBAM was never going to be a wise thing to diverge on, and the government never suggested it would.
When was the last time a major cabinet position was held by someone not in the HoC?
Lord Carrington: Foreign Secretary until 5 April 1982.
For the other Great Offices of State:
The Earl of Rosebery was PM until 22 June 1895 The Marquess of Normanby was Home Secretary until 13 March 1839 Lord Denman was the last peer to be CoE (acting) in 1834.
This update is brought to you by Wiki Research Services Inc.
Lord Home was briefly PM in the Lords in 1963
And then PM while in neither House, while he fought a by-election.
(Technically, ministers aren't members of the HoC during general elections either, though I guess that's not in the spirit of the question).
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
Where is the idea that people like David Cameron coming from? Labour voters don't like him, Lib Dem voters don't like him, I don't even know if the majority of Tory voters still like him (their golden boy is still Johnson).
I liked him as PM. I know lots despise him for the referendum, but he thought he needed to lance the Eurosceptic boil for good. And he did, just not how he planned.
I think the 2010-2015 government was closest to my political leanings - Toryism tempered with Lib dems. Its interesting to speculate what would have happened if 2015 had resulted in Coalition mark 2.
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
It certainly seems to be working as a variant of dead cat. Cameron is more newsworthy than Suella’s sacking.
I’ve always thought FS would be by far the most enjoyable cabinet post, and the least risky. If things go really wrong in foreign affairs it’s the PM who gets the blame. There’s no BMA or police federation or teachers’ unions to piss off, and you’re not on the front line of spending arguments.
Home Sec must by contrast be the worst job. If I were Cleverly I’d be a bit annoyed.
...Back in July, James Cleverly said at the Aspen Security Forum in the US that he would need to be dragged out his job with "nail marks down the parquet flooring". ..
Cameron on X this morning: "stand by our allies, strengthen our partnerships" "a strong supporter of the UK retaining its commitment to spending 0.7% of gross national income on international aid"
Iain Martin @iainmartin1 · 15m Sacked Suella Braverman departs, presumably headed for GB News. What is much more likely than Braverman becoming Tory leader is that she will become an active member of the conservative entertainment complex.
GB News have been quite positive about Cameron so far.
I do like Ed Balls. Can we not have him as Mayor of London, over the execrable Khan? Please?
He is box office, excellent. However he would never take the mayoral job – the money isn't good enough. He earns a decent crust through his media work.
Does he need the money that much? Besides, the mayor makes £155k a year and soon his wife will be a Cabinet Minister again, so the household income won’t exactly be meagre
And he is still quite young and obviously political. He must miss the cut and thrust compared to silly TV gigs. And, finally, he’d save us from ANOTHER term of the intolerably boring Khan
Lots don't need more money but still grasp every opportunity to get more.
Ed Balls was one of those ministers the public loved to hate. He only achieved national treasure status after Strictly.
I have a lot of time for him now and can see why Osbourne (for instance) got on well with him when they were in opposition. I think that the harshness of politics can obscure the humanity behind the mask.
I still cannot understand the choice given i doubt the party base likes Cameron, and him at the FCO won't presage a talk to the centre domestically, on top of the poor look of not being able to find a single MP to do the job.
Just a case of wanting to minimise a reshuffle?
In any case bravo Rishi, for baffling me so effectively.
If I was a back bencher, I'd be fizzing. You've just been told that no one in the parliamentary party is good enough.
Over the past few years, they’ve proved that they’re not.
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
Where is the idea that people like David Cameron coming from? Labour voters don't like him, Lib Dem voters don't like him, I don't even know if the majority of Tory voters still like him (their golden boy is still Johnson).
I liked him as PM. I know lots despise him for the referendum, but he thought he needed to lance the Eurosceptic boil for good. And he did, just not how he planned.
I think the 2010-2015 government was closest to my political leanings - Toryism tempered with Lib dems. Its interesting to speculate what would have happened if 2015 had resulted in Coalition mark 2.
Him being around is a danger to the Lib Dems in the blue wall. There are I sense a lot of fairly flaky Tories who were planning to vote Lib Dem but faced with a couple of tax cuts and a seemingly reassuring face or two in cabinet will jump at the chance to come home.
Doubt Dave helps in the red wall though.
EDIT: I see Alanbrooke made the same point more pithily.
Wow. Looks like Rishi has played a blinder. Sacking the evil Suella was always going to be judicious, but the risk was that there would be a few days of divisive headlines as she and her henchmen sulked from the sidelines. But Rishi has ensured that the nation will be too busy partying over Dave's appointment to care. What a man!
Where is the idea that people like David Cameron coming from? Labour voters don't like him, Lib Dem voters don't like him, I don't even know if the majority of Tory voters still like him (their golden boy is still Johnson).
I liked him as PM. I know lots despise him for the referendum, but he thought he needed to lance the Eurosceptic boil for good. And he did, just not how he planned.
I think the 2010-2015 government was closest to my political leanings - Toryism tempered with Lib dems. Its interesting to speculate what would have happened if 2015 had resulted in Coalition mark 2.
Him being around is a danger to the Lib Dems in the blue wall. There are I sense a lot of fairly flaky Tories who were planning to vote Lib Dem but faced with a couple of tax cuts and a seemingly reassuring face or two in cabinet will jump at the chance to come home.
Braverman sacked – politicalbetting.com
Comments
she'll take her leave and go
Do we no longer say pbuh when mentioning DC?
"With the fraught negotiations over Brexit continuing to embroil British politics, the nation's former prime minister, David Cameron, says his "greatest regret" is that those who advocated to stay in the EU lost the vote"
https://www.npr.org/2019/09/29/764199387/david-cameron-calls-the-brexit-referendum-his-greatest-regret
..... will the party survive this??? I see drama ahead.... holy cow. Crack out the popcorn
It's not a move about good government or setting the scene after the next GE. Will be hard to be FSec in the Lords during two wars.
Once the novelty wears off, this might be a source of ongoing trouble.
*and Truss
For the other Great Offices of State:
The Earl of Rosebery was PM until 22 June 1895
The Marquess of Normanby was Home Secretary until 13 March 1839
Lord Denman was the last peer to be CoE (acting) in 1834.
This update is brought to you by Wiki Research Services Inc.
And so much the better to have someone sensible as our FS rather than someone who actually dislikes them. Not that I think Cleverly did, that said.
First statement if not visit? Has to be Middle East. Expect it to be well-judged.
The Oxford comma and the Cambridge coma...
🚨 HERE WE GO
Today
@RishiSunak
strengthens his team in Government to deliver long-term decisions for a brighter future.
Stay tuned for the latest.
I really do think that a Blackadder fan in CCHQ is trolling them.
It is pleasingly surprising - we all enjoy political theatre - but in the end it won’t do anything. It’s too late. This really is sacking the trombonist on the Titanic (as I said earlier) and replacing her with a robot elephant on Moog synthesiser
It will distract and maybe even amuse. But the band will likely get worse, and the ship is still decidedly sinking
And whilst I broadly liked Cameron, and think ex PMs being properly involved in politics is not a bad idea, that's a bizarre appointment for all sorts of reasons.
Though I may have disagreed with some individual decisions, it is clear to me that Rishi Sunak is a strong and capable Prime Minister, who is showing exemplary leadership at a difficult time.
Not sure that's happened since.
You think the Tories can’t get any lower but they always, somehow, manage it.
A damning indictment of the state of the party. The lack of quality on the backbenches and the deep divisions within the party as a whole are clear. Wasn’t Brexit meant to bring the party together?
For God’s sake give us an election.
Always quite sobering to realise how little attention most people pay to politics.
Superb for 🇬🇧 - bringing his experience to guide us through difficult times
Excellent for the @Conservatives, showing @RishiSunak will fight the election on the centre ground
Bravo 👏🏻
https://twitter.com/MattHancock/status/1724011300290781280
While I'm not a Labour hack, I do think this is a net neutral for Labour. While it does indicate a tack to the centre, that will bring back some centrist Tory voters, in recent years Foreign Sec has been distinctly lower profile than in the past, and reinserting an ex-PM doesn't exactly scream "change" or "fresh ideas".
The net effect of this reshuffle today is clearly positive for the Conservatives. The long term impacts remain to be seen: if it triggers a right wing revolt then it may damage Sunak, but I’m not sure it will.
Cleverly just needs to do a half decent job for a year and he’s then odds on for next Tory leader.
Still a terrible look to appoint a non MP.
And he is still quite young and obviously political. He must miss the cut and thrust compared to silly TV gigs. And, finally, he’d save us from ANOTHER term of the intolerably boring Khan
Today’s decision on HS2 is the wrong one. It will help to fuel the views of those who argue that we can no longer think or act for the long-term as a country; that we are heading in the wrong direction...
https://x.com/David_Cameron/status/1709579002220867922?s=20 4 October 2023
"The Prime Minister has asked me to serve as his Foreign Secretary and I have gladly accepted.
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 important for this country to stand by our allies, strengthen our partnerships and make sure our voice is heard.
While I have been out of front-line politics for the last seven years, I hope that my experience – as Conservative Leader for eleven years and Prime Minister for six – will assist me in helping the Prime Minister to meet these vital challenges.
Britain is a truly international country. Our people live all over the world and our businesses trade in every corner of the globe. Working to help ensure stability and security on the global stage is both essential and squarely in our national interest. International security is vital for our domestic security.
Though I may have disagreed with some individual decisions, it is clear to me that Rishi Sunak is a strong and capable Prime Minister, who is showing exemplary leadership at a difficult time. I want to help him to deliver the security and prosperity our country needs and be part of the strongest possible team that serves the United Kingdom and that can be presented to the country when the General Election is held.
I believe in public service. That is what first motivated me to get involved in politics in the 1980s, to work in government in the 1990s, become a Member of Parliament in the 2000s and put myself forward as Party Leader and Prime Minister.
The UK’s Foreign Office, our Diplomatic Service, our Intelligence Services and our Aid and Development capabilities are some of the finest assets of their kind anywhere in the world. I know from my time in office that they are staffed by brilliant, patriotic and hard-working people. They have been well led by James Cleverly, with whom I look forward to working in his vital new role.
It will be an honour to serve our country alongside our dedicated FCDO staff and provide the continued leadership and support that they deserve."
How so? Because such a massive shake up of the high offices of state 12 months before the election tells most people what they already knew: that this government is out of control and shambolic.
The only people who will see beyond that are the very few nerdy types on here (me incl.) who see someone like DC as a sensible choice.
But this has all been, and is, catastrophic for the party and their fortunes at the next election.
Health Secretary feels a bigger job thesedays.
Will there be any kind of rebellion though?
Recently co-published a paper on regional economic inequalities in the UK, with some interesting analysis of how they might be addressed.
https://x.com/davidheniguk/status/1723973551139541330?s=61&t=FTymFHSPVcoX8hJazrD2vw
Just a case of wanting to minimise a reshuffle?
In any case bravo Rishi, for baffling me so effectively.
I’ve always thought FS would be by far the most enjoyable cabinet post, and the least risky. If things go really wrong in foreign affairs it’s the PM who gets the blame. There’s no BMA or police federation or teachers’ unions to piss off, and you’re not on the front line of spending arguments.
Home Sec must by contrast be the worst job. If I were Cleverly I’d be a bit annoyed.
@iainmartin1
·
15m
Sacked Suella Braverman departs, presumably headed for GB News. What is much more likely than Braverman becoming Tory leader is that she will become an active member of the conservative entertainment complex.
(Technically, ministers aren't members of the HoC during general elections either, though I guess that's not in the spirit of the question).
I think the 2010-2015 government was closest to my political leanings - Toryism tempered with Lib dems. Its interesting to speculate what would have happened if 2015 had resulted in Coalition mark 2.
https://twitter.com/mocent0/status/1724013919801385287
..
that is the kind of talk the natcons love
...I may have disagreed with Sunak but I'm here to help - Cameron..
Doubt Dave helps in the red wall though.
EDIT: I see Alanbrooke made the same point more pithily.