David Cameron made a shock return today when Rishi Sunak sacked Suella Braverman in a reshuffle described as “trolling” from the Tory right.
The Prime Minister has moved to oust Ms Braverman as he attempts to restore his authority with less than a year to the general election.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, a close ally of Mr Sunak with less strong views on the European Convention on Human Rights, takes over at the Home Office.
In a move that caused an earthquake in Westminster, Mr Cameron was given a peerage and filled Mr Cleverly’s former role. He is the first member of the Upper House to hold this position since Lord Carrington in the 1980s.
Just weeks ago, Mr Cameron condemned Mr Sunak’s decision to downgrade the HS2 rail project. He attracts deep distrust from the Tory right after leading the Remain campaign before resigning in 2016, and also favored closer relations with China as prime minister.
In a statement, the now Lord Cameron said: “We face a set of daunting international challenges, including the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East.
“In this time of profound global change, it has rarely been more important for this country to stand with our allies, strengthen our partnerships and ensure our voices are heard.
“Although I have been out of front-line politics for seven years, I hope that my experience – as Conservative leader for eleven years and Prime Minister for six years – will help me to help the Prime Minister meet these vital challenges.
Ms Braverman’s dismissal comes after an extraordinary week of controversy over the handling of pro-Palestinian protests in London on Armistice Day.
She sparked the fury of Number 10 by attacking “hate marches” and then writing an article accusing the police of bias without obtaining permission.
Critics have blamed him for stoking violence with far-right counter-protesters taking to the streets – although conservatives are deeply divided, with supporters saying the grim scenes in the capital proved him right.
These stunning developments were greeted with extreme sarcasm by a former minister from the right-wing ERG bloc. “We are pleased. All we need is for Tobias Ellwood to be Secretary of Defense and our joy will be complete,” they said.
A Conservative aide said Mr Sunak was engaged in “trolling at the top of the right”.
A Downing Street source said: “Rishi Sunak asked Suella Braverman to leave government and she agreed.”
In a worrying response, Ms Braverman said: “It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve as Home Secretary. I will have more to say in due time.
Westminster was left in shock as David Cameron emerged from an official car at Downing Street this morning to become Foreign Secretary.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly (right) has taken over at the Home Office. In a move that caused an earthquake in Westminster, David Cameron (left) took over Mr Cleverly’s old job
Suella Braverman was today sacked as Home Secretary by Rishi Sunak
The Prime Minister is trying to restore his authority less than a year before the general elections.
Mr Cameron is the first member of the Upper House to hold the position since Lord Carrington in the 1980s.
The Conservatives announced the reshuffle began with a social media post saying Mr Sunak was “strengthening his team… to make long-term decisions for a better future”.
Police arrest man during protests in central London on Saturday
Ms Braverman showed defiance last night despite growing speculation about her fate, issuing a statement saying pro-Gaza protests “polluting” the streets with hatred “cannot continue”. She denounced the “validation of terrorism” on Armistice Day and said further action was needed.
A Number 10 briefing suggested the government is considering toughening rules allowing police to block such protests – which take place every week in the capital.
After holding out ahead of the Remembrance weekend, Downing Street appears to have decided it must act before the key court judgment on Rwandan policy on Wednesday.
The government is set to lose the case amid fears Ms Braverman has tried to burnish her reputation with the conservative right by resigning and demanding the UK leave the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Conservatives announced the reshuffle began with a social media post saying Mr Sunak was “strengthening his team… to make long-term decisions for a better future”.
Other major jobs are expected to change hands, with Health Secretary Steve Barclay and Environment Secretary Therese Coffey seen as under threat.
However, Jeremy Hunt remains Chancellor with just a week to go before the Autumn Statement.
At the bottom of the food chain, Health Minister Neil O’Brien and long-serving Education Minister Nick Gibb announced they were leaving government.
Former minister Andrea Jenkyns said Ms Braverman was “sacked for telling the truth”, and that it was a “bad decision by Rishi giving in to the left”.
News of Ms Braverman’s departure came as Defense Minister James Heappey visited the broadcast studios.
Minutes before his sacking, he told LBC that Mr Sunak and his team at Number 10 had been “very clear: she (Ms Braverman) has his confidence and, in that sense, one would imagine she will continue”.
But he was told on-air during an interview on ITV’s Good Morning Britain that she had been fired, leaving him to say: “Your viewers will appreciate my discomfort, but it’s difficult in this case to offer comment when I I just don’t know.” What is going on.’
Labor MP Pat McFadden immediately took advantage of Lord Cameron’s return.
“A few weeks ago Rishi Sunak said David Cameron was part of a failed status quo, now he is bringing him back as a life raft,” he said.
“This puts an end to the Prime Minister’s ludicrous pretense of delivering change after 13 years of Tory failure.”
More than 100 arrests were made on Saturday after clashes involving far-right groups and pro-Palestinian protesters in central London.
Ms Braverman’s intervention comes as speculation rages over her political future following her clash with Downing Street over a newspaper article, which critics say fueled tensions.
The Conservatives are far behind in the polls, with MPs increasingly nervous about Mr Sunak’s failure to make an impact.
Ahead of Saturday’s protest, the interior minister called it a “hate march” and accused police of “playing favorites” with protesters. Last night, amid rumors of a cabinet reshuffle, she doubled down on her comments.
In uncompromising language, Ms Braverman tweeted that the chants, signs and posters carried by some protesters were “clearly criminal” and marked a “new low”.
She added: “Anti-Semitism and other forms of racism and the valorization of terrorism on such a scale are deeply troubling.
“This cannot continue. Week after week, the streets of London are polluted by hatred, violence and anti-Semitism. Members of the public are mobbed and intimidated. Jews in particular feel threatened. Additional measures are necessary.
