FORMER prime minister David Cameron has been appointed as Foreign Secretary.
As he is no longer an MP, he will be made a peer to fulfil his duties.
He replaces James Cleverly, who has been moved to the Home Office as Suella Braverman was sacked after far-right protesters clashed with police in London at the weekend against the backdrop of remembrance events.
Cameron served as prime minister from 2010 to 2016. He quit after Britain voted to leave the EU having campaigned for Remain.
In a statement to Twitter/X following his appointment, Cameron said: "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."
He added: "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."
Labour’s national campaign co-ordinator Pat McFadden said: “A few weeks ago Rishi Sunak said David Cameron was part of a failed status quo, now he’s bringing him back as his life raft.
“This puts to bed the Prime Minister’s laughable claim to offer change from 13 years of Tory failure.”
Cameron returned the Conservatives to power after 13 years in opposition when he became prime minister in 2010.
He instituted a major programme of austerity which included reforms to make the UK's welfare system much stricter.
Mhairi Black, the SNP's deputy Westminster leader, said: "People in Scotland will be appalled that the architect of thirteen years of Tory austerity cuts, and the disastrous Brexit referendum, is back in government.
"David Cameron's damaging Tory policies slashed Scotland's budget, hammered the economy, pushed millions into poverty and cut vital public services.
"And his catastrophic error of judgement on Brexit is the biggest UK foreign policy disaster since the Iraq war - and has set the UK on a path to long-term decay and decline."
Former first minister Alex Salmond added: "I have no problem with David Cameron’s return. I always found him decent and honourable to deal with as prime minister.
"He will be one of the few adults in the Cabinet room, a substantial political figure when compared with the current crop of complete nonentities.
"However this appointment represents two crushing admissions from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
"Firstly, recalling David Cameron as a 'Time Lord' is a damning indictment of the abysmal mediocrity of the present parliamentary Tory Party.
"He has benches stuffed with Tory MPs and not a single one of them is fit to be Foreign Secretary.
"Secondly, David Cameron’s return as Foreign Secretary is a devastating acceptance that Brexit has been an expensive and desultory disaster.
"Every European leader will see the return of the arch-remainer as Foreign Secretary as representing that truth and the current Prime Minister should now face it and take appropriate action.”
A statement from Buckingham Palace confirming his appointment also set out that he would be made a baron.
Rishi Sunak's reshuffle on Monday saw other Cabinet ministers leave the Government.
Thérèse Coffey left her position as environment secretary while Braverman was sacked as home secretary.
Veteran schools minister Nick Gibb said he had quit the government and would step down as an MP at the next election. He added he had been in talks about "taking up a diplomatic role".
Health minister Neil O’Brien has also announced he is stepping down. He was due to play a key role in introducing Sunak's flagship smoking ban.
Rachel Maclean was sacked as housing minister before she was able to introduce Michael Gove's Renters Reform Bill.
Jesse Norman has quit as a transport minister and Will Quince stepped down as a minister at the Department for Health and Social Care.
For the first time since 2010, the four great offices of state are held by men.
