[News Figures] Former UK Prime Minister Cameron's Surprise Return as Foreign Secretary

Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron made a surprise return as Foreign Secretary seven years after leaving politics. Since only sitting MPs can hold ministerial positions in the UK, the government granted Cameron a peerage, making him a member of the House of Lords.

Cameron led the UK government during the Conservative Party's rise to power in 2010 but resigned in July 2016 taking responsibility after the Brexit referendum passed. While it is unusual for a former prime minister to join the cabinet as a minister after stepping down, it is not unprecedented. Since the 18th century, 14 former prime ministers have served in other cabinets. The last example before Cameron was Alexander Douglas-Home, who resigned as prime minister in 1964 and served as Foreign Secretary from 1970 to 1974.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In an interview immediately after his appointment was announced, Cameron himself acknowledged the unusual nature of his return, saying, "I have been out of frontline politics for the past seven years, but I hope to contribute with 11 years as Conservative leader and six years as prime minister." He added, "We face multiple global challenges including the war in Ukraine and crises in the Middle East. In these serious global changes, it is important to stand by our allies, strengthen partnerships, and make our voice clearly heard."

To appoint Cameron, who had left politics, as a minister, the government made him a member of the House of Lords. In the UK's bicameral system, only peers can sit in the House of Lords. Peers are appointed by the monarch or elected by other peers. To bring Cameron into the cabinet without him being an MP, the government quickly arranged for him to be appointed a peer through the royal prerogative, and Cameron, now Lord Cameron, became a member of the House of Lords.

As a prominent pro-China figure, Cameron’s appointment as Foreign Secretary has raised expectations for improved UK-China relations. In 2015, during his premiership, Cameron made a state visit to China, famously drinking beer and taking selfies with President Xi Jinping, establishing himself as a key pro-China figure and ushering in a golden era in UK-China relations. While prime minister, he also opened the door to significant Chinese investment, including allowing China to acquire a stake in the Hinkley Point nuclear power plant. After stepping down, he continued to engage in China-related activities, including establishing a ?1 billion UK-China investment fund to support Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated, "Current China and Middle East foreign policies will be maintained under Foreign Secretary Cameron."

Cameron’s return is expected to attract moderate Conservatives. However, as a figure who led a golden era with China, his appointment may also increase dissatisfaction among anti-China members of Parliament. The Financial Times (FT) assessed the reshuffle by saying, "It highlights the current administration’s weaknesses." The fact that the government had to look to the past to find a Foreign Secretary suggests a lack of personnel resources. In a YouGov poll, 38% of respondents said Cameron’s return was a "wrong decision," while 24% said it was a "good move."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.