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Roughly a month has passed since David Cameron’s return to the scene of British politics, fulfilling the role of Foreign Secretary during Rishi Sunak’s cabinet re-shuffle. This was a move that caught many by surprise, but one that pleased the Prime Minister. So, what is in store for British foreign policy?
Being a former Prime Minister, Cameron has diplomacy experience of the highest level – a stark contrast to his predecessor James Cleverly. This experience may prove beneficial given the intensity of international politics in recent times. The arrival of Cameron as a political heavyweight matters, especially with unprecedented conflict in Europe and the Middle East, not to mention the rising position of China and the continued volatile nature of US politics. From this perspective, bringing six years of top diplomatic experience to the table doesn’t seem like a bad idea.
Cameron is also welcomed as a moderate to government, especially in light of the removal of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary, whose far-right words and agenda alarmed many traditional moderate Tories. With the next general election looming in the distance, Cameron’s appointment may help in Sunak’s bid to appeal to a wide range of voters. Cameron’s collaborative skills will no doubt be useful in the role, as evidenced by tying together a coalition with the Liberal Democrats in 2010.
The return didn’t come without digging up the past. At the top of the agenda, of course, is Brexit. This is a man who called the Brexit Referendum, leading the charge for remaining without even considering losing. This did bring an end to his winning streak, namely the 2011 STV referendum and the 2014 Scottish Independence vote. The process and impacts of Brexit speak for themselves as scrutiny of Cameron’s actions, which is shared by Eurosceptics, who are not dancing for joy with Cameron’s appointment either.
Cameron’s idea for a ‘golden era’ of British relations with China is a policy now long abandoned, essentially brought to an end by Sunak himself. The Prime Minister’s words, “China poses a systemic challenge to our values and interests,” sums up the UK’s position – a view shared by their US counterparts, who join them in pressuring China over its Uighur policies. Cameron’s decision to back military action in Libya, which did bring down General Gaddafi but also left a failed state in its wake, is another point of criticism. As is losing a House of Commons vote in 2013 on whether to bomb Syrian forces, which were using chemical weapons on their own people. This assisted in opening the door for Russia to play a greater role in the region, something not desired by Western foreign policymakers.
The Greensill scandal is a topic not to be overlooked. Cameron’s lobbying for the financial services company significantly tarnished his political reputation, or what was left of it after the Brexit loss. Cameron was seen as breaching lobbying laws, and an inquiry was opened in 2021 over his actions. The former Prime Minister was cleared of any wrongdoing, but in many ways, the damage was already done.
Cameron’s return does divide many. With pros come cons. His return to government has dredged up a lot of political and personal history – not ideal for Britain’s Foreign Secretary. But with this comes unique, international experience for the government that someone like Rishi Sunak would greatly benefit from. Only time will tell whether this appointment will be successful, but given the great criticism of it, the Foreign Secretary has a lot of work to do.
Image: David Cameron speaks with the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak as he is appointed as Foreign Secretary as the Prime Minister reshuffles his cabinet from 10 Downing Street, Simon Dawson, 2023//CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED
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