Tories Come Full Circle as Cameron Returns to the Fold
Rishi Sunak has carried out a wide-ranging Cabinet reshuffle in an attempt to unite his top team as he prepares to contest the next general election. The centerpiece of the reshuffle is the return of former Prime Minister David Cameron as Foreign Secretary, a move that sent shockwaves across British politics, bringing back memories of Peter Mandelson’s return in the final years of New Labour.
Sacking Suella Braverman as Home Secretary came as less of a surprise. Her response to the pro-Palestine demonstrations managed to offend every interested party, and culminated in ugly scenes on Armistice Day as far-right agitators clashed with police, while widespread instances of antisemitism and pro-Hamas sentiment marred the otherwise peaceful pro-Palestine march. The Metropolitan Police’s condemnation of her words perhaps tipped the balance for the Prime Minister. A number of Conservative MPs told EGA that Braverman’s stoking of tension ahead of what is meant to be a solemn and dignified weekend was the final straw.
Whether Sunak personally agreed with Braverman’s views on policing or her wider critique of “multiculturalism,” her tendency to pick fights and her barely-disguised leadership ambitions presented a mounting challenge to his authority and ultimately outweighed the benefits of having her and her faction of the party “in the tent.”
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