UK Cabinet rejig: James Cleverly replaces Suella Braverman as home secy, ex-PM David Cameron makes shock return to govt

In a major Cabinet rejig, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on November 13 appointed senior Conservative Party leader James Cleverly as the country's home secretary in place of the sacked Suella Braverman. 

The Downing Street also confirmed the return of former prime minister David Cameron into the UK government, as he has been given the foreign secretary charge. The announcement came as a shock in the UK political circles, as Cameron had quit politics following the Brexit referendum in 2016.

The incumbent foreign secretary was Cleverly, who has been given the crucial interior ministry charge at a time when ideological polarisation has intensified across the Britain.

Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, would continue to remain in charge of the finance portfolio, the Downing Street confirmed. 

This in line with the statement issued last month by the UK government, which noted that Hunt would remain the chancellor till at least the release of the next budget in 2024.

Suella Braverman departs

Braverman, the Indian-origin Tory leader seen to be representing the hard-right of the party, was told to leave by Sunak amidst the controversy over her remarks on the police forces.

In a newspaper article published on November 9, Braverman said there was “a perception that senior police officers play favourites when it comes to protesters”, adding that the action taken against right-wing protesters was stronger as compared to the action against pro-Palestinian "mobs".

In her initial remarks after being sacked, Braverman said it was “the greatest privilege” of her life to serve as the home secretary. “I will have more to say in due course,” she added.

The ouster of Braverman from the UK Cabinet allowed her critics to target the Sunak-led government. 

“Never has someone been so unfit for public office as Suella Braverman. At a time when we need those in Government to bring communities together, she revelled in fanning the flames of division. The Tories are out of ideas and out of time, there should be a General Election now,” Scotland First Minister and Scottish National Party leader Hamza Yusuf posted on social media platform X.