Summary

  • In a shock move, ex-prime minister David Cameron becomes foreign secretary - seven years after he left Downing Street

  • Cameron says he has quit his business and charity roles to focus on the job because "I believe in public service"

  • As part of the move, he joins the House of Lords, becoming Lord Cameron and replaces James Cleverly who is now Home Secretary

  • Cleverly takes over the Home Office from Suella Braverman, who was sacked by Sunak after a series of controversial comments

  • Victoria Atkins is the new health secretary, while Laura Trott becomes chief secretary to the Treasury

  • Steve Barclay, who was health secretary, replaces Therese Coffey as environment secretary

  • You can watch the comings and goings on Downing Street, and our analysis, by pressing play at the top of the page

  1. Thank you for readingpublished at 19:05 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    And there we leave our coverage of today's reshuffle - which all began after Suella Braverman was sacked as home secretary, paving the way for James Cleverly to replace her at the Home Office and for David Cameron - who quit as prime minister after the 2016 Brexit referendum - returning to Downing Street and accepting a job as Rishi Sunak's foreign secretary.

    You can get a full write-up on what happened in our news story, as well as Political Editor Chris Mason's take on the day's events.

    This page was written by Laura Gozzi, Krystyna Gajda and Megan Fisher. It was edited across the day by Sam Hancock, Owen Amos and Rob Corp

  2. Time to take stock after a busy daypublished at 19:02 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    The government the UK woke up with this morning isn't the same as the one that's in place tonight. Feeling a bit frazzled by today's events? Let's have a recap of what happened:

    Shortly after 08:00, it was announced that Suella Braverman was dismissed as home secretary.

    While some had predicted this would happen owing to rising tensions over controversial declarations by Braverman, few expected that her replacement would be former UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who was seen entering Downing Street around 09:00.

    As part of the move, Cameron - who is no longer an MP - was made a life peer meaning he could sit in Parliament's House of Lords as Lord Cameron.

    A flurry of changes followed:

    • James Cleverly was moved to the Home Office replacing Braverman
    • Victoria Atkins became the new health secretary, replacing Steve Barclay, who in turn took over from Therese Coffey who was sacked as environment secretary
    • Laura Trott became Chief Secretary to the Treasury
    • Housing minister Rachel Maclean was replaced by Lee Rowley. Maclean's departure caused some grumbling from colleagues Kemi Badenoch and Michael Gove
    • Meanwhile, others - including science minister George Freeman and paymaster general Jeremy Quin - decided to leave government on their own terms

    Some Tories - particularly on the right of the party - will be disappointed by the decision to sack Braverman - but the PM seems satisfied with his appointments.

    This evening, he posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying that Monday's moves have resulted in "a united team ready to deliver the changes this country needs for the long term".

    Quote Message

    This this is a team that will be bold in making the right decisions for our great country, not the easy ones."

    The PM's new ministers will need to hit the ground running - our diplomatic editor looks at David Cameron's foreign policy baggage, while our home editor saysJames Cleverly's in-tray is packed with issues from asylum to protests.

    And, if you'd like a look at what Sunak's cabinet looks like now, check out our handy guide here.

  3. What have Sunak and Cameron disagreed on?published at 18:44 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    David CameronImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    The former PM was seen smiling earlier when he left No 10 having been invited to join Rishi Sunak's Cabinet

    Following his shock return to front-line politics, new Foreign Secretary David Cameron earlier released a statement acknowledging that he had in the past "disagreed with some individual decisions" made by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

    Despite this, Cameron said, Sunak is a "strong and capable" leader.

    So what exactly have they disagreed on? Two key issues come to mind.

    • HS2: Following Sunak's announcement last month that he'd be scrapping the northern leg of the HS2 rail project, Cameron took to social media to say the decision was "the wrong one". He added that it helped to fuel the argument the government is "heading in the wrong direction"
    • China: Sunak last year referred to as "naive" the so-called "golden era" of UK-China relations, born under Cameron as PM and his then-Chancellor George Osborne. In the same speech, Sunak said Britain's approach to China needed to evolve and Beijing was "consciously competing for global influence using all the levers of state power"
  4. New cabinet free of 'political machinations of leadership contests'published at 18:35 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    Transport minister Huw Merriman has told the BBC that the reshuffle will broadcast "unity and teamwork" and added that the people now in cabinet "owe their position to the prime minister rather than perhaps some of the political machinations of leadership contests".

    Merriman said the reshuffle also "gives the prime minister the opportunity to stamp his mark on the cabinet and to promote some fresh talent."

    Merriman also touched upon some of sacked Home Secretary Suella Braverman's recent controversial comments - including her statement that rough sleeping was a "lifestyle choice".

    "It's important we focus on policy, rather than commenting on how people live their lives," Merriman said, adding that "we want to help people get back on their feet" and show "sympathy".

  5. Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns submits letter of no confidence in Sunakpublished at 18:24 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    Many on the right of the Conservative Party won't have appreciated the sacking of Suella Braverman - which happened first thing this morning heralding the start of today's ministerial reshuffle.

    One of them appears to be Andrea Jenkyns, who has just published the letter of no confidence in PM Rishi Sunak that she has sent to Sir Graham Brady, who chairs the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs.

    The MP for Morley and Outwood accused Sunak of "Machiavellian involvement" which got rid of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, heavily criticised him for sacking Braverman, and blasts last week's King's Speech.

    "I hope other Conservative MPs follow suit," Jenkyns says, adding that "this is our last chance to stop [Labour leader Sir Keir] Starmer... we need to stop his socialist cabal."

  6. Esther McVey returns to governmentpublished at 18:15 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023
    Breaking

    Esther McVey walking past a security guard outside the Downing Street railingsImage source, PA Media

    In what might be the last twist in a really eventful day, former cabinet minister Esther McVey has returned to the government.

    She has been appointed as a Minister without Portfolio in the Cabinet Office and will attend Cabinet.

    McVey was Work and Pensions secretary from January to November 2018 before being demoted to housing minister prior to leaving government in February 2020.

    She has since presented programmes on GB News with her husband, fellow Tory MP Philip Davies.

  7. Former deputy PM 'delighted' by Cameron newspublished at 18:06 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    Former Deputy Prime Minister Damian Green has welcomed the return of David Cameron to cabinet, saying he was "delighted" by the news and the former PM will be "a sensible and wise voice around the cabinet table".

    However, Green said he’s not expecting the imminent return of his old boss Theresa May to cabinet: "It’s probably true that one prime minister coming back at a time is enough in any one reshuffle.”

    Green also stated the cabinet will now represent "all wings of the party" and praised the fact that the government now includes voices from the moderates and the centre-right.

  8. Watch: Cameron explains why he came back to politicspublished at 17:53 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    Watch what the now-Lord Cameron had to say about his decision to get back to front-line politics.

  9. Braverman heard of fate over the phonepublished at 17:34 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    Suella Braverman was told she would be sacked as home secretary over the phone, a Downing Street spokesperson has confirmed.

    They stressed the importance of having a "united team" and acknowledged there'd been "differences of style" adding the prime minister, "believes that collective responsibility is a very important principle."

  10. Greensill was dealt with and is in the past - Cameronpublished at 17:21 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    In his first broadcast interview since accepting the role of foreign secretary under Sunak, Cameron was pressed about his controversial lobbying of government on behalf of the collapsed finance firm Greensill Capital.

    Two years ago, BBC Panorama revealed internal documents suggesting Cameron made about $10m (£8.2m) jetting around the world to promote Greensill.

    Greensill collapsed in March 2021 and criminal inquiries into alleged fraud are ongoing in Germany and Switzerland, where its boss Lex Greensill has been named as a suspect.

    The Commons Treasury Select Committee found there was a "significant lack of judgement" over Cameron's activities. He was asked why should voters trust him now?

    "I think all those things were dealt with by the Treasury Select Committee and there were other inquiries at the time. As far as I’m concerned that was all dealt with and in the past.

    "And I now have one job as Britain's foreign secretary as part of Rishi Sunak’s team."

    If you want to get more on the controversy around Greensill and Cameron's role in the firm, read this from Andy Verity.

  11. Cameron admits it is unusual to come backpublished at 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    A bit more from David Cameron now, who says it is unusual for a former prime minister to return to political office, but says he has done so because "I believe in public service".

    We face "daunting challenges", he adds, referencing the conflict in the Middle East and the Ukraine war.

    Cameron then adds he is hopeful his experience and knowledge from six years as PM and 11 leading the Tories' will help.

    He said he was "delighted to accept" the offer from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

  12. First words from Cameron since return to governmentpublished at 16:55 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023
    Breaking

    Lord Cameron says he's resigned from all his various business and charitable roles - including one with Alzheimers Research UK - that he's held since quitting as prime minister back in 2016. He says that "all stops now".

    "I have one job - to be foreign secretary and work with the prime minister for the UK to be as secure and prosperous as possible in a difficult and dangerous world," he says in a pooled interview for UK broadcasters.

  13. Need something to listen to on the way home?published at 16:46 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    We've been hearing for the most of the day about David Cameron's shock return to government - and our colleagues at two of the BBC's flagship news podcasts have been chewing over all the day's developments.

    Newscast has been hearing from one of Cameron's former staffers, who says the appointment would have come as "an enormous surprise" to him as well.

    His ex-deputy chief of staff Baroness Kate Fall has been speaking to Adam Fleming for a special episode of Newscast.

    Listen to the full thing here.

    The appointment's had a mixed reaction elsewhere though with some saying it's a totally different political landscape than "when he was at No 10".

    The Today Podcast delves into more of that. Listen here.

  14. Lee Rowley is the new housing ministerpublished at 16:33 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    Lee Rowley has been appointed housing minister at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, replacing Rachel Maclean - who earlier posted that she was "disappointed" to lose the role.

    Rowley is apparently the 16th minister for housing since the Conservatives entered government in 2010.

    The MP for North East Derbyshire was seen in Downing Street earlier this afternoon.

    Lee Rowley arriving at Downing StreetImage source, PA Media
  15. Analysis

    Long-serving and influential schools minister leavespublished at 16:26 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    Branwen Jeffreys
    Education Editor

    In among all the moves today, Nick Gibb - one of the longest standing ministers in government - announced earlier he asked to leave his job and will be standing down from Parliament at the next election.

    As schools minister for 10 years, he has overseen many of the changes most visible to parents and children in education in the last decade, including the adoption of phonics and Singapore maths in primary school as well as the return of traditional times tables tests.

    He has arguably had more influence on education than any of the recent education secretaries, where there has been significant turnover in the last three years.

    In a letter to his constituency chairman he said a new opportunity had arisen to serve his country in a diplomatic position, without providing further details. He paid tribute to his “brilliant, principled and adorable husband” for supporting his work as minister.

    Schools minister Nick GibbImage source, PA Media
  16. Cameron meets Indian minister on day one as foreign secretarypublished at 16:16 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    David Cameron hit the ground running on Monday as he began his tenure as foreign secretary by meeting India's external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

    The Indian minister, who had been scheduled to see James Cleverly, said it was a "pleasure" to meet Lord Cameron on his first day in office, and added that the two "held a detailed discussion on realizing the full potential of our strategic partnership".

  17. No women in cabinet's top jobspublished at 16:03 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    For the first time since the Tories won the 2010 election and formed a coalition government with the Lib Dems all four top jobs in the cabinet are now held by men.

    • Prime Minister: Rishi Sunak
    • Foreign Secretary: David Cameron
    • Home Secretary: James Cleverly
    • Chancellor: Jeremy Hunt

    In the outgoing Labour government of 2010 the top jobs (known as the Great Offices of State) were also all held by men.

    • Prime Minister: Gordon Brown
    • Foreign Secretary: David Miliband
    • Home Secretary: Alan Johnson
    • Chancellor: Alistair Darling

    If Labour were to win the next general election, widely expected to be held next year, women would hold two of the top four cabinet jobs as Rachel Reeves is currently shadow chancellor and Yvette Cooper is shadowing the home secretary.

    Brown and Darling in 2009Image source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Brown and Darling in 2009

  18. How will Cameron's work be scrutinised?published at 15:52 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    There's been some commentary about how David Cameron will be held to account in his role as foreign secretary given he is no longer an MP and will sit in Parliament's upper house as a member of the House of Lords following today's appointment.

    The Institute for Government's senior researcher Dr Alice Lilly says it is a "highly unusual" situation but Cameron's work will still be scrutinised by his peers.

    "The Lords put in place procedures to ensure that Secretaries of State in the Lords would have to answer questions in the Lords in the same way that they would do in the Commons, so I expect that will happen again."

    "Obviously there are plenty of other ministers in the Foreign Office who will be able to answer MPs' questions, so it's not like there will be nothing, but it won't be direct from the foreign secretary."

  19. John Glen the new paymaster generalpublished at 15:38 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    We've just heard that John Glen, former chief secretary to the Treasury, will become the new paymaster general.

    It comes after Laura Trott was announced as Glen's replacement in the second-most senior post at the Treasury.

    In his new brief, Glen will essentially act as minister without portfolio, and attend cabinet.

  20. Analysis

    Atkins moves to other side of spending fencepublished at 15:33 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2023

    Hugh Pym
    Health editor

    Victoria AtkinsImage source, PA Media

    So what do we know about Victoria Atkins, the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, covering England?

    She arrives after a year at the Treasury as financial secretary - ironically a few days after it emerged that the Chancellor had turned down a request by NHS England for £1 billion to cover the costs of filling rota gaps during doctors’ strikes.

    Instead the Treasury contribution is likely to be around £100 million. Health chiefs have already warned that non-urgent care will be scaled back because of the financial pressures.

    Now on the other side of the fence, Atkins will have to grapple with the consequences of Treasury decisions.

    Meanwhile, the government obesity strategy in England has partly stalled - with measures to curb promotion of unhealthy foods put on hold.

    Atkins will have to tread safely - her husband has a senior role in the sugar industry.