David Cameron's return: poll shows British public not convinced it's the right decision

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Former prime minister David Cameron has made a shock return to front line politics as the UK Government’s new foreign secretary.

Yesterday, in a surprising cabinet reshuffle, current prime minister Rishi Sunak brought back Mr. Cameron even though he is not a serving member of parliament (MP).

It’s the first time that a former PM has returned as a secretary since Alex Douglas-Hume was given the brief of foreign secretary too by Edward Heath in 1970. He actually becomes the 15th former leader to go back to government after resigning.

Cameron, left 10 Downing Street in 2016 after losing the Brexit referendum. He was there for six years leading a coalition between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats for five of those years before winning a majority in May 2015.

Because the 57-year-old is no longer an MP, he had to be given a peerage by Sunak in order for him to take up his new role. This means that the MPs cannot hold him accountable – only the House of Lords can.

In a recent poll YouGov asked the British public for their view on his return.

YouGov Poll 13th of November 2023https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/survey-results/daily/2023/11/13/8bdf8/1

From this poll it is apparent that the British public are either unsure or think its a bad idea that David Cameron is returning to government. This could be due to the fact that there was no vote for the public to decide if they want him back in a governmental role.

With the issue trending on X yesterday, opposition MPs took this chance to share their thoughts and voice their opinions as seen via Labour’s Richard Burgon and the SNP’s Gillian Mackay:

So as well as having a Prime Minister nobody voted for, we now have an unelected Foreign Secretary.

In the middle of a huge Middle East crisis, MPs won't even be able to question the Foreign Secretary in the House of Commons.

The whole thing is a complete affront to democracy.
— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) November 13, 2023

Richard Burgon MP comments on David Cameron’s return
.https://twitter.com/richardburgon/status/1724009841872507349?s=46&t=YWi6LKOJz0eMPRDL4Yf5Cw

The sight of David Cameron back in government is one that few will welcome.

It is a slap in the face to everyone who has had to endure the disaster of Brexit, which was one of the biggest self inflicted foreign policy disasters the UK has ever witnessed.https://t.co/QoDQYK4102
— Gillian Mackay MSP (@GillianMacMSP) November 14, 2023

Gillian McKay MSP reacts to David Cameron’s return.
https://twitter.com/gillianmacmsp/status/1724349981119705429?s=46&t=YWi6LKOJz0eMPRDL4Yf5Cw

There are currently 6.1K comments under the official post that broke the news that David Cameron was back and these comments are still growing now.

The Rt Hon @David_Cameron has been appointed Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs @FCDOGovUK pic.twitter.com/r9fL9dIgzs
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) November 13, 2023

There is also further criticism of his appointment from sectors of the media and other politicians following the former PM’s involvement in the crash of the Greensill investment company.