Is David Cameron still an MP? Who is new Foreign Secretary, is former Prime Minster a Lord - cabinet

Downing Street has announced that David Cameron, the former prime minister, is rejoining the government in the capacity of Foreign Secretary and is set to receive a peerage.

Cameron's remarkable comeback forms part of a reshuffle prompted by Rishi Sunak's dismissal of Suella Braverman from the Home Office. The appointment sees the former prime minister succeeding James Cleverly, who has been appointed as the new Home Secretary.

No longer an MP, Cameron has been made a Lord in order to take the government position, and has said he wants to help Rishi Sunak “deliver the security and prosperity our country needs and be part of the strongest possible team that serves the United Kingdom, and that can be presented to the country when the general election is held”.

Here is everything you need to know about him.

Who is David Cameron?

David Cameron is best known for his time serving as the UK's Prime Minister from 2010 to 2016. He became the leader of the Conservative Party in 2005 and subsequently became Prime Minister after the 2010 general election.

During his tenure as Prime Minister, he led a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats and implemented various policies and reforms, including austerity measures to address the country's economic challenges.

Cameron is also known for his role in the 2016 European Union (EU) referendum, in which he advocated for the UK to remain in the EU. However, after the majority of British voters chose to leave the EU in the referendum, he resigned as Prime Minister, after which Theresa May took over the leadership of the Conservative Party and became the new Prime Minister.

Before becoming Prime Minister, David Cameron had a career in British politics that included several key roles within the Conservative Party and as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Witney constituency in Oxfordshire in from 2001 to 2016.

Cameron was appointed to the Shadow Cabinet by then-Conservative Party leader Michael Howard in 2005, and served as the Shadow Education Secretary and then as the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport before he was elected as the leader of the Conservative Party.

Since his resignation in 2016, Cameron has been involved in various activities and endeavours, a mix of business interests, writing and engagement with academic and political discussions.

Cameron has been a sought-after speaker at events, conferences and universities, where he shares insights on his political career, international affairs and his views on contemporary issues.

He has also taken on several business roles since leaving politics; he became an adviser to the US-based artificial intelligence company Afiniti, and joined the board of directors of the financial technology firm Greensill Capital.

In 2019, Cameron published his memoir 'For the Record', in which reflects on his time as PM, his government's policies and his experiences in office, and delves into his role in calling the EU referendum and his thoughts on the outcome of the Brexit vote.

Has he been involved in any scandals?

Cameron has faced several controversies and scandals during his political career and even after his resignation as Prime Minister.

In 2016, he faced criticism and scrutiny after his late father's offshore investment fund was mentioned in the Panama Papers leak. While there was no suggestion of wrongdoing on his part, the controversy raised questions about tax avoidance and offshore investments.

And in 2021, Cameron faced a lobbying scandal related to his involvement with Greensill Capital, after it was revealed he had lobbied government officials on behalf of the firm, where he had a financial interest, raising concerns about the potential influence of former political leaders on government decision-making.

Then, of course, there was the unverified and sensational claim made in an unauthorised 2015 biography of David Cameron, written by Lord Ashcroft and journalist Isabel Oakeshott, which alleged that during his university years, Cameron was said to have been part of an initiation ceremony in which he inserted a private part of his anatomy into the mouth of a dead pig's head.

The claim was not substantiated with concrete evidence and was based on anonymous sources, but was widely reported in the media and drew significant attention at the time of the book's publication.