David Cameron has been appointed as Foreign Secretary in a surprise return for the ex-PM who was responsible for austerity.

The former Tory leader will be given a seat in the House of Lords so that he can make a comeback as a minister. He was seen walking into No10 as Rishi Sunak began conducting his reshuffle.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has been shifted to become Home Secretary to replace Suella Braverman.

Since leaving No10, Mr Cameron has faced criticism over his attempts to make money, including his role as an adviser to the now collapsed Greensill. Mr Cameron quit as PM in 2016 in the wake of the Brexit referendum.

Labour’s Pat McFadden said: “A few weeks ago Rishi Sunak said David Cameron was part of a ailed status quo, now he’s bringing him back as his life raft. This puts to bed the Prime Minister’s laughable claim to offer change from 13 years of Tory failure.”

Mr Cameron’s appointment comes just weeks after he publicly condemned Mr Sunak’s decision to cancel the northern leg of the HS2 rail line as “the wrong one” just weeks ago.

In a tweet on October 4, the ex-PM wrote: “It will help to fuel the views of those who argue that we can no longer think or act for the long-term as a country; that we are heading in the wrong direction… I regret this decision and in years to come I suspect many will look back at today’s announcement and wonder how this once-in-a-generation opportunity was lost.”

In a statement, Downing Street said: “The King has been pleased to approve the appointment of the Rt Hon David Cameron as Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. His Majesty has also been pleased to confer the dignity of a Barony of the United Kingdom for life upon David Cameron.”

Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Layla Moran said: “Bringing back a scandal-hit, unelected former Prime Minister who has been criticising Sunak’s government at every turn has the stench of desperation. There is not even the bottom of the barrel left for Sunak to scrape in the Conservative party.

“David Cameron was at the heart of the biggest lobbying scandal of recent times. Handing him a peerage makes a mockery of our honours system. Cameron’s peerage should be blocked given his shady past.”

Labour MP Chris Bryant said: “I don’t see how appointing Cameron helps Sunak form a government of integrity and professionalism (Greensill) or represent change (when his FS is the living embodiment of their 13 years in power).”

Culled from Mirror