Scots will be “appalled” by David Cameron’s surprise return to Government, SNP Westminster deputy leader Mhairi Black said, as she claimed his time as prime minister “set the UK on a path to long-term decay and decline”.
The Paisley and Renfrewshire South MP hit out after Rishi Sunak used a Cabinet reshuffle sparked by the sacking of Suella Braverman as home secretary to bring the former Conservative Party leader back into frontline politics.
He will be given a peerage, allowing him to replace James Cleverly as Foreign Secretary.
People in Scotland will be appalled that the architect of 13 years of Tory austerity cuts, and the disastrous Brexit referendum, is back in Government— SNP Westminster deputy leader Mhairi Black
That comes after Mr Cleverly was moved to the Home Office, taking over from Mrs Braverman, who was dismissed in the wake of controversial comments about homeless people and the policing of pro-Palestinian marches.
She said it had been “the greatest privilege of my life to serve as home secretary” adding – perhaps ominously for Mr Sunak – that she will have “more to say in due course”.
Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf used her removal from Government to call for a general election.
Posing on X, formerly known as Twitter, Mr Yousaf said: “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.”
Meanwhile, Ms Black hit out at the return of the former prime minister to the Government.
Mr Cameron dramatically quit Downing Street in June 2016, just hours after the UK voted for Brexit in a referendum on the country’s membership of the European Union.
Ms Black said: “The fact that Rishi Sunak has had to resurrect David Cameron shows how tired this Tory Government is.
“People in Scotland will be appalled that the architect of 13 years of Tory austerity cuts, and the disastrous Brexit referendum, is back in Government.”
She added: “David Cameron’s damaging Tory policies slashed Scotland’s budget, hammered the economy, pushed millions into poverty and cut vital public services.
“And his catastrophic error of judgment on Brexit is the biggest UK foreign policy disaster since the Iraq War – and has set the UK on a path to long-term decay and decline.”
However the new Foreign Secretary said he hopes his 11 years as Conservative leader and six years as premier will “assist me in helping the Prime Minister” during a time of international conflict.
Referring to both the war in Ukraine and the “crisis” in the Middle East, Lord Cameron stressed the importance of international security, saying this is “vital for our domestic security”.
He added: “Though I may have disagreed with some individual decisions, it is clear to me that Rishi Sunak is a strong and capable Prime Minister, who is showing exemplary leadership at a difficult time.
“I want to help him to 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.”
This isn’t leadership, it is desperation.— Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie
Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said the return of the former prime minister was a “monumental misjudgment that exposes the utter weakness of a tired and broken Government that can’t even find enough talent on its own benches to fill a Cabinet”.
Mr Harvie blasted: “This isn’t leadership, it is desperation.
“The sight of David Cameron back in Government is one that few will welcome, particularly in Scotland where we were dragged out of Europe against our will.
“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.
“We all remember the first time. We remember the cuts and austerity that he inflicted on the most marginalised communities and the total failure of the Brexit that he was responsible for and that has caused so much damage.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain was also critical, saying: “The Government showed clearly in last week’s lacklustre King’s Speech that they are out of ideas. Now with David Cameron returning to Cabinet, they are showing that they are out of talent too.
“It is also concerning that we will have a Foreign Secretary who can’t be questioned by MPs on the hugely important issues the country is facing.”
