Of all the acts to follow, few could have been harder than that of the late Queen. Yet as he turns 75, the King can reflect on the last year or so with immense satisfaction. The monarchy has endured and continues to be a pillar of stability amid the ever-shifting sands of elected politics.
The King’s birthday is still a working day for the monarch. He and the Queen officially launched the Coronation Food Project, which seeks to tackle food waste and insecurity. Additionally, they were to host a reception at Buckingham Palace in recognition of the work of nurses and midwives, as part of the NHS celebrations, which is also turning 75.
History is replete with figures who have waited for the top job, only to have little idea of what to do when it arrives. The King looks to have avoided that fate. We know who he is, even a little of what he thinks. But above all, as the King’s Speech showed, he is a monarch who, like his mother, puts duty first. Many happy returns, Your Majesty.
Cameron’s return
From actual royalty, it is only a minor step down to Conservative Party grandee and the stunning return of David Cameron. The new Foreign Secretary has plenty to keep himself occupied, from relations with Europe to the conflict in the Middle East. Lord Cameron’s comeback poses a challenge for Labour. Not least because having been absent from politics since 2016, the Opposition will have prepared few attack lines on him. Meanwhile, he possesses the experience, contacts and communication skills that most other Cabinet ministers can only dream of.
Still, like any appointment, there are risks for the Prime Minister. In effectively replacing Right-wing firebrand Suella Braverman not only with a pro-European, but the man who led the Remain campaign, Rishi Sunak has sparked deep unhappiness amongst hardline Tory MPs. There are also questions about messaging given that only a month ago, Sunak was railing against 30 years of failed consensus. Now, a major player in that supposed failure is his second-in-command.
A return to a more sensible, liberal Toryism would be a welcome relief. Whether the rebirth of Cameroon leads to thatmore Cameroonian politics, or if this is simply Sunak’s strategy of the week, remains to be seen.
Rough reshuffle
Spare a moment for Paul Scully. The now former minister for London was essentially barred from standing to be the Conservative candidate for London Mayor, seemingly to prevent the possibility of a by-election, and now finds himself sacked from the Government in the reshuffle. Politics is a rough old business.
