British prime minister Rishi Sunak carried out the second cabinet reshuffle of his premiership on 13 November 2023. Suella Braverman was replaced as Home Secretary by James Cleverly. Cleverly was replaced as Foreign Secretary by the former Prime Minister David Cameron, who was made a life peer as Baron Cameron of Chipping Norton.
Changes
Amid rising tensions the previous week, Sunak sacked Suella Braverman from her position as Home Secretary on 13 November 2023. She had previously been sacked from the same position by Sunak's predecessor Liz Truss in October 2022. According to The Guardian, the trigger for her sacking was an article she wrote and published in The Times on 8 November 2023, which included a statement that there was "a perception that senior police officers play favourites when it comes to protesters" and were tougher on rightwing extremists than pro-Palestinian "mobs". The Guardian reported that the prime minister's office had asked for changes to be made to the article, but not all were implemented. She was replaced by the Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.
With the foreign secretary's office falling vacant, party grandee Lord Hague reportedly negotiated a deal between Sunak and the former prime minister David Cameron that saw Cameron appointed Foreign Secretary. Since Cameron had resigned from parliament on 12 September 2016, it was announced on the morning of the reshuffle that he would be appointed to a life peerage. He is the first foreign secretary to serve from the House of Lords since Lord Carrington (1979–1982) and the first former prime minister to return to Cabinet since Alec Douglas-Home (1970–1974). Following the appointment of Cleverly as Home Secretary and Cameron as Foreign Secretary, all four Great Offices of State were held by men for the first time since 2010.
The Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey announced that she had resigned after serving in the government since 2014 under five prime ministers. Coffey was replaced by the Health Secretary Steve Barclay, with the Financial Secretary to the Treasury Victoria Atkins being promoted to Health Secretary.
The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General Jeremy Quin stated that, despite being asked to continue to serve in government, he had resigned from his positions. He was replaced by John Glen, with Laura Trott being promoted to Glen's former position as Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Richard Holden was appointed Chairman of the Conservative Party and Minister without Portfolio following Greg Hands' demotion to Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade.
The backbencher Esther McVey was appointed Minister without Portfolio in the Cabinet Office.
Cabinet-level changes Colour key MinisterPosition before reshufflePosition after reshuffleSuella BravermanHome SecretaryDismissed from the governmentJames CleverlyForeign SecretaryHome SecretaryDavid Cameron NoneForeign SecretaryThérèse CoffeySecretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsResigned from the governmentSteve BarclaySecretary of State for Health and Social CareSecretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsVictoria AtkinsFinancial Secretary to the TreasurySecretary of State for Health and Social CareJeremy QuinMinister for the Cabinet OfficePaymaster GeneralResigned from the governmentJohn GlenChief Secretary to the TreasuryMinister for the Cabinet OfficePaymaster GeneralLaura TrottParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for PensionsChief Secretary to the TreasuryGreg HandsChairman of the Conservative PartyMinister without PortfolioMinister of State for Trade PolicyMinister for LondonRichard HoldenParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Roads and Local TransportChairman of the Conservative PartyMinister without PortfolioEsther McVeyBackbench MPMinister without portfolio
Junior ministerial changes Colour key MinisterPosition before reshufflePosition after reshuffleNick GibbMinister of State for SchoolsResigned from the governmentDamian HindsMinister of State for Prisons, Parole and ProbationMinister of State for SchoolsLaura FarrisBackbench MPParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Victims and SafeguardingNeil O'BrienParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Primary Care and Public HealthResigned from the governmentAndrea LeadsomBackbench MPParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health, Start for Life and Primary CareWill QuinceMinister of State for Health and Secondary CareResigned from the governmentAndrew StephensonLord Commissioner of the TreasuryMinister of State for Health and Secondary CareJesse NormanMinister of State for TransportResigned from the governmentRachel MacleanMinister of State for Housing and PlanningDismissed from the governmentGeorge FreemanMinister of State for Science, Research and InnovationResigned from the governmentLee RowleyParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Government and Building SafetyMinister of State for Housing, Planning and Building SafetyJo ChurchillVice-Chamberlain of the HouseholdMinister of State for EmploymentAndrew GriffithEconomic Secretary to the TreasuryMinister of State for Science, Research and InnovationNigel HuddlestonMinister of State for International TradeFinancial Secretary to the TreasuryPaul ScullyMinister for LondonParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Tech and the Digital EconomyDismissed from the governmentBim AfolamiBackbench MPEconomic Secretary to the TreasuryGareth BaconBackbench MPParliamentary Under Secretary of State for SentencingSaqib Bhatti Backbench MPParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Tech and the Digital EconomyAnthony BrowneBackbench MPParliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for TransportSimon HoareBackbench MPParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Local GovernmentFay JonesAssistant government whip Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for WalesPaul MaynardBackbench MPParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for PensionsRobbie MooreBackbench MPParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Water and Rural GrowthGuy OppermanMinister of State for EmploymentParliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for TransportStuart AndersonLord Commissioner of the TreasuryVice-Chamberlain of the HouseholdAmanda MillingBackbench MPLord Commissioner of the TreasuryJoy MorrisseyAssistant government whipLord Commissioner of the TreasuryMike WoodBackbench MPLord Commissioner of the TreasuryLord GascoigneBackbench PeerLord-in-waitingGovernment WhipLord MottLord-in-waitingGovernment WhipLeft the governmentAaron BellBackbench MPAssistant government whipMark FletcherBackbench MPAssistant government whipMark JenkinsonBackbench MPAssistant government whipSuzanne WebbBackbench MPAssistant government whipLord BenyonMinister of State for Biosecurity, Marine and Rural AffairsMinister of State for Climate, Environment and EnergyEarl of MintoMinister of State for Regulatory ReformMinister of State for DefenceBaroness Vere of NorbitonParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Aviation, Maritime and SecurityParliamentary Secretary in HM Treasury Lord Davies of GowerLord-in-waitingGovernment WhipParliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for TransportBaroness PennParliamentary Secretary in HM TreasuryParliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and CommunitiesBaroness GoldieMinister of State for DefenceLeft the governmentTrudy HarrisonParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Natural Environment and Land UseResigned from the governmentLord Murray of BlidworthParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Migration and BordersLeft the governmentJames DaviesParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for WalesLeft the governmentJulie MarsonAssistant government whipResigned from the governmentSteve DoubleLord Commissioner of the TreasuryResigned from the governmentSarah DinesParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for SafeguardingDismissed from the government
Reaction Reactions to the reshuffle focused to a considerable extent on Cameron's "surprise" return to frontline politics. The Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall asked the Works and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride about unemployment, saying "it turns out the government can get the over 50s back to work, just only if they are former prime ministers". Addressing the House of Commons during the debate on the King's Speech, the Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting asked, "What kind of message does it send their constituents that their own party leader cannot find a suitable candidate for foreign secretary among the 350 Conservative MPs who sit in this House?"
On Twitter, former prime minister Theresa May congratulated Cameron on his appointment as Foreign Secretary, adding that the experience he acquired during his tenure as Prime Minister "will be invaluable at this time of great uncertainty in our world".
Following the cabinet reshuffle, Andrea Jenkyns submitted a public letter of no confidence in Rishi Sunak.
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