Bold move as PM goes back to future

ONLY a month ago, Rishi Sunak used his speech at the Tory party conference to convey his vision for Britain.

Declaring himself the candidate for change, he pledged to break the ‘ old consensus’ which had failed the country. He would be bold, he said, and radical.

What then are we to make of the Prime Minister sacking Suella Braverman and bringing David Cameron back to fill one of the great offices of state?

The ex-premier may represent lots of things but change isn’t one. Indeed, many loyal Tories will think that if Mr – now Lord – Cameron is the answer to anything, No 10 is asking the wrong question.

Steadfastly pro-EU, he read the nation’s mood spectacularly badly on Brexit and, after the referendum result, scarpered off with indecent haste. There are also valid questions over the new Foreign Secretary’s judgment on the global stage. In particular, his policy as PM of sucking up to China proved hopelessly and dangerously naïve.

And when Mr Sunak has made a virtue of restoring integrity to Downing Street, isn’t it a risk to employ Lord Cameron? After all, it’s not so long ago the ex-PM was caught up in an unedifying lobbying scandal – an oven-ready attack ad for Labour.

So now he’s back, what does he bring to the party? Well an enviable contacts book for starters. A heavy-hitter and confident communicator, it’s also true Lord Cameron has experience and diplomatic skills which will let him take much of the international burden off Mr Sunak’s shoulders.

The stakes could not be higher – because the world hasn’t looked so perilous for decades. First and foremost, Lord Cameron must not backslide a millimetre in supporting Ukraine and Israel.