David Cameron: How will Sunak’s ‘salesman-in-chief’ approach China?
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Former Brexit-era Prime Minister David Cameron has rejoined the government in a shock move this morning after Rishi Sunak appointed him as foreign secretary.
Elected prime minister in 2010, in coalition with Nick Clegg’s Liberal Democrats, Cameron led the Conservative’s austerity programme alongside his chancellor George Osborne.
He called the 2016 Brexit referendum which he then lost 52:48, shortly before quitting office.
Polling by Savanta found just before the Tory conference this autumn that just 24 per cent of UK adults feel ‘positively’ towards Cameron, with only Theresa May and Liz Truss ranking lower.
But his appointment to the Foreign Office — perhaps the top diplomatic role in the British government, aside from the prime minister — will prompt questions about relations with China.
Golden era
Famously, Cameron shared a pint with Chinese premier Xi Jinping in a Buckinghamshire pub, marking the so-called ‘golden era’ of UK-Sino relations. Similarly, Osborne vowed in 2016 to become China’s “best partner in the West”.
But in the years since, a more cautious approach towards the Asian superpower has developed across the Conservative Party, including from the prime minister Rishi Sunak.
High-profile China ‘hawks’ such as foreign affairs select committee chairman Alicia Kearns and former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, are likely to be critical of his appointment.
While Sunak himself — while declining to designate China a ‘threat’ as urged by his predecessor Truss – said last year that the ‘golden era’ between the UK and China was over.
He also described the idea that more trade with the West could see China reform as “naive”.
Greensill and Port City
After leaving office, Cameron was involved in what has been described as the biggest lobbying scandal in a generation when he was revealed to be working for Lex Greensill.
The ex-prime minister had privately lobbied No10 and Treasury figures — including Sunak — on behalf of Greensill Capital, before its collapse, over changes to COVID-19 loan schemes.
No laws were broken but questions were raised about transparency at the heart of government; a government Cameron is now back at the heart of.
Another project which has proved controversial is the now-foreign secretary’s role in championing a Chinese-backed scheme, the Colombo Port City project, in Sri Lanka.
Cameron’s role — helping to promote and secure foreign investment — has already been criticised for aiding China’s global ambitions as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, which is Jinping’s international infrastructure strategy.
A spokesman for the former prime minister told Politico last month that Cameron had no direct contact with the Chinese government or the Chinese firm involved.
‘Salesman-in-chief’
Former colleague Emma Jones, who founded Enterprise Nation, worked with Cameron on his StartUp Britain project when he was in No10.
She welcomed his appointment as foreign secretary, calling it a “positive step for Britain’s global standing, and demonstrates our commitment to boosting international trade”.
Jones added: “When he was Prime Minister, I saw first-hand David Cameron’s ability to promote the UK on the global stage during a trade trip to China in 2013.
“He began speeches introducing himself as the ‘salesman-in-chief’ and a decade later, this is exactly what’s required. Let’s get back on ambitious trade trips and sell Britain to the world.”
A ‘life raft’ with a ‘shady past’?
Some will see Cameron’s appointment as a gift to Labour, who are already making hay from the news – coming just weeks after Sunak said he wanted to make a break with the past.
National campaign co-ordinator Pat McFadden said: “A few weeks ago, Rishi Sunak said David Cameron was part of a failed status quo, now he’s bringing him back as his life raft.
“This puts to bed his laughable claim to offer change from 13 years of Tory failure.”
While Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran said the new foreign secretary was “scandal-hit [and] unelected” and called for his peerage to be blocked.
Appointing Cameron, she said, “has the stench of desperation”, adding: “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.”
‘Invaluable’
However, his successor — and former home secretary — Theresa May welcomed Cameron’s appointment, and said his “immense experience” would be “invaluable at this time of great uncertainty in our world”.
In a statement, Lord Cameron said he wanted to help Sunak “deliver the security and prosperity our country needs and be part of the strongest possible team that serves the UK”.
He wrote: “We are facing a daunting set of international challenges, including the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East.
“Britain is a truly international country. Our people live all over the world and our businesses trade in every corner of the globe.”
Lord Cameron 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.”