David Cameron has left Rishi Sunak’s frontbench job as the Conservative Party announces its interim shadow cabinet team ahead of the leadership election.
The Conservative party announced that Lord Cameron, the former foreign secretary, and Richard Haldane, who led the Conservative party through its disastrous election campaign, had resigned from Mr Sunak’s top leadership team. Andrew Mitchell, who holds the honorary title of deputy foreign secretary in government, will become shadow foreign secretary.
Mr Sunak will remain Leader of the Opposition until a successor is chosen, with Jeremy Hunt and James Cleverley remaining as Shadow Chancellor and Shadow Home Secretary. Oliver Dowden will continue as Mr Sunak’s deputy.
Most of the other changes involve former ministers who have lost their jobs or resigned, and many have been replaced by former deputy ministers from the same ministries.
James Cartlidge will replace Ben Wallace as Defence Secretary, Ed Argar will replace Alex Chalk as Justice Secretary, Damian Hinds will replace Gillian Keegan as Education Secretary, Julia Lopez will replace Lucy Fraser as Culture Secretary and Andrew Griffiths will replace Michelle Donnellan as Science and Technology Secretary.
Badenoch has moved from business secretary to shadow communities secretary, replacing Michael Gove, who has resigned as an MP, and one of his former junior ministers, Kevin Hollinrake, will take over as business secretary.
Former police minister Chris Philp has been given the role of shadow leader of the House of Commons after Penny Mordaunt, who held the equivalent role in government, lost her seat.
After his resignation was announced, Cameron wrote in an editorial on X that it had been a great honour to serve as Foreign Secretary, but it is clear that the Opposition Conservative Party needs to keep a close eye on the new Foreign Secretary from the House of Commons.
“So I have told Rishi Sunak that I will be stepping down and I am pleased that the role of Shadow Foreign Secretary has been taken over by my good friend Andrew Mitchell. As a committed Conservative member, I will continue to support the party and help in any way I can as it recovers from this very disappointing election result.”
Former ministers who have remained in their roles include Victoria Atkins, health secretary, Steve Barclay, environment secretary, Mel Stride, shadow work and pensions secretary, and Claire Coutinho, energy security and net zero secretary.
In other changes, Helen Whatley, who was Secretary of State for Social Services, will become Shadow Secretary of State for Transport after Transport Minister Mark Harper lost his seat.
Haldane was replaced as interim leader by Richard Fuller, the Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire since 2010.
Mr Fuller said: “The Conservative party has had a tough election and it is important that we regroup and reflect on this result. We should also openly and thoroughly question ourselves about the strengths of the Conservative party across the country and outline where we can improve. United as a party, we will be ready and able to hold the New Labour government to account every step of the way.”
Sunak’s successor, if he becomes leader, would likely appoint his own shadow cabinet. No timetable has been set for selecting a new leader, and there is division within the party over how quickly the selection should occur.
Sunak’s supporters say he has no intention of staying on beyond the summer and the Conservative party could face the possibility of being forced to appoint a caretaker leader if the campaign continues for several more months.
