Former Prime Minister David Cameron has made a surprise return as a government minister - despite no longer being an MP. Mr Cameron is no longer an elected politician as he stood down as an MP back in 2016 following the results of the Brexit referendum which saw his campaign to Remain losing the vote.

Seven years later, the former Tory leader is now to set to take on the foreign secretary role - one of the most important jobs in the government. But how it is possible that someone, who is no longer an elected MP, can take on one of the Great Offices of State?

As i news reports, the ministerial code now says that you can be either in the House of Commons, where MPs sit, or in the House of the Lords in order to be a government minister. The code states at one point: "Ministers must comply with the Codes of Conduct for their respective Houses".

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It has already been confirmed that Mr Cameron will be given a seat in the House of Lords so that he can make a comeback as a minister. In a statement, Downing Street said: "The King has been pleased to approve the appointment of the Rt Hon David Cameron as Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.

"His Majesty has also been pleased to confer the dignity of a Barony of the United Kingdom for life upon David Cameron."

In a statement published earlier today, November 13, Mr Cameron said he had “gladly accepted” the new role as the country faces a “daunting set of international challenges, including the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East”. “While I have been out of front-line politics for the last seven years, I hope that my experience – as Conservative Leader for eleven years and Prime Minister for six – will assist me in helping the Prime Minister to meet these vital challenges,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“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. I want to help him to deliver the security and prosperity our country needs and be part of the strongest possible team that serves the United Kingdom and that can be presented to the country when the General Election is held.”

His appointment comes just weeks after he publicly condemned Mr Sunak's decision to cancel the northern leg of the HS2 rail line. In a tweet on October 4, the ex-PM wrote: "It will help to fuel the views of those who argue that we can no longer think or act for the long-term as a country; that we are heading in the wrong direction.

"I regret this decision and in years to come I suspect many will look back at today’s announcement and wonder how this once-in-a-generation opportunity was lost."

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