How David Cameron can attend Cabinet if he's not an MP

Former prime minister quit the Commons in 2016 but has been made a life peer and will sit in the House of Lords

Britain's new Foreign Secretary David Cameron, fourth right, attends his first Cabinet meeting at No 10 Downing Street. AP

Mr Cameron speaks with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as he is appointed Foreign Secretary. Photo: No 10 Downing Street

Mr Cameron arrives at 10 Downing Street, seven years after he stepped down as prime minister. Reuters

Mr Cameron alongside fellow former Prime Ministers Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and John Major at the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in London. Getty Images

David Cameron at the National Service of Thanksgiving to Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul's Cathedral in London in 2022. Getty Images

Mr Cameron leaves his home in London to give evidence to a select committee on Greensill in 2021. Getty Images

David Cameron resigned as Prime Minister outside 10 Downing Street in June 2016. Getty Images

David Cameron on his campaign bus in 2016 on the final day of campaigning on whether Britain should remain or leave the EU. Getty Images

China's President Xi Jinping and David Cameron at a joint press conference in 10 Downing Street in 2015. Getty Images

David Cameron stands with then-London Mayor Boris Johnson in 2012. Getty Images

Vladimir Putin with David Cameron at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Getty Images

Mr Cameron is greeted by wellwishers during a visit to Tripoli in September 2011. Getty Images

Mr Cameron and US President Barack Obama walk in the gardens of Lancaster House in 2011. Getty Images

David Cameron and George Osborne at a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, in 2010. Getty Images

David Cameron with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg on their first day of coalition government on May 2010 in London. Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth greets David Cameron at Buckingham Palace for an audience to invite him to be the next Prime Minister, in May 2010. Getty Images

Former Conservative Party leader David Cameron, Liberal Democrat leader Mr Clegg and then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown debate during the third and final leader's debate in Birmingham in 2010. Getty Images

David Cameron at the Great Brook Charity run in 2009 in Chadlington, Oxfordshire. Getty Images

David Cameron, George Osborne and William Hague walk to the International Conference Centre during the Conservative Party conference in 2008 in Birmingham. Getty Images

David Cameron waves to supporters with his wife Samantha after winning the leadership election in 2005 in London. Getty Images

David Cameron celebrates with supporters at his constituency office in 2005 in Witney, Oxfordshire. Getty Images

Former British prime minister David Cameron attended Cabinet for the first time in seven years on Tuesday, after his surprise appointment as Foreign Secretary in Monday's reshuffle.

He attended his last Cabinet meeting 2,681 days ago – on July 12, 2016 – after announcing he was stepping down. He has replaced James Cleverly, who became Home Secretary following Suella Braverman's sacking on Monday.

Mr Cameron admitted such a return is “not usual” but said he wants to support Prime Minister Rishi Sunak through a “difficult job at a hard time”.

Welcoming Mr Cameron back on Tuesday, Mr Sunak said: “A warm welcome to those for whom it’s their first Cabinet and also a welcome to those for whom it may not be their first time.”

“Our purpose is nothing less than to make the long-term decisions that are going to change our country for the better.

“I know that this strong and united team is going to deliver that change for everybody.”

How can Cameron sit in the Cabinet?

Mr Sunak made him a life peer, meaning he will now sit in the House of Lords. This enables him to sit in Cabinet, as members must be in either the House of Commons or House of Lords.

This is not unusual in so far as most departments have ministers in the Lords to be able to answer questions in the upper house.

But it is the first time in a long time that a peer has held a such a high-profile Cabinet position.

It could take several weeks for his appointment to be confirmed, though, which means he is not Lord Cameron yet.

Has this ever happened before?

Yes, in 1970, former prime minister Alec Douglas-Home returned to Cabinet to become the Foreign Secretary.

But Mr Cameron’s appointment means it is the first time in more than four decades that a member of the upper chamber has held one of the so-called four great offices of state – prime minister, chancellor of the exchequer, foreign secretary and home secretary.

Peter Carrington was the last peer to do so – as foreign secretary from 1979 to 1982.

Peers have held other cabinet roles in recent years, including Nicky Morgan, who stayed on briefly as culture secretary under Boris Johnson after leaving the House of Commons in the 2019 election, and Peter Mandelson, who Gordon Brown ennobled in 2008 to return to the cabinet as Business Secretary.

In 2010 Mr Cameron made Baroness Warsi Conservative Party Chair and Minister without Portfolio, making her the first Muslim woman to serve in Cabinet.

If he is not an MP can he be questioned about foreign policy in Parliament?

No, but Mr Cameron has insisted he will be held to account in the House of Lords and select committees after the Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle raised concerns that MPs will not be able to question him in the House because he is a peer.

Outside parliament, he can still be questioned by journalists.