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Cameron happy to play ‘second fiddle’ to Sunak

Lord Cameron was appointed to the Cabinet last year in a shock return for the former prime minister.

Dominic McGrath
Thursday 18 January 2024 10:09 EST
Lord David Cameron said he did not mind playing second fiddle to Rishi Sunak (James Manning/PA)
Lord David Cameron said he did not mind playing second fiddle to Rishi Sunak (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)

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Former prime minister Lord Cameron has said he does not mind playing “second fiddle” to Rishi Sunak since his return to frontline politics.

The Foreign Secretary, during a trip to Davos, called current PM Mr Sunak a “good boss”.

Lord Cameron was appointed to the Cabinet last year in a shock return for the former Conservative leader, who resigned after the UK vote to leave the EU in 2016.

Asked by Times Radio if he found it difficult to play “second fiddle”, he said: “No, not at all actually, because he’s a very clear boss.

He has a pretty clear view of what he wants, so that's a good boss

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron

“He’s easy to work for because he knows what he wants. He chairs cabinet meetings with great efficiency. He’s read everything, understood everything. He knows what the issues that are contentious, that we have to discuss, are about. And he has a pretty clear view of what he wants, so that’s a good boss.”

He also laughed off any idea that he could return to lead the party and replace Mr Sunak after the next election.

The potential for a return to party leadership was floated by former Cabinet minister and ally of ex-PM Boris Johnson, Nadine Dorries.

In 2012 Ms Dorries mocked Lord Cameron and then chancellor George Osborne as “posh boys who don’t know the price of milk”.

“Well, she’s always been a much better novelist than a political forecaster. I think I’ll leave it at that,” he said.

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