Rishi Sunak’s reshuffle: David Cameron makes surprise return as foreign secretary – here’s who is in and out of cabinet

Published

1 year ago

November 13, 2023

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David Cameron has been appointed as foreign secretary in a cabinet reshuffle.

The former prime minister, who was given the role while in Number 10 this morning, said he “gladly accepted” the offer from Rishi Sunak, despite having “disagreed with some individual decisions” by his successor.

Speaking to broadcasters, the now Lord Cameron said he accepted bringing back an ex-PM was “not usual”, but he “believes in public service” and has “useful experience” to bring to the table.

He also called his new boss a “strong and capable prime minister who is showing exemplary leadership at a difficult time”, adding: “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.”

Follow live for updates and analysis on reshuffle

The ex-party leader is no longer an elected politician as he stood down as an MP in 2016, having called the Brexit referendum and his campaign to remain in the EU losing the vote.

But the government has confirmed he will now enter the House of Lords as a life peer, giving him the opportunity to serve as a minister once more.

Downing Street confirmed his salary would be that of a secretary of state in the Lords – £104,360 per year – but said Mr Cameron would no longer take his prime ministerial allowance, and would not take the daily allowance given to other peers.

The shock announcement came after the sacking of Suella Braverman as home secretary, who provoked widespread condemnation for an article she wrote in The Times, accusing the police of “playing favourites” with left-wing groups over right-wing and national activists.

It was the latest in a string of controversial remarks by the Tory MP, who is a popular member on the right of the party, including her claiming being homeless was a “lifestyle choice”.

We are expecting more movement at the very top of government as the day goes on, so keep up to date with who’s in and who’s out in our list below.

Who is in?

Lord Cameron, who brought the Tories back to power as part of a coalition with the Liberal Democrats in 2010, has returned to government as foreign secretary.

Many of the party’s One Nation MPs – closer to the centre of politics – may welcome the return of Lord Cameron, who secured them two victories at general elections and is well known internationally.

But he does not come without his controversies, including his austerity policies, decisions over Brexit, his push for closer ties with China, and accusations of lobbying when employed by Greensill.

In a lengthy statement released after his appointment, Lord Cameron said the UK faces a “daunting set of international challenges”, including wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

He said: “While I have been out of frontline 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.”

Having served as foreign secretary since September last year – after being appointed by then prime minister Liz Truss – James Cleverly will now move to the Home Office as home secretary.

Speaking to broadcasters from his new department, he said it was a “fantastic job” and it would be “a real privilege to serve”.

He added: “I’m absolutely committed to stopping the boats, as we promised, but also making sure that everybody in the UK feels safe and secure, going around, going about their daily business, knowing that the government is here to protect them”.

Brought in as health secretary when Mr Sunak took over the leadership last October, Steve Barclay may have been hoping to keep his post.

But after a lot of rumours he may be dropped from cabinet altogether, he has now been announced as taking over the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Taking to social media after his appointment, Mr Barclay said: he would be focusing on three areas – “backing British farming and fishing; championing rural communities; and protecting the environment”.

He added: “As an MP for a rural area I know how important these issues are to many people up and down our country.”

Mr Barclay’s job has been handed over to Victoria Atkins, who will now be in charge of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

It will be the first time Ms Atkins will hold a secretary of state role, having held more junior positions in the past.

Most recently, she has been financial secretary to Treasury.

Jeremy Hunt will remain chancellor, having been brought in by Ms Truss after the disaster of her mini-budget, and kept on by Mr Sunak.

After holding a minor ministerial role at transport – albeit an important one, covering roads and local transport – Richard Holden is now a fully-fledged cabinet member.

He has become the new party chairman, and will be leading on the Tories’ next election campaign.

Former party chairman Greg Hands, who up until this morning was posting chairman-like attacks on social media against his opponents, has now been demoted.

No longer leading on the electoral mission, he will hold a mid-range ministerial role at the Department for Business and Trade.

Mr Hands said he was “disappointed to be leaving the job”, but revealed he was “able to choose” to return to work in trade – an area where he has been a minister three times before and “a job I also love”.

He added: “I even kept my business cards from last time.”

Having been a junior minister at the Department for Work and Pensions, Laura Trott has now been made chief secretary to the Treasury.

Ousted from that role, is John Glen.

A treasury colleague of Mr Sunak’s and a close ally, there had been rumours of a bigger office of state.

But instead he now takes on the role of paymaster general – a defender and, sometimes, attack dog for the prime minister in the Commons.

Having worked as a junior minister in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities since September last year, Lee Rowley gets a promotion in this reshuffle to housing secretary.

It makes him the 16th person to hold the post since the Tories came to power in 2010.

Who is out?

As we have reported, Ms Braverman has been sacked as home secretary and is no longer a minister of any kind, so will return to the backbenches as an MP.

In a statement released after her dismissal, Ms Braverman said: “It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve as home secretary. I will have more to say in due course.”

It is the second time she has lost the job of home secretary after she resigned from Ms Truss’s government for breaking the ministerial code.

The former housing minister announced on Twitter that she had been sacked – or “asked to step down”.

Ms Maclean said she was “disappointed” by Mr Sunak’s decision, but added: “It has been a privilege to hold the position and I wish my successor well.”

Paul Scully

A former mayoral hopeful, Paul Scully has been sacked as the minister for London, as well as his role as minister for tech and digital economy, Sky News understands.

After she was seen walking into Number 10 this morning – following a brief pause to stroke Larry the cat – it was thought Environment Secretary Therese Coffey may have kept a role in government.

But an exchange of letters between her and the prime minister released two hours later shows she is off, telling Mr Sunak: “I consider it is now the right time to step back from government.”

She marked having served “all five Conservative prime ministers” since getting a role back in 2014, but said she had “always been most proud of in representing my constituents… and acting on local issues”.

Mr Sunak wrote back to “express my gratitude to you for your years of dedicated ministerial service”, as well as her “friendship to me personally”.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said he had quit the government and would not stand at the next general election, adding: “I campaigned for Rishi last summer and I remain an enthusiastic supporter of the prime minister’s leadership.”

Health minister Neil O’Brien also announced he was stepping down – despite being due to play a key role in delivering Mr Sunak’s ban on smoking and vaping in the younger generation.

Another health minister, Will Quince, has also stepped down from his role in a letter to the prime minister.

In it, he said due to his decision to stand down as an MP at the next election and recently becoming a specialist reserve officer in the army, “now feels like the right time to leave government”.

Transport minister Jesse Norman has also quit, revealing in a letter that he had let the chief whip know his plans to step down “some months ago”.

The now former paymaster general Jeremy Quin said he was offered “reassurance” that he could stay in government by the prime minister, but he has decided to “step back to concentrate on projects in Horsham” – his constituency.

Another MP to stand down from his post is George Freeman, who had been a science minister since February – but held a number of roles beforehand.

In a letter to the prime minister, he said he had made the decision “with a heavy heart”, but added: “The time has come for me to focus on my health, family wellbeing and life beyond the frontbench”.

Politics

America’s crypto renaissance is already failing; but we can fix it

Published

36 mins ago

May 5, 2025

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America’s crypto renaissance is already failing; but we can fix it

Opinion by: Shane Molidor, Founder, Forgd

For years, launching a crypto project in the United States has been a maze of uncertainty. Legal ambiguity and a hostile regulatory environment have driven founders offshore, turning places like Switzerland and the Cayman Islands into global hubs for blockchain innovation.

With Trump’s election, things finally started to change, with a US administration openly declaring its intention to be crypto-friendly. Yet, despite the rhetoric, nothing concrete has changed so far.

Launching a crypto project in the US is just as difficult as ever. US regulatory agencies continue to offer nothing but vague threats and “regulation by enforcement” lawsuits. America wants to be a leader in crypto, but, even under the Trump administration, it isn’t taking action to create the conditions that would make that happen.

Killing crypto in America

Every crypto project faces the same fundamental problem: Achieving decentralization is critical to avoid regulatory scrutiny, but until a project launches its token, a degree of centralization is unavoidable.

The SEC’s outdated Howey test ensures that nearly every legitimate crypto project gets classified as a security. The logic is self-defeating. Projects can’t decentralize without launching a token, but launching a token in the US instantly puts them in the SEC’s crosshairs.

This isn’t just a theoretical issue; it has real consequences. Liquidity providers, essential for all new token launches, won’t engage with US-based projects because they assume their tokens will be classified as securities. Centralized exchanges refuse to list tokens issued from US entities for the same reason. Even decentralized exchanges face pressure from their legal teams to avoid actively seeding liquidity for American projects. The result? US founders are boxed out of the global crypto economy before they even get started.

Offshore jurisdictions are winning

This regulatory failure has spawned an entire cottage industry of offshore legal firms specializing in setting up token-issuing entities. With its FINMA no-action letter system, Switzerland has become a hotbed for crypto projects because it offers one of the few structured ways to get legal clarity on a token’s classification. The Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands have also established themselves as crypto safe havens, providing flexible corporate structures that allow projects to operate with far less regulatory risk.

Recent: US Treasury wants to cut off Huione over ties to crypto crime

The absurdity is that the actual work — the development, the hiring, the innovation — still happens in the US. The token issuance gets pushed offshore via “Associations” and “Foundations,” which serve non-profits operating independently of US-based development shops. American founders are forced to funnel money into unnecessary legal fees, overseas operators, and shell foundations to avoid the inevitable crackdown from US regulators. This isn’t just bad for crypto; it’s bad for America. Until it can be solved, the US will continue to hemorrhage talent, investment, and influence to less myopic jurisdictions.

Make America crypto-friendly

The US has spent years fumbling crypto policy, and now, even with an administration that claims to be pro-crypto, it’s still failing to deliver real change. The solution isn’t to promise capital gains tax exemptions on crypto, as some have suggested. That does little to ameliorate the punishing regulatory landscape US-based projects are forced to navigate. If the US truly wants to lead in crypto, it also must take the lead in providing regulatory clarity.

That means finally recognizing that the same regulations that have governed traditional financial markets can’t always be applied to crypto. The Howey test doesn’t work. Instead, the government must provide a new and functional legal framework for the crypto industry.

It’s time for US legislators and regulators to acknowledge that crypto tokens can’t achieve decentralization instantaneously and almost always require the efforts of a team of core contributors to bootstrap initial growth and development. The federal government must devise a version of the Howey test that does not automatically classify every new crypto token as a security but instead allows tokens a grace period to decentralize. In conjunction with this, the US must establish new protections to ensure insiders aren’t unduly benefiting from crypto projects while they scale.

In addition to swiftly ending the “regulation by enforcement” approach employed under Gary Gensler’s SEC, a tactic seemingly designed to gradually smother crypto activity in the US, the government must provide clear guidelines. It needs to be feasible for market makers to evaluate whether US tokens are commodities or securities with a degree of stability and predictability. This is the only way to end the blanket bans market makers have placed on US tokens and bring crypto development back to America.

America’s window of opportunity is closing

Crypto founders aren’t waiting for Washington to figure it out. Every day, without clear regulations, more crypto projects are incorporated offshore. The US doesn’t even need to “embrace” crypto. It just needs to stop actively driving it away.

If this administration truly wants to make the US the leader in crypto, it needs to move beyond campaign slogans and start fixing the fundamental problems that forced this industry offshore in the first place. And it needs to act fast.

Opinion by: Shane Molidor, Founder, Forgd.

This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

Politics

Indonesia suspends WorldID over alleged registration violations

Published

4 hours ago

May 5, 2025

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Indonesia suspends WorldID over alleged registration violations

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s digital identity project World, formerly Worldcoin, is facing challenges in Indonesia amid local regulators temporarily suspending its registration certificates.

The Indonesian Ministry of Communications and Digital (Komdigi) has halted the Electronic System Operator Certificate Registration (TDPSE) for World and World ID over suspicious activity and alleged registration violations, the authority announced on May 4.

After the suspension, Komdigi plans to summon World’s local subsidiaries, PT Terang Bulan Abadi and PT Sandina Abadi Nusantara, to provide clarification on the alleged violations, it said.

According to a preliminary investigation, World’s PT Terang Bulan Abadi was allegedly operating without TDPSE, while PT Sandina Abadi Nusantara — the one World was using for providing its services — is allegedly involved in legal misrepresentation.

Indonesian law requires registration by all digital service providers

In the statement, Komdigi emphasized that all digital service providers in Indonesia must receive electronic registration in accordance with local laws.

Additionally, using another entity’s registration is considered a major breach of Indonesian digital operations law, the authority noted.

“Worldcoin services are recorded using TDPSE in the name of another legal entity, namely PT Sandina Abadi Nusantara,” Alexander Sabar, the Komdigi’s director general for digital supervision, said in the announcement, adding:

“Noncompliance with registration obligations and the use of the identity of another legal entity to carry out digital services is a serious violation.”

Community action required

According to Sabar, World’s temporary suspension in Indonesia is a measure taken to prevent potential risks to the community.

He mentioned that the digital ministry is committed to overseeing the digital ecosystem fairly and strictly to ensure the security of the national digital space.

A proper supervision would require active participation from the community, Sabar added, stating:

“We invite the public to help maintain a safe and trusted digital space for all citizens. Komdigi also appeals to the public to remain vigilant against unauthorized digital services, and to immediately report suspected violations through the official public complaint channel.”

In the meantime, the community has apparently been divided over action by Komdigi.

“Good job Indonesia — at least somebody is standing up to that scam,” one commentator wrote on Reddit.

Others fired back, hinting at potential benefits stemming from World’s offering in Indonesia for the general public.

“If giving up your iris biometrics means you can feed your loved ones for a few weeks, that might be a trade worth making. In the end, it all depends on what matters most to you,” another Redditor said.

World’s latest news from Indonesia follows World’s debut in the United States in May 2025, with the platform rolling out its digital identity tech in six cities initially.

A number of global regulators were pushing back on World’s operations since its launch in July 2023, with governments like Germany, Kenya and Brazil expressing concerns over potential risks to the security of biometric data passed by users.

Magazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight

Politics

Donald Trump gives conflicting answers over memecoin profits

Published

6 hours ago

May 5, 2025

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Donald Trump gives conflicting answers over memecoin profits

US President Donald Trump gave clashing answers to whether he has profited from the crypto memecoin he launched in January, just days before he re-entered the White House.

In a wide-ranging interview with Kristen Welker on NBC News’ Meet the Press released on May 4, Trump said he was “not profiting from anything” when asked to respond to critics who said he’s profiting from the presidency through the memecoin.

“So you’re not profiting off of the cryptocurrency at all?” Welker asked Trump.

“I haven’t even looked,” Trump admitted.

“But I’ll tell you what. Look, if I own stock in something and I do a good job, and the stock market goes up, I guess I’m profiting.”

Trump launched his memecoin, Official Trump (TRUMP), on Jan. 17, which hit a peak of $73.43 two days later, just a day before he was inaugurated as president on Jan. 20, according to CoinGecko.

The token has been in a steady decline since launch, but it surged late last month after its website offered top holders a chance to dine with Trump on May 22. It’s currently trading at $11.35, down nearly 85% from its peak.

Trump was apparently unaware of his token’s recent surge, repeatedly asking how much it was now worth.

Two companies, CIC Digital LLC, an affiliate of Trump’s sprawling Trump Organization, and Fight Fight Fight LLC, which is co-owned by CIC Digital, together own 80% of the token’s total 1 billion supply.

Most of those tokens are locked up and will be released over the next three years. The first unlock on April 18 saw 40 million tokens, worth $454 million, go to CIC Digital.

Trump’s memecoin project has made at least $350 million so far, according to a March analysis from the Financial Times, which found those behind the token made $314 million from selling them and $36 million from fees.

Trump has been criticized over his many crypto dealings, which his opponents say are a conflict of interest as he looks to unburden the sector from regulators.

Even those in his own party, Republican Senators Cynthia Lummis and Lisa Murkowski, have criticized Trump’s dinner offer to his top tokenholders.

Trump said during the interview that he would contribute his presidential salary “back to the government,” prompting Welker to ask if he would also contribute any potential crypto earnings.

“I never thought of that,” Trump answered. “I mean, should I contribute all of my real estate that I’ve owned for many years if it goes up a little bit because I’m president and doing a good job? I don’t think so.”

Trump reiterates crypto commitment

In a part of the interview, Trump made a meandering statement that reiterated his campaign promise to support crypto.

“I want crypto. I think crypto’s important because if we don’t do it, China’s going to. And it’s new, it’s very popular, it’s very hot,” he said.

Trump claimed former President Joe Biden “went after it violently, and then, before the election, he changed his tune entirely” to garner the crypto vote. Biden did not run against Trump in the last election, instead handing the baton to then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

The president again made his point when speaking to reporters on the White House South Lawn on May 4.

CBS News’ Jennifer Jacobs reported on X that Trump said “crypto is very important,” and wanted “to keep it away from China.”

He claimed China “will take it over, just like AI, just like so many other industries, or whatever you want to call them.”

Magazine: Trump’s crypto ventures raise conflict of interest, insider trading questions