There is no fixed role for former British Prime Ministers once
they leave office, and many have remained as Members of
Parliament or returned to serve in governments led by
others.
This week, David Cameron was appointed Secretary of State for
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, making him the
latest former Prime Minister to return to Cabinet under a
different Prime Minister.
He served as Prime Minister from 2010 to 2016, leading Britain’s
first coalition government in nearly 70 years before forming the
first majority Conservative government in the UK for almost two
decades.
Now, he becomes Foreign Secretary – making him the first former
Prime Minister to serve in the position after Sir Alec
Douglas-Home, who took up the role from 1970-1974.
Here are some of the past Prime Ministers who returned to Cabinet
after their premiership.
See David
Cameron’s first Cabinet meeting as Foreign Secretary with Prime
Minister Rishi Sunak here.
Alec Douglas-Home
After his four-seat defeat to Harold Wilson at the 1964 general
election, Douglas-Home returned to join Edward Heath’s Cabinet as
Foreign Secretary in 1970.
He was an unexpected Prime Minister and did not originally seek
the position before being elected in 1963. He served for 363
days, and his government is remembered for overseeing the
abolition of resale price maintenance.
Neville Chamberlain
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain stood down as Prime Minister
after coming under attack from all political sides after the
failure of the British efforts to liberate Norway.
Following his resignation in May 1940, Chamberlain remained
leader of the Conservative Party and acted briefly as Lord
President of the Council, with ministerial responsibility
for the Privy Council Office.
The Privy Council advises on the exercise of prerogative business
and certain functions assigned to The King and the Council by
Acts of Parliament.
Soon after standing down as Prime Minister, he was struck down
with bowel cancer, forcing him to resign from Winston Churchill’s
coalition government and as leader of the party. He died shortly
after his resignation.
Arthur Balfour
Arthur Balfour was Prime Minister for three years before defeats
in the Commons and in by-elections led to his resignation in
December 1905.
He continued to lead his party until 1911 and would go on to
serve as a Cabinet Minister for eleven years during and after the
First World War.
In 1915 he became First Lord of the Admiralty – the government’s
most senior advisor of naval affairs – in the wartime
coalition. He became Foreign Secretary in George’s coalition in 1916,
and for the greater part of the 1920s he was Lord President of
the Council in Stanley Baldwin’s government.
Other Prime Ministers who returned to serve in government include
Lord John Russell, Viscount Goderich and the , who after two brief
terms as Prime Minister served as a minister in Robert Peel’s
government.
Former Prime Ministers who have returned to government:
Premiership: 2010 to 2016
Role: Foreign Secretary
Premiership: 1963 to 1964
Role: Foreign Secretary
Premiership: 1937 to 1940
Role: Lord President of the Council
Premiership: 1924 to 1924, 1929 to 1935
Role: Lord President of the Council
Premiership: 1923 to 1924, 1924 to 1929, 1935 to 1937
Role: Lord President of the Council
Premiership: 1902 to 1905
Role: First Lord of the Admiralty, Foreign Secretary, Lord
President of the Council
Premiership: 1846 to 1852, 1865 to 1866
Role: Foreign Secretary
Premiership: 1828 to 1830, 1834 to 1834
Role: Foreign Secretary, Leader of the House of Lords
Premiership: 1827 to 1828
Role: Lord Privy Seal, President of the Board of Trade, President
of the India Board
Premiership: 1908 to 1916
Role: Home Secretary
- William Cavendish-Bentinck
Premiership: 1783 to 1783, 1807 to 1809
Role: Home Secretary
Premiership: 1770 to 1782
Role: Home Secretary
Premiership: 1768 to 1770
Role: Lord Privy Seal
Premiership: 1756 to 1757
Role: Lord Chamberlain
Premiership: 1754 to 1756, 1757 to 1762
Role: Lord Privy Seal
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