NOT HIM AGAIN

Old Etonian behind cuts and Brexit

- JASON BEATTIE

Seven years ago, David Cameron left Downing Street for the political wilderness. He had gambled his career on Brexit and lost. The country lost too.

The man who had promised stability and strong government had lit the touch paper on a political bomb that caused an unprecedented era of chaos.

As Britain tore itself apart over Europe and the Tories lurched from one failed leader to another, Cameron retreated to his £25,000 shepherd's hut to write his memoirs and dabble in dubious lobbying practices.

Now he has been called back to Westminster to rescue Rishi Sunak.

In the 1990s Cameron and George Osborne set about detoxifying the "nasty party" to make it more palatable to voters. Along the way they hugged hoodies, embraced green causes and fed dog treats to huskies. It was enough to squeak Cameron into No10 in 2010 with the help of the Lib Dems, and then win outright in 2015.

The former Prime Minister is coming back as Foreign Secretary but his role will be to act as a management consultant to a chief executive whose firm is haemorrhaging customers.

Sunak's survival rests on winning back moderate Conservative voters in the shires and suburbs who deserted the party for Labour and the Lib Dems.