David Cameron returns to Cabinet table as Sunak warned ‘prepare for war’ – live

Rishi Sunak hailed his “strong and united team” at his first Cabinet meeting following the dramatic reshuffle that saw Lord David Cameron appointed Foreign Secretary and Suella Braverman sacked.

The reshuffle is designed to prepare the Tories for the next general election, but it has also risked inflaming the rift in the Conservative Party.

Former minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns submitted a furious letter of no confidence in Mr Sunak to the Tory backbench 1922 Committee as a result of the decision.

Surrounded by a new-look Cabine Mr Sunak promised “big, bold decisions that will drive change”.

He said: “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.”

Lord David Cameron has left Downing Street after his first Cabinet meeting as foreign minister.

Downing Street has announced a series of changes in the Whips’ Office.

Stuart Anderson, Dame Amanda Milling, Joy Morrissey and Mike Wood were made Government whips while Aaron Bell, Mark Fletcher, Mark Jenkinson and Suzanne Webb became assistant whips.

Rishi Sunak stressed that meeting the five priorities he had set was “not the limit of our ambitions”.

The Prime Minister told Cabinet: “We want to build a better future for our children and for our grandchildren.

“That is what this team is going to do, whether it’s navigating the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East, demonstrating we will stand up for our values and provide security for everyone here at home, but also to make the big, bold decisions that will drive change – a new approach to infrastructure spending, ushering in a generation of children that will grow up smoke-free, reforms to how we approach net zero to save families thousands of pounds and radically reforming our education system.”

Members of Rishi Sunak’s new Cabinet met for the first time in Downing Street this morning.

Former prime minister David Cameron returned to the Cabinet table for the first time since 2016 – this time as foreign secretary.

Rishi Sunak has welcomed both old and new faces at the first meeting of the new Cabinet at Downing Street this morning.

The prime minister 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.”

Lord Cameron was attending his first Cabinet since quitting as prime minister in 2016.

Mr Sunak added: “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.”

He noted it was an “important week”, with inflation figures and the Supreme Court’s Rwanda ruling expected on Wednesday and the Chancellor’s autumn statement next Wednesday.

“Across all of that I’m confident that we can demonstrate to the country that we are making progress on the priorities that I set out at the beginning of the year – to halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut waiting lists and to stop the boats.”

Rishi Sunak has said his new-look Cabinet would make the “big, bold decisions that will drive change”.

Opening the first meeting of his top team since the changes which saw Lord David Cameron return to government, the Prime Minister said: “Looking around this table, I know that we have an energetic and enthusiastic team that is going to deliver for the country.

“So, let’s get to work.”

The new Tory chairman Richard Holden praised “plain-speaking” right-winger Esther McVey after she was appointed “common sense” minister in the Cabinet Office.

Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said that Ms McVey was a “plain-speaking northerner from Merseyside, I think she’s a great addition to the broad team.

“What Suella..,” Mr Holden said accidentally.

Today presenter Nick Robinson asked him if that was a Freudian slip.

Continuing, Mr Holden said: “What Esther is going to be doing is bringing that extra dimension to it … What you see is a broad church, Conservative party with a common goal, united together in what it is deciding to put forward to the country. Esther is part of that.”

Lord David Cameron has arrived at Downing Street for the first meeting of Rishi Sunak’s new-look Cabinet.

The Foreign Secretary walked inside No 10 at 9.10am, accompanied by minister of state for development and Africa Andrew Mitchell.

The former prime minister laughed after a Downing Street photographer asked him if he missed being “shouted at in the street”.

James Cleverly has arrived at Downing Street for the first meeting of Rishi Sunak’s new-look Cabinet.

The Home Secretary walked inside No 10 at 9am.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Laura Trott was the first minister to walk through the doors of No 10 at around 8.30am.