David Cameron’s return to frontline politics has sparked one of those big days on social media, with memes born and unvarnished commentary flowing.
The former prime minister has been handed the job of foreign secretary as part of the major shakeup of Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government.
Cameron’s unlikely comeback was in effect at the expense of divisive home secretary Suella Braverman, who was sacked to be replaced by foreign secretary James Cleverly.
Cameron stepped down as an MP in 2016 at the same time as he resigned as prime minister following the Brexit referendum. The 57-year-old will take a seat in the unelected House of Lords, which allows him to step into the foreign secretary role. In an interview, Cameron admitted a former PM returning to the cabinet is “unusual”.
While professional Westminster watchers chewed over the news of “Lord Dave”, and whether it represented Sunak’s fortunes rising or falling, social media users had some more esoteric takes.
On a Mumsnet chat forum, among the claims that it represents a “complete, total and utter shitshow” and “an indication that there isn’t currently anyone in the Tory party in the Commons or the Lords who is capable or willing to do the job”, one comment stood out. “It’s like taking off your underwear, turning it inside out and putting it back on again,” wrote TropDrôle, which was soon shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.