Britain’s outspoken Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been sacked as part of a wider reshuffle that has seen the return of former prime minister David Cameron.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sacked Braverman, one of his most senior ministers after after asserting police had gone easy on pro-Palestinian protesters at a recent march.

In a bombshell move, Sunak has brought back Cameron to the heart of government after a seven-year absence from politics.

Under fire from opposition MPs and members of his own governing Conservative Party to eject Braverman, Sunak moved against his interior minister, asking her “to leave government” which she had accepted.

Downing Street confirmed that James Cleverly, the former foreign secretary, would replace Braverman, opening a space for Cameron’s return to Cabinet.

“While I have been out of front-line 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,” Cameron said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Cameron added that while he may have “disagreed with some individual decisions” made by Sunak, the PM was a “strong and capable” leader.

He served as British prime minister from 2010 to 2016, resigning after Britain voted to leave the European Union in the Brexit referendum he called.

Cameron resigned as an MP shortly after leaving Downing Street, meaning that King Charles is required to approve his return to the House of Lords on Monday for him to become a minister.

Last week, Braverman defied Sunak by publishing an article accusing the police of adopting “double standards” in its treatment of protests – an argument opposition Labour said inflamed tensions at a pro-Palestinian demonstration on Saturday.

Then more than 140 people were arrested after far-right counter protesters skirmished with police, who tried to keep them away from the 300,000 pro-Palestinian marchers.

MPs in the centrist wing of the party said Cameron’s appointment would bring international experience, and send a wider message to the country.

“It’s a sign to the Tory blue wall and moderate voters, we aren’t heading to the right,” one Conservative MP said, using a phrase that is used to describe traditional Conservative-supporting areas in the south of England.

The Labour Party has consistently held an around 20-point lead in the polls, and Sunak has failed to reduce that gap.

MP Pat McFadden, Labour’s national campaign co-ordinator, said: “A few weeks ago Rishi Sunak said David Cameron was part of a failed status quo, now he’s bringing him back as his life raft.”

“This puts to bed the prime minister’s laughable claim to offer change from 13 years of Tory failure.”

Sunak is expected to carry out a wider number of changes in his cabinet, bringing in allies and removing some ministers who his Downing Street office say have not been performing as well as he wanted in their departments.

-with AAP