London - Veteran British politician Ken Clarke made a remarkable political comeback Monday when he joined the inner circle of the Conservative Party led by David Cameron.

Clarke, 68, will join the frontbench team of the "shadow cabinet" as spokesman for business affairs where he will be pitted against Peter Mandelson, the powerful and influential Business Secretary in the Labour government.

Clarke, a cigar-smoking bon-viveur, was defeated three times in his aim to lead the Conservatives.

He was Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Conservative government of John Major in the 1990s and served in a number of ministerial posts under Margaret Thatcher.

Clarke is known to be on the pro-European wing of the Conservative Party, something that could spark fresh infighting over the issue of Britain's EU membership and the euro.

But, it was Clarke's "fresh thinking and immense experience" that were required at a time of unprecendented economic crisis," Cameron, 42, said Monday. (dpa)