UK envoy to India, Sir Philip Barton, named as chief of new Foreign Office

SIR Philip Barton, the UK’s High Commissioner to India based in New Delhi, was on Monday (3) promoted as a minister in the newly formed Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

"I am delighted that Sir Philip has been successfully selected as the Permanent Under-Secretary of the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. He is an outstanding public servant and diplomat with experience across all areas of foreign policy," said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.

"Philip is well-placed to bring together the talent and expertise of both departments while helping combine our foreign and development policy in a way that is innovative, ambitious and more integrated than ever before."

It was announced in June that the Department for International Development (DfID) would be merged with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

Barton takes up his new post from September 1, but the Foreign Office is yet to confirm details around his current posting, in New Delhi.

He presented his credentials as the British envoy to Indian president Ram Nath Kovind in a virtual ceremony last month.

“I look forward to bringing together our diplomats and development experts to deliver for the people of the UK and act as a force for good around the world,” Barton said.

A career civil servant, Barton joined the FCO in the 1980s and previously held roles such as director general, consular and security in the department. Previously he served as the Acting Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee in the Cabinet Office.

He was also the high commissioner to Islamabad, deputy head of mission in Washington, and director of foreign policy and Afghanistan/Pakistan co-ordinator.

Raab will continue to head the transformed FCO and will now decide which countries receive – or cease to receive – British aid, while delivering a “single UK strategy” for each country, overseen by a National Security Council chaired by the prime minister.