Philip Barton

Sir Philip Robert Barton KCMG OBE (born 18 August 1963) is a senior British diplomat, currently the Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. He was previously British High Commissioner to India; he was High Commissioner to Pakistan from 2014 to 2016.[1][2]

Sir Philip Barton KCMG OBE
Permanent Under-Secretary for Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Affairs Head of HM Diplomatic Service
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 September 2020
Prime Minister	Boris Johnson
Sec. of State	Dominic Raab
Preceded by	Sir Simon McDonald as Permanent under Secretary to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office
British High Commissioner to India
In office 2020 – September 2020
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Boris Johnson
Preceded by	Sir Dominic Asquith
Succeeded by	Alex Ellis
Director-General, Consular and Security
In office 2017–2020
Prime Minister	Theresa May Boris Johnson
Succeeded by	Thomas Drew
Personal details
Born	18 August 1963
Nationality	British
Spouse(s)	Amanda Barton
Children	2 (1 daughter, 1 son)
Alma mater	Warwick University London School of Economics
Occupation	Diplomat

Early life and education

Barton was born on 18 August 1963. He studied economics and politics Warwick University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, and economics at the London School of Economics, graduating with a Master of Science (MSc) degree.[3]

Career

Barton joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1986 and served at Caracas, New Delhi, at the FCO, and on secondment to the Cabinet Office and as a private secretary to the Prime Minister. He was deputy High Commissioner to Cyprus 2000–04; deputy Governor of Gibraltar 2005–08 (with a spell as acting Governor in 2006); Director, South Asia, at the FCO 2008–09; Director, Foreign Policy and Afghanistan, and Pakistan Co-ordinator at the Cabinet Office 2009–11; deputy head of mission at Washington, D.C. 2011–14; and was appointed High Commissioner to Pakistan from January 2014.[4][5][6] He left Islamabad at the end of his assignment on 11 February 2016 and took up a post as Director General Consular & Security at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London, which he left in January 2020 to assume the role of High Commissioner to India, with the presentation of his credentials to the President of India on 08 July, 2020.[2][1][7]

Honours

Barton was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1997 Birthday Honours,[8] Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2007 Birthday Honours,[9] and Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to British foreign policy.[10]

Action as High Commissioner to Pakistan

Anti-tobacco movements in Pakistan and in the UK blamed Philip Barton for his participation in a delegation led by British American Tobacco in 2015 to complain about the Pakistani government's decision to increase the size of health warnings on cigarette packs. "Inside sources at the Health Ministry confirmed the participation of the British High Commissioner in the meeting as a member of the delegation."[11][12][13]

References

1. "Philip Barton - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
2. Change of British High Commissioner, British High Commission Islamabad, 11 February 2016.
3. "Barton, Philip Robert, (born 18 Aug. 1963), HM Diplomatic Service; Director General, Consular and Security, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, since 2017". Who's Who 2020. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2019. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U41906.
4. BARTON, Philip Robert, Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2013
5. Philip Barton, British High Commissioner to Pakistan, gov.uk
6. New British High Commissioner arrives in Pakistan, British High Commission Islamabad, 15 January 2014
7. "Envoys of three nations present Credentials through Video Conference". Retrieved 23 July 2020.
8. "No. 54794". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 1997. p. 24.
9. "No. 58358". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 June 2007. p. 3.
10. "No. 62866". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 2019. p. N4.
11. BAT team asks govt to withdraw decision
12. Lured by revenues’ argument, Dar forms committee
13. Action on Smoking and Health article: Pakistan: BAT team asks govt to withdraw decision

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