A Conversation with Sir Philip Barton GCMG OBE

About

Get a glimpse of decision-making at the top of Government from the inside, from a real Sir Humphrey Appleby.

From 2020 to 2025, Sir Philip was the Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and Head of the UK Diplomatic Service, implementing the merger of the Foreign Office and Department for International Development and overseeing the department's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine amongst other international events.

Sir Philip was previously Director General for Defence and Intelligence in the FCO, where he led the UK's international response to the Salisbury chemical weapons attack, and Acting Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee. He also served as Foreign Affairs Private Secretary to Prime Ministers John Major and Tony Blair.

Sir Philip's overseas roles included High Commissioner to Pakistan, High Commissioner to India (briefly) and Deputy Ambassador to the US during the Obama Administration. He was posted to Cyprus, Gibraltar, New Delhi, and Venezuela earlier in his diplomatic career.