LONDON — Lindy Cameron, the U.K.’s High Commissioner to India, has been appointed the new permanent under-secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office — the first woman to hold the role. Cameron’s appointment is one of the first major foreign policy decisions of Andy Burnham’s government, and comes at a time of upheaval for the FCDO. She will have to steady a department recently rocked by the scandal over Peter Mandelson’s appointment as U.S. ambassador and the subsequent sacking of Olly Robbins as FCDO boss.
The ministry also faces cuts and redundancies as part of the FCDO 2030 program. Cameron was chosen by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband over Karen Pierce, the former U.S. ambassador with ties to Donald Trump, and Deputy National Security Adviser Barbara Woodward. Miliband said in a statement: “Lindy brings enormous experience across the fields of diplomacy, development and national security, and a reputation for dynamic leadership in postings across the world.” The outgoing high commissioner previously served as chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre, and has held senior roles in the Northern Ireland Office and the Department for International Development (DfID).
One U.K. diplomat, granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said they believe Cameron had been chosen partly because of her background in international development, which “fits neatly” with Miliband’s priorities for British diplomacy. A second British official said Pierce was the candidate with the strongest connections in Washington and they suspect Pierce was seen as “too big a figure” for the job — someone who would make their views known and attract media attention in their own right. Olivia O’Sullivan, director of the U.K. in the World Programme at Chatham House think tank, said the new director will “inherit a department that has been through a bruising restructure, not long after the merger between the FCDO and DFID” and “her first job might be restoring morale.” She added that navigating a potential shift in the U.K.’s approach to the U.S. and realizing Burnham’s aim to be bolder on the EU-U.K. relationship would be among the key challenges facing Cameron, as well as trying to boost climate and aid diplomacy on a reduced budget.
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