{{short description|British diplomat|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Use British English|date=May 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Philip Barton | honorific_prefix = Sir | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|GCMG|OBE|size=100%}} | image = Philip Barton (50192044862).jpg | office = Permanent Under-Secretary for Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Affairs<br />Head of HM Diplomatic Service | term_start = 2 September 2020 | term_end = 8 January 2025 | prime_minister = Boris Johnson<BR>Liz Truss<Br>Rishi Sunak<BR>Keir Starmer | 1blankname = Foreign Secretary | 1namedata = Dominic Raab<br />Liz Truss<br />James Cleverly<br />David Cameron<br />David Lammy | predecessor = Simon McDonald{{efn|as Permanent Under-Secretary to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office}} | successor = Sir Oliver Robbins | office1 = British High Commissioner to India | term_start1 = June 2020 | term_end1 = August 2020 | monarch1 = Elizabeth II | president1 = | prime_minister1 = Boris Johnson | predecessor1 = Dominic Asquith | successor1 = Alex Ellis | office2 = British High Commissioner to Pakistan | term_start2 = January 2014 | term_end2 = 11 February 2016 | predecessor2 = Adam Thomson | successor2 = Thomas Drew | prime_minister2 = David Cameron | monarch2 = Elizabeth II | office3 = Deputy British Ambassador to the United States | term_start3 = 2011 | term_end3 = 2013 | predecessor3 = Sir Dominick Chilcott | successor3 = Patrick Davies | monarch3 = Elizabeth II | president3 = Barack Obama | prime_minister3 = David Cameron | office4 = British Chargé d'Affaires ad interim to the United States | term4 = January 2012 | predecessor4 = Sir Nigel Sheinwald | successor4 = Sir Peter Westmacott | monarch4 = Elizabeth II | president4 = Barack Obama | prime_minister4 = David Cameron | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|08|18|df=yes}} | spouse = Amanda Barton | children = 2 | alma_mater = University of Warwick<br />London School of Economics | occupation = Diplomat }}
'''Sir Philip Robert Barton''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|GCMG|OBE}} (born 18 August 1963) is a British diplomat, formerly 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.<ref name = "HC">{{cite web|title=Philip Barton - GOV.UK|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/philip-barton|website=www.gov.uk|accessdate=23 December 2015}}</ref><ref name="pakistan-dep">[https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/change-of-british-high-commissioner Change of British High Commissioner], British High Commission Islamabad, 11 February 2016.</ref>
==Early life and education== Barton was born on 18 August 1963. He studied economics and politics at the University of Warwick, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, and economics at the London School of Economics, graduating with a Master of Science (MSc) degree.<ref name="WW 2020">{{cite web |title=Barton, Philip Robert, (born 18 Aug. 1963), HM Diplomatic Service; Director General, Consular and Security, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, since 2017 |website=Who's Who 2020 |publisher=Oxford University Press |url= https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-41906 |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U41906 |date=1 December 2019|isbn=978-0-19-954088-4 }}</ref>
==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.<ref>[http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U4190 BARTON, Philip Robert], ''Who's Who 2014'', A & C Black, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2013</ref><ref>[http://www.gov.uk/government/people/philip-barton Philip Barton, British High Commissioner to Pakistan], gov.uk</ref><ref>[http://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/new-british-high-commissioner-arrives-in-pakistan New British High Commissioner arrives in Pakistan], British High Commission Islamabad, 15 January 2014</ref> Anti-tobacco movements in Pakistan and in the UK blamed 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."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nation.com.pk/20-Mar-2015/bat-team-asks-govt-to-withdraw-decision|title=BAT team asks govt to withdraw decision|date=20 March 2015|website=The Nation}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/852926/lured-by-revenues-argument-dar-forms-committee/|title=Lured by revenues’ argument, Dar forms committee}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ash.org.uk/media-room/news/ash-daily-news/:ash-daily-news-for-23-march-2015#article_9977|title=Action on Smoking and Health article: Pakistan: BAT team asks govt to withdraw decision}}</ref> 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 8 July 2020.<ref name="pakistan-dep"/><ref name = "HC"/><ref>{{cite web|title = Envoys of three nations present Credentials through Video Conference|url = https://presidentofindia.nic.in/press-release-detail.htm?1851|access-date = 23 July 2020}}</ref> He was the shortest-serving High Commissioner to India on record.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/shortest-serving-uk-high-commissioner-ever-quits-after-3-weeks/articleshow/77337365.cms|title=Shortest serving UK High Commissioner ever quits after 3 weeks|work=The Times of India|last=Canton|first=Naomi|date=3 August 2020|access-date=26 April 2021}}</ref> He departed this role and became the first Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the newly combined Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Affairs Office and thus Head of HM Diplomatic Service on 2 September 2020. He succeeded Sir Simon McDonald who had served since 2015.
In 2021, Sir Philip apologised for the treatment of gay staff: “The ban was in place because there was a perception that LGBT people were more susceptible than their straight counterparts to blackmail and, therefore, that they posed a security risk. Because of this misguided view, people’s careers were ended, cut short, or stopped before they could even begin. And the diplomatic service undoubtedly deprived itself of some of the UK’s brightest and best talent. I want to apologise publicly for the ban and the impact it had on our LGBT staff and their loved ones, both here in the UK and abroad.”<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.attitude.co.uk/article/uk-foreign-office-apologises-for-historic-ban-on-lgbtq-staff-1/25314/|title = UK Foreign Office apologises for historic ban on LGBTQ staff|date = 5 July 2021}}</ref>
In December 2021, he admitted failing to show leadership after he began a three-week holiday two days before the Foreign Office internally accepted Kabul was about to fall to the Taliban. Sir Philip remained on holiday until 28 August. During questioning by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, he admitted this was a mistake.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/dec/07/philip-barton-regrets-holiday-while-afghanistan-fell-to-taliban|title=Top civil servant regrets holiday while Afghanistan fell to Taliban|first1=Patrick|last1=Wintour|first2=Patrick | last2=Wintour Diplomatic|date=7 December 2021|via=The Guardian}}</ref>
In January 2024, he was criticised by the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Alicia Kearns, for being reticent to agree that Israel has a duty under international law to not block water access to Gaza.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wintour |first=Patrick |date=2024-01-09 |title=UK government accepts Israel has legal duty to provide basic supplies to Gaza |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/09/uk-government-accepts-israel-has-legal-duty-to-provide-basic-supplies-to-gaza |access-date=2024-01-09 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
In November 2024 Barton stated he would resign in January 2025. Sir Philip became permanent secretary in 2020 but left eight months before the full five-year terms achieved by his two predecessors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpvzkk7x9pmo|title=Sir Philip Barton to step down as Foreign Office chief|date=4 November 2024|website=BBC News}}</ref> When asked to explain his reasons for leaving early, during evidence to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee’s session on the appointment of Lord Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US, he said:<blockquote>I will be honest and open with you, and I am no longer a civil servant: it was not my choice to leave at that point, Chair, and I would have preferred to see out my tenure. But after what I think was a very successful transition to the Labour team in the FCDO, David Lammy wanted to make a change, and told me that and that he wanted somebody who would lead the Department over the years ahead and carry out a major transformation programme, so I agreed to leave.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oral evidence - 28 Apr 2026 |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/17560/html |access-date=2026-05-09 |website=committees.parliament.uk}}</ref></blockquote>He was replaced by Sir Oliver Robbins. Prior to leaving, Barton had objected to the appointment of Peter Mandelson to be UK ambassador to the USA, the issue which also led to the dismissal of Robbins in April 2026.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mandelson-papers-kier-starmer-epstein-warnings-b2936632.html|title=Mandelson papers reveal Keir Starmer ignored warnings over peer’s links to Epstein|date=12 March 2026|website=The Independent}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/11/starmer-overruled-warning-of-reputational-risk-over-mandelson-appointment-files-show|title=Starmer overruled warning of ‘reputational risk’ over Mandelson appointment, files show|first1=Jessica|last1=Elgot | date=11 March 2026|via=The Guardian}}</ref>
==Honours== Barton was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1997 Birthday Honours,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=54794 |page=24 |supp=y |date=13 June 1997}}</ref> Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2007 Birthday Honours,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=58358 |page=3 |supp=y |date=16 June 2007}}</ref> Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to British foreign policy,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=62866|supp=y|page=N4|date=28 December 2019}}</ref> and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) in the 2025 Birthday Honours.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-kings-birthday-honours-2025-overseas-and-international-list/the-kings-birthday-honours-2025-overseas-and-international-list-order-of-st-michael-and-st-george|title=The King's Birthday Honours 2025 Overseas and International List: Order of St Michael and St George|website=GOV.UK}}</ref>
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-dip}} {{s-bef |before=Sir Adam Thomson}} {{s-ttl |title=British High Commissioner to Pakistan |years=2014–2016}} {{s-aft |after= Thomas Drew}} {{s-bef|before = Sir Dominic Asquith}} {{s-ttl|title = British High Commissioner to India|years= 2020}} {{s-aft|after=Alexander Ellis}} {{S-gov}} {{s-bef |before = Sir Simon McDonald }} {{s-ttl |title = Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office |years = 2020–2025 }} {{s-aft|after=Sir Oliver Robbins}} {{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Barton, Philip Robert}} Category:1963 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of the University of Warwick Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics Category:Members of HM Diplomatic Service Category:High commissioners of the United Kingdom to Pakistan Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:Permanent under-secretaries of state for foreign affairs Category:20th-century British diplomats Category:21st-century British diplomats