Civil service union the FDA has hit out after Ed Llewellyn — David Cameron’s chief of staff for more than a decade and a current Conservative peer — was named as Britain’s new ambassador to France.
It was announced over the weekend that Llewellyn — who left Number 10 alongside Cameron in the wake of the European Union referendum result — is to take over from Sir Julian King as the UK’s ambassador to France in November, after being put forward for the job by the outgoing prime minister.
King, a long-serving Foreign Office diplomat, is moving on to become Britain’s European Commissioner in charge of the EU-wide security portfolio.
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Confirming the appointment, foreign secretary Boris Johnson said Llewellyn was “hugely well qualified for this post”.
“He has served his country in Bosnia and Hong Kong and has extensive experience of Europe,” Johnson added. “He will help us make a great success of Brexit while ensuring that Britain is more engaged in the continent of Europe than ever.”
But the FDA union — which represents senior officials in the civil service and diplomatic service — has warned that the appointment of a former Cameron aide risks undermining the process of filling key ambassadorial posts on merit.
"Ambassadorial posts are key to securing the UK's interests abroad,” said the union’s general secretary Dave Penman.
“Diplomats undergo years of training and are initially selected through open and fair competition.
"Whatever the individual merits Mr Llewellyn may have, the appointment undermines the principles of selection on merit that underpin the political neutrality of the civil service.
”Perhaps more crucially, if ambassadorial appointments are seen to be the gift of outgoing prime ministers, this undermines both this appointment and the professionalism of the entire service."
Douglas Carswell, the UK Independence Party’s member of parliament, also attacked the appointment.
“What kind of country are we where key offices of state are personal gifts to be handed out by the sofa gang at No 10?,” he said.
As well as his six years at Number 10 and five as Cameron’s chief of staff during the Conservatives’ spell in opposition, Llewellyn — who was appointed a life peer in Cameron’s resignation honours list — has served as chief of staff to Lord Ashdown, when the former Liberal Democrat leader was high representative for Sarajevo.
He was also part of the cabinet of the then-European Commisisoner for external relations, Chris Patten, from 1999-2002.
Llewellyn said he was “honoured” to be picked for the role, which is still subject to the formal approval of the French government.
“I look forward to representing British interests and to building on the very strong relations our country has with France,” he added.
“As we embark on a new chapter with the UK’s departure from the EU, I will work hard to strengthen our cooperation and to address the many common challenges facing our two nations.”