Difference between revisions of "Simon McDonald"

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{{person
 
{{person
 
|wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_McDonald_(diplomat)
 
|wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_McDonald_(diplomat)
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|name=Lord McDonald of Salford
 
|image=Simon McDonald.jpg
 
|image=Simon McDonald.jpg
 
|alma_mater=Pembroke College (Cambridge)
 
|alma_mater=Pembroke College (Cambridge)
 
|birth_date=9 March 1961
 
|birth_date=9 March 1961
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|birth_name=Simon Gerard McDonald
 
|death_date=
 
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|constitutes=diplomat
 
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|children=4
 
|children=4
 
|employment={{job
 
|employment={{job
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|title=Member of the House of Lords
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|start=27 January 2021
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|end=
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|appointer=Boris Johnson
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}}{{job
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|title=HM Diplomatic Service
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|start=1982
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|end=September 2020
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}}{{job
 
|title=Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary
 
|title=Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary
 
|start=2001
 
|start=2001
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|end=September 2020
 
|end=September 2020
 
}}{{job
 
}}{{job
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|title=Head of the Diplomatic Service
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|title=Master of Christ's College
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|start=September 2015
 
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|end=September 2020
 
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}}{{job
 
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|title=Master
 
 
|start=1 September 2022
 
|start=1 September 2022
 
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'''Simon Gerard McDonald, Baron McDonald of Salford''' is a British former diplomat who was the [[Permanent Under-Secretary]] at the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] and Head of the Diplomatic Service until September 2020. He was the last professional head of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office before the creation of the [[Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office]]. On 23 November 2021, McDonald was elected Master-Elect of [[Christ's College, Cambridge]], with a term of office beginning 1 September 2022.<ref>https://www.christs.cam.ac.uk/news/christs-college-elects-new-master</ref>
+
'''Simon Gerard McDonald, Baron McDonald of Salford''' is a British former diplomat who was the Permanent Under-Secretary at the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] and Head of the Diplomatic Service until September 2020. He was the last professional head of the [[FCO]] before the creation of the [[Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office]] ([[FCDO]]).
  
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==Career==
+
On 23 November 2021, Lord McDonald was elected Master-Elect of [[Christ's College, Cambridge]], with a term of office beginning 1 September 2022.<ref>https://www.christs.cam.ac.uk/news/christs-college-elects-new-master</ref>
−
McDonald was educated at [[Pendleton College|De La Salle College]], [[County Borough of Salford|Salford]], and read [[List of Cambridge History Faculty alumni|History]] at [[Pembroke College, Cambridge]]. He joined the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] (FCO) in 1982 and served in [[Jeddah]], [[Riyadh]], [[Bonn]] and [[Washington, D.C.]] as well as in London. He was [[Principal Private Secretary]] to the [[Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs|Foreign Secretary]] 2001–03; [[Ambassador]] to [[Israel]] 2003–06; Director for [[Iraq]] at the FCO 2006–07; Foreign Policy Adviser to the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] and Head of the Overseas and Defence Secretariat at the [[Cabinet Office]] 2007–10; and was appointed Ambassador to [[Germany]] {{As of|2010|10|alt=in October 2010}}.<ref name="whoswho">[http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U41677 McDONALD, Simon Gerard], ''Who's Who 2014'', A & C Black, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press Dec 2013</ref><ref>[http://www.gov.uk/government/people/simon-mcdonald Simon McDonald CMG, British Ambassador to Germany], gov.uk</ref>
 
  
−
In September 2015, McDonald became [[Permanent Under-Secretary]] in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service, replacing [[Simon Fraser (diplomat)|Sir Simon Fraser]].<ref>http://www.gov.uk/government/news/appointment-of-new-permanent-under-secretary-to-the-fco </ref><ref>{https://twitter.com/SimonFraserFCO/status/626326053561233408</ref><ref>http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/27a5869c-3765-11e5-b05b-b01debd57852.html#axzz3hU0kCS00</ref> As of 2015, McDonald was paid a salary of between £180,000 and £184,999 by the Foreign Office, making him one of the 328 most highly paid people in the British public sector at that time.<ref>https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/492289/150K_senior_salaries.csv/preview</ref>
+
==Diplomatic career==
 +
Simon McDonald was educated at De La Salle College, Salford, and read History at [[Pembroke College, Cambridge]]. He joined the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] (FCO) in 1982 and served in [[Jeddah]], [[Riyadh]], [[Bonn]] and [[Washington, D.C.]] as well as in London. He was Principal Private Secretary to the [[Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs|Foreign Secretary]] 2001–03; [[Ambassador]] to [[Israel]] 2003–06; Director for [[Iraq]] at the FCO 2006–07; Foreign Policy Adviser to the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] and Head of the Overseas and Defence Secretariat at the [[Cabinet Office]] 2007–10; and was appointed Ambassador to [[Germany]] {{As of|2010|10|alt=in October 2010}}.<ref name="whoswho">[http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U41677 McDONALD, Simon Gerard], ''Who's Who 2014'', A & C Black, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press Dec 2013</ref><ref>[http://www.gov.uk/government/people/simon-mcdonald Simon McDonald CMG, British Ambassador to Germany], gov.uk</ref>
  
 +
In September 2015, McDonald became Permanent Under-Secretary in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service, replacing [[Simon Fraser (diplomat)|Sir Simon Fraser]].<ref>http://www.gov.uk/government/news/appointment-of-new-permanent-under-secretary-to-the-fco </ref><ref>{https://twitter.com/SimonFraserFCO/status/626326053561233408</ref><ref>http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/27a5869c-3765-11e5-b05b-b01debd57852.html#axzz3hU0kCS00</ref> As of 2015, McDonald was paid a salary of between £180,000 and £184,999 by the Foreign Office, making him one of the 328 most highly paid people in the British public sector at that time.<ref>https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/492289/150K_senior_salaries.csv/preview</ref>
 +
 +
===Ventilators and PPE===
 
In April 2020, McDonald stated to the [[Foreign Affairs Select Committee]] that it was a political decision to opt out of an [[European Union|EU]] scheme to bulk-buy ventilators and protective equipment for [[National Health Service|NHS]] workers to respond to the [[Coronavirus disease 2019|coronavirus pandemic]]. The comments raised concerns that ministers had put [[Brexit]] ahead of responding to the public health crisis.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/21/uk-refusal-of-eu-ventilator-offer-was-political-decision</ref> Following comments, [[Matt Hancock]] used Downing Street's daily press briefing to state that as far as he knew, they had been no political decision not to participate.<ref name=":0">https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-52369916</ref> McDonald subsequently wrote to the committee [[chairperson]], [[Tom Tugendhat]], stating that he had "inadvertently and wrongly" misadvised the committee "due to a misunderstanding".<ref name=":0" />
 
In April 2020, McDonald stated to the [[Foreign Affairs Select Committee]] that it was a political decision to opt out of an [[European Union|EU]] scheme to bulk-buy ventilators and protective equipment for [[National Health Service|NHS]] workers to respond to the [[Coronavirus disease 2019|coronavirus pandemic]]. The comments raised concerns that ministers had put [[Brexit]] ahead of responding to the public health crisis.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/21/uk-refusal-of-eu-ventilator-offer-was-political-decision</ref> Following comments, [[Matt Hancock]] used Downing Street's daily press briefing to state that as far as he knew, they had been no political decision not to participate.<ref name=":0">https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-52369916</ref> McDonald subsequently wrote to the committee [[chairperson]], [[Tom Tugendhat]], stating that he had "inadvertently and wrongly" misadvised the committee "due to a misunderstanding".<ref name=":0" />
  
 +
===Early retirement===
 
In June 2020, it was announced that McDonald would take early retirement in autumn 2020. The move stemmed from the merger of the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] with the [[Department for International Development]], with Prime Minister [[Boris Johnson]] signalling that he wanted a new leader to head up the combined department.<ref>https://news.sky.com/story/foreign-office-boss-sir-simon-mcdonald-to-step-down-early-after-department-merger-plan-12010313</ref>
 
In June 2020, it was announced that McDonald would take early retirement in autumn 2020. The move stemmed from the merger of the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] with the [[Department for International Development]], with Prime Minister [[Boris Johnson]] signalling that he wanted a new leader to head up the combined department.<ref>https://news.sky.com/story/foreign-office-boss-sir-simon-mcdonald-to-step-down-early-after-department-merger-plan-12010313</ref>
  
−
McDonald was nominated for a crossbench [[life peerage]] in the [[2020 Political Honours]].<ref>https://www.gov.uk/government/news/political-peerages-2020</ref> On 27 January 2021, he was created '''Baron McDonald of Salford''', ''of Pendleton in the City of Salford'' for life. He made his maiden speech on 2 March 2021.
+
===Peerage===
 +
Simon McDonald was nominated for a crossbench life peerage in the 2020 Political Honours.<ref>https://www.gov.uk/government/news/political-peerages-2020</ref> On 27 January 2021, he was created '''Baron McDonald of Salford''' and made his maiden speech on 2 March 2021.
 +
 
 +
==Crossing fingers at Downing Street==
 +
On 4 July 2022, the [[BBC]] reported:{{QB|[[Boris Johnson]] is under mounting pressure to reveal what he knew about allegations of inappropriate behaviour concerning [[Chris Pincher]] when he was appointed deputy chief whip.<ref>''[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62032329 "Chris Pincher: PM under pressure over appointment"]''</ref>}}
 +
On 5 July 2022, [[Lord McDonald]] tweeted:{{QB|This morning I have written to the [[Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards]] - because [[No 10]] keep changing their story and are still not telling the truth.<ref>''[https://twitter.com/SimonMcDonaldUK/status/1544206976820854784 "This morning I have written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards"]''</ref>}}
 +
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Mason_(journalist) Chris Mason,] political editor of the [[BBC]], commented:{{QB|In his most stinging line of all [[Lord McDonald]] likened Downing Street statements to "telling the truth and crossing your fingers at the same time and hoping that people are not too forensic in their subsequent questioning".
 +
 
 +
Day by day this means ministers are being sent out with lines to take that disintegrate within hours of them being said out loud - not only humiliating for the ministers concerned but toxic for trust in the leadership of the party, and the country.<ref>''[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62047883 "Chris Pincher: No 10 not telling the truth, says ex-senior civil servant"]''</ref>}}
 +
[[File:McDonald_letter.png|500px|center]]
 
{{SMWDocs}}
 
{{SMWDocs}}
 +
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
{{reflist}}
 
{{reflist}}

Latest revision as of 15:04, 5 July 2022

Person.png Lord McDonald of Salford  Rdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
(diplomat)
Simon McDonald.jpg
BornSimon Gerard McDonald
9 March 1961
Salford, England
NationalityBritish
Alma materPembroke College (Cambridge)
Children4
SpouseOlivia Wright
Member ofFranco-British Colloque
UK Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service 2015-2020.

Employment.png Member of the House of Lords Wikipedia-icon.png

In office
27 January 2021 - Present
Appointed byBoris Johnson

Employment.png HM Diplomatic Service

In office
1982 - September 2020

Employment.png UK/Ambassador/Israel Wikipedia-icon.png

In office
2003 - 2006
Preceded bySherard Cowper-Coles
Succeeded byTom Phillips

Employment.png Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Wikipedia-icon.png

In office
September 2015 - September 2020
Preceded bySimon Fraser

Employment.png Master of Christ's College

In office
1 September 2022 - Present
EmployerChrist's College (Cambridge)

Simon Gerard McDonald, Baron McDonald of Salford is a British former diplomat who was the Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service until September 2020. He was the last professional head of the FCO before the creation of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

On 23 November 2021, Lord McDonald was elected Master-Elect of Christ's College, Cambridge, with a term of office beginning 1 September 2022.[1]

Diplomatic career

Simon McDonald was educated at De La Salle College, Salford, and read History at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1982 and served in Jeddah, Riyadh, Bonn and Washington, D.C. as well as in London. He was Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary 2001–03; Ambassador to Israel 2003–06; Director for Iraq at the FCO 2006–07; Foreign Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister and Head of the Overseas and Defence Secretariat at the Cabinet Office 2007–10; and was appointed Ambassador to Germany in October 2010.[2][3]

In September 2015, McDonald became Permanent Under-Secretary in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service, replacing Sir Simon Fraser.[4][5][6] As of 2015, McDonald was paid a salary of between £180,000 and £184,999 by the Foreign Office, making him one of the 328 most highly paid people in the British public sector at that time.[7]

Ventilators and PPE

In April 2020, McDonald stated to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee that it was a political decision to opt out of an EU scheme to bulk-buy ventilators and protective equipment for NHS workers to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. The comments raised concerns that ministers had put Brexit ahead of responding to the public health crisis.[8] Following comments, Matt Hancock used Downing Street's daily press briefing to state that as far as he knew, they had been no political decision not to participate.[9] McDonald subsequently wrote to the committee chairperson, Tom Tugendhat, stating that he had "inadvertently and wrongly" misadvised the committee "due to a misunderstanding".[9]

Early retirement

In June 2020, it was announced that McDonald would take early retirement in autumn 2020. The move stemmed from the merger of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with the Department for International Development, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson signalling that he wanted a new leader to head up the combined department.[10]

Peerage

Simon McDonald was nominated for a crossbench life peerage in the 2020 Political Honours.[11] On 27 January 2021, he was created Baron McDonald of Salford and made his maiden speech on 2 March 2021.

Crossing fingers at Downing Street

On 4 July 2022, the BBC reported:

Boris Johnson is under mounting pressure to reveal what he knew about allegations of inappropriate behaviour concerning Chris Pincher when he was appointed deputy chief whip.[12]

On 5 July 2022, Lord McDonald tweeted:

This morning I have written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards - because No 10 keep changing their story and are still not telling the truth.[13]

Chris Mason, political editor of the BBC, commented:

In his most stinging line of all Lord McDonald likened Downing Street statements to "telling the truth and crossing your fingers at the same time and hoping that people are not too forensic in their subsequent questioning". Day by day this means ministers are being sent out with lines to take that disintegrate within hours of them being said out loud - not only humiliating for the ministers concerned but toxic for trust in the leadership of the party, and the country.[14]

McDonald letter.png

 

A Document by Simon McDonald

TitleDocument typePublication dateSubject(s)Description
Document:Lord McDonald's letter of 5 July 2022Letter5 July 2022Chris Pincher
Boris Johnson
Kathryn Stone
Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards
10 Downing Street		When Lord McDonald took to Twitter at 7:30 this morning, he knew the political firestorm he would create. But, quite simply, he had had enough of Number 10′s obfuscation and downright lies about the Chris Pincher scandal. And he was determined to set the record straight. (Huffington Post)

 

Events Participated in

EventStartEndLocation(s)Description
Herzliya Conference/200621 January 200624 January 2006Israel
Tel Aviv
Reichman University		A 2006 conference on Israeli security needs.
Munich Security Conference/20105 February 20107 February 2010Germany
Munich
Bavaria		An anti-war demonstration outside described it as "Nothing more than a media-effectively staged war propaganda event, which this year had the purpose of justifying the NATO troop increase in Afghanistan and glorifying the continuation of the war as a contribution to peace and stability."

 

Events Witnessed

EventLocation(s)Description
Munich Security Conference/2013Germany
Munich
Bavaria		The 49th Munich Security Conference
Munich Security Conference/2014Germany
Munich
Bavaria		The 50th Munich Security Conference
Munich Security Conference/2015Germany
Munich
Bavaria		"400 high-ranking decision-makers in international politics, including some 20 heads of state and government as well as more than 60 foreign and defence ministers, met in Munich to discuss current crises and conflicts."
Many thanks to our Patrons who cover ~2/3 of our hosting bill. Please join them if you can.



References

  1. ↑ https://www.christs.cam.ac.uk/news/christs-college-elects-new-master
  2. ↑ McDONALD, Simon Gerard, Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press Dec 2013
  3. ↑ Simon McDonald CMG, British Ambassador to Germany, gov.uk
  4. ↑ http://www.gov.uk/government/news/appointment-of-new-permanent-under-secretary-to-the-fco
  5. ↑ {https://twitter.com/SimonFraserFCO/status/626326053561233408
  6. ↑ http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/27a5869c-3765-11e5-b05b-b01debd57852.html#axzz3hU0kCS00
  7. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/492289/150K_senior_salaries.csv/preview
  8. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/21/uk-refusal-of-eu-ventilator-offer-was-political-decision
  9. ↑ a b https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-52369916
  10. ↑ https://news.sky.com/story/foreign-office-boss-sir-simon-mcdonald-to-step-down-early-after-department-merger-plan-12010313
  11. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/news/political-peerages-2020
  12. ↑ "Chris Pincher: PM under pressure over appointment"
  13. ↑ "This morning I have written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards"
  14. ↑ "Chris Pincher: No 10 not telling the truth, says ex-senior civil servant"
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