9 hours ago
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Christian Turner is simply a mandarin's mandarin. His assignment to the astir glamorous posting successful the UK diplomatic work is simply a triumph for the Sir Humphreys implicit the politicians.
After the catastrophe and humiliation of Peter Mandelson's demise implicit his links to Jeffrey Epstein, it ever made consciousness to name a scandal-free vocation diplomat arsenic his successor.
Father-of-two Dr Turner is 53 but looks fractional his age. But his youthful quality hides a agelong acquisition arsenic a diplomat and civilian servant serving premier ministers dating backmost to Tony Blair.
The Foreign Office announcement of his assignment describes him arsenic "one of the UK's astir experienced diplomats". And the apical mandarins astatine the FCDO volition beryllium delighted they've got their man.
When Lord Mandelson was appointed past year, the elder furniture curate Peter Kyle told Sky News the authorities had decided that helium was "worth the risk".
And what a hazard it turned retired to be. Will they ne'er learn? "Mandy" - arsenic he's ever been known successful Westminster - had antecedently been forced to resign from the furniture not once, but twice.
He declared successful an aggravated and defiant triumph code erstwhile helium held his Commons spot successful Hartlepool: "I'm a fighter, not a quitter." But not agelong aft that, helium discontinue to go a Brussels commissioner.
Dr Turner, connected the different hand, has enjoyed a stellar and unblemished vocation arsenic a diplomat. His astir high-profile planetary station truthful acold was precocious commissioner to Pakistan, wherever helium was said to beryllium immensely popular.
One of his earlier diplomatic posts was precocious commissioner successful Kenya, erstwhile helium had to pb the UK's effect to the Westgate Mall violent attack, successful which 71 radical were killed.
So he's seen arsenic a harmless brace of hands and is improbable to pull ungraded and contention successful the mode that his predecessor did, with his relationships with colourful tycoons and oligarchs arsenic good arsenic emotion of the precocious life.
Nevertheless, the Washington posting comes with immoderate of the champion perks successful the diplomatic world, notably the luxurious Lutyens mansion that serves arsenic the ambassador's residence connected Massachusetts Avenue.
Dr Turner saw disconnected immoderate distinguished rivals for the apical occupation successful the diplomatic service, including main Varun Chandra, Sir Keir Starmer's concern adviser, who is credited with being the designer of caller commercialized agreements with President Trump.
Until this week, helium was seen arsenic the frontrunner for the job, and arsenic a sop for not getting the Washington post, helium volition present person an expanded role, including taking a pb relation successful commercialized talks with the US.
A precocious introduction successful what became a three-horse contention was Nigel Casey, Britain's ambassador successful Moscow.
But ultimately, helium was seen arsenic indispensable successful his existent role, fixed the volatile relations with President Putin and the continuing warfare successful Ukraine.
The PM interviewed each 3 candidates past week and his prime of Dr Turner is seen arsenic a triumph for Sir Olly Robbins, the Foreign Office's apical diplomat, whose vocation has prospered contempt disapproval of his relation arsenic the UK's post-Brexit negotiator, implicit authorities ministers.
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Insiders assertion determination volition beryllium Champagne corks popping successful the Foreign Office's King Charles Street HQ due to the fact that Dr Turner is their antheral and volition study backmost to the FCDO alternatively than No 10.
If Lord Mandelson - the "prince of darkness" successful his days arsenic a Labour rotation doc - was seen arsenic Sir Keir's "Trump whisperer", Dr Turner volition beryllium the PM's - and, much importantly, the Foreign Office's - eyes and ears.
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