Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
Edward Llewellyn, Baron Llewellyn of Steep
British Conservative politician From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
Edward David Gerard Llewellyn, Baron Llewellyn of Steep, OBE, PC (born 23 September 1965),[1] is a British diplomat and former political adviser serving as the British Ambassador to Italy since 2022. Previously HM Ambassador to France from 2016 to 2021,[2] he served as Downing Street Chief of Staff under Prime Minister David Cameron from 2010 to 2016.
In February 2022, Lord Llewellyn was appointed HM Ambassador to Italy, presenting his credentials to President Sergio Mattarella on 7 April 2022.
Remove ads
Early life and career
Llewellyn was educated at Sunningdale School,[3] then Eton College, where he was a year above David Cameron. Llewellyn left Eton in 1983 and spent a brief amount of time working at Conservative Central Office, before going up to New College, Oxford, where he was Steward (i.e. President) of the College JCR. New College contemporaries include Rageh Omaar, Steve Hilton and Ian Katz.
The UK Government website states that Llewellyn spent four years (from 1988 to 1992) working for the Conservative Research Department, including a year as Private Secretary to Margaret Thatcher.
Remove ads
Political and diplomatic career
Summarize
Perspective
After Oxford, Llewellyn was engaged as an aide to Governor Chris Patten in Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997, as a member of Patten's 'Cabinet' following Patten's appointment as a European Commissioner from 1999 to 2002, and then as Chief of Staff to former Liberal Democrat Leader Paddy Ashdown in his role as High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002 to 2005.[4][5][6]
Appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1997,[7] Llewellyn was promoted Officer (OBE) in 2006.[8]
In July 2021, Lord Llewellyn was appointed an Honorary Captain in the Royal Naval Reserve.[9]
Chief of Staff to David Cameron
Following David Cameron's victory at the Conservative leadership election in December 2005, Llewellyn was hired to be Cameron's personal chief of staff in his capacity as Leader of HM Opposition, continuing in this role until 2010.
Coalition negotiations
He served as part of the Conservative Party's negotiating team, along with George Osborne, William Hague and Oliver Letwin, when negotiating a prospective deal with the Liberal Democrats after the 2010 general election. Their negotiations being successful, the Conservative–LibDem coalition agreement was drawn up leading to the formation of the coalition government in 2010.
Downing Street Chief of Staff
Cameron became Prime Minister and appointed Llewellyn to the post of Downing Street Chief of Staff. In July 2011, several newspapers reported that Llewellyn asked Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates not to speak to Cameron about the News International phone hacking scandal.[10]
On 14 May 2015 following the Conservatives' general election victory, Llewellyn was sworn of the Privy Council.[11]
House of Lords
In August 2016, Llewellyn was nominated for elevation as a life peer in David Cameron's Resignation Honours,[12] being created on 20 October 2016 as Baron Llewellyn of Steep, of Steep, in the County of Hampshire.[13] Introduced by Lords Patten and Hague on 31 October, Lord Llewellyn took his seat on the Conservative benches in the House of Lords.[14]
Ambassador to France
Appointed British Ambassador to France,[15] on 23 September 2016, Llewellyn took office on 9 November 2016.[16] Lord Llewellyn took a leave of absence from Parliament as is customary while on His Majesty's Diplomatic Service.[17]
Succeeded in Paris by Ambassador Dame Menna Rawlings in summer 2021, it was announced Lord Llewellyn would receive another diplomatic appointment.[18]
Ambassador to Italy
Nominated on 18 January 2022 as British Ambassador to Italy and non-resident Ambassador Extraordinary to San Marino in succession to Jill Morris,[19] Llewellyn presented his credentials to President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinal Palace on 7 April 2022.
Lord and Lady Llewellyn reside at the Villa Wolkonsky in Rome.[20]
Remove ads
References
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads