Jonathan Powell has ruled himself out of the running to be the next UK ambassador to the US, i can reveal.
Powell, who served as Tony Blair’s chief of staff in Number 10, was being talked about in diplomatic circles as a contender to be Britain’s man in Washington DC after he shepherded the delicate final stages of negotiations on the future of the Chagos Islands.
However, he told i that if offered the job by Sir Keir Starmer he “would say no”.
Earlier this month, Starmer’s government announced that the UK was giving up sovereignty of the Chagos Islands after more than half a century.
At the start of September, it was announced that Powell had been appointed as the Prime Minister’s special envoy for negotiations with Mauritius to get the deal over the line.
The agreement of the deal – which was publicly endorsed by US President Joe Biden – fuelled existing talk among diplomats that Starmer could choose Powell as the next ambassador to Washington, replacing Dame Karen Pierce, who is expected to stand down in early 2025.
Powell was viewed as a contender for the job because of his high-level political experience and background as a former diplomat, which included a stint in the British Embassy in Washington in the early 90s. During the posting he was embedded in Bill Clinton’s first presidential campaign, acquiring strong links with leading Democrats.
However, when asked on Sunday, Powell told i: “I have not been asked to be ambassador in the US and if I was I would say no.”
Starmer and his Foreign Secretary David Lammy are waiting for the outcome of next month’s US presidential election before deciding on the appointment.
A political appointment is seen as more likely if Kamala Harris retains the White House for the Democrats. If the Republicans win in the form of Donald Trump, it will lend itself to the appointment of a professional diplomat, insiders believe.
The former Labour foreign secretary David Miliband is seen as a strong contender if Starmer opts for a political appointment, while Baroness Ashton has also been named in relation to the role. Lord Mandelson was believed to be interested in the role, but has since made clear he is focusing on becoming the next Chancellor of Oxford University.
A senior former diplomat told i: “If it’s Kamala, I think the Labour Party might be tempted because of the importance of the relationship to put in a political beast. But that said I’m not at all sure that Keir Starmer, knowing his personality, will want to have somebody of ‘show pony’ profile who becomes the key player, nor would David Lammy.
“If it’s Trump it should certainly be a professional diplomat who knows how to deal with difficult customers and how to manage complicated relationships.
“The sensible thing, which is what they’re doing, is waiting to see who wins and then they’ll decide who should take over in the New Year.”
The ex-diplomat added that the shortlived tenure of ex-civil servant Sue Gray as No 10 chief of staff might put Starmer off an unorthodox appointment and persuade him to choose someone from within the diplomatic service.
They said: “Will the Sue Gray story make them a bit more wary of stepping outside the normal way of making public appointments of this kind? It might.”
A spokeswoman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “Future ambassadorial appointments will be confirmed by the FCDO in the usual way.”
