This week, the new Government took a step which required some courage. Edward Llewellyn, David Cameron’s chief of staff in opposition and in government, is to be the new Ambassador to France. This will displease the lower tabloids. But there were even better reasons than that for Lord Llewellyn’s appointment.
Some people were put on earth to fill a certain role. Ed Llewellyn is an obvious example. He is the Platonic idea of a diplomat or a chief of staff. He worked for Chris Patten in Hong-Kong and Brussels as well as for Paddy Ashdown in Bosnia. Both trusted him absolutely and were immensely fond of him. Paddy would always say “Give Eddie my warmest and tell him he’s far too nice to be a Tory.”
He then became David Cameron’s chief of staff and it was an ideal partnership. Ed does not have an agenda of his own. Nor does he have a boiling point – none, at least, that anyone has discovered. A man with a cool and clear intellect, he saw his task in simple terms. He would involve himself in all the relevant policy discussions. But once the conclusion had been reached, he would ensure that the Prime Minister’s wishes were implemented.
In Paris, he will be immensely valuable. Married to a French wife, he speaks the language perfectly: comme une grenouille. An eight-year old girl, Alice Boyd, the daughter of John Boyd, a sometime Ambassador, came out with a brilliant phrase. “A diplomat is like a mat spread between two countries, for them both to wipe their feet on.” There is bound to be a lot of foot-wiping – not to mention foot-stamping – in the course of the Brexit negotiations. Then, Eddie’s calm and charm will be invaluable. He will win everyone’s confidence. There is a paradox. Eddie was a remainer. But his appointment will make it easier to achieve a good Brexit.
No doubt there will be ranting about Eton; Lord Llewellyn is an OE. That is a topic which incited David Cameron to some humorous comments. Eddie Llewellyn is short. Indeed, he looks as though he has escaped from a filming session of Snow White. If Nicholas Sarkozy regains the Presidency – a dieu ne plaise – the two men could share a cat-flap.
At Eton, until they grow to a reasonable height, stunted boys have to wear a short coat known as a ‘bum-freezer.’ So Mr Cameron always insisted that whatever he claimed, Eddie could not have been at Eton. If he had been, he would have perished from chillblains and embarrassment in his second Etonian winter.
Ed Llewellyn is already a peer. He has already been an outstanding public servant. Big banks have been queuing up to offer him big bucks. His decision to continue in the service of Queen and Country speaks volumes for his character and his patriotism. Theresa May’s and Boris Johnson’s resoluteness in appointing him also speaks well of them.
