Philip Barton: who is Foreign Office official - why is he being urged to resign over Afghanistan withdrawal?

Boris Johnson has backed a top civil servant at the Foreign Office despite MPs demanding his resignation over “deep failures” during the Kabul evacuation.

The cross-party Foreign Affairs Committee demanded Sir Philip Barton considers his position in a scathing report on the UK’s “betrayal” of Afghan allies.

Ministers were accused of having a “total absence of a plan” for Afghans who supported the British mission, despite knowing for 18 months that the evacuations may be necessary if the US withdrew its troops.

But who is Sir Philip Barton, and why are there calls for him to resign? Here’s what you need to know.

Who is Sir Philip Barton

He is a British diplomat, and is currently the Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FDCO) a rle he’s held since September 2020. He previously held posts such as British High Commissioner to India and deputy governor of Gibraltar.

The 58-year-old was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1997 Birthday Honours, Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2007 Birthday Honours, and Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to British foreign policy

Last year he issued an apology for the diplomatic service’s historic ban on gay men and women which was lifted in 1991.

The restriction was imposed because of the fear that LGBT staff could be more vulnerable to blackmail because of their sexuality, potentially posing a security risk.

In his message to staff, Sir Philip said it was a “misguided view” to believe that LGBT people were more susceptible to blackmail than straight counterparts.

He said the diplomatic service had “undoubtedly deprived” itself of some of the UK’s brightest and best talent.

Why is he being urged to resign?

Sir Philip was accused of displaying a “determination to avoid unearthing the facts” during the inquiry into the “disaster” of the withdrawal as the Taliban seized power.

Then-foreign secretary Dominic Raab and Sir Philip’s failures to return from holiday as Kabul fell last August marked a “fundamental lack of seriousness, grip or leadership”, the MPs said.

Leaders at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) were told to be “ashamed” that civil servants had to risk their careers by blowing the whistle to unearth the “appalling mismanagement of the crisis” as the Taliban swept to power.

Downing Street disputed aspects of the report and said the Prime Minister retains full confidence in Sir Philip as FCDO permanent secretary.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss also backs Sir Philip, the PA news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the Sun reports the foreign affairs committee report said: “The fact the Foreign Office’s senior leaders were on holiday when Kabul fell marks a fundamental lack of seriousness, grip or leadership at a time of national emergency.”

It adds: “The committee has lost confidence in the ­Permanent Under-Secretary [Sir Philip], who should consider his position.”

The Guardian reported that singling out Barton, the committee found: “The fact that the department’s top civil servant did not return until the civilian evacuation was over, while staff across the department struggled to implement a poorly planned evacuation process under intense pressure, is difficult to understand and impossible to excuse.”

According to the newspaper Barton has already apologised for what he regards as an error, but he has so far refused to resign.

What has No 10 said?

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We don’t agree with all of the conclusions that the committee has drawn on this.”

Asked if Mr Johnson retains confidence in Sir Philip, the spokesman said: “Yes.”

Pressed on why Sir Philip is the right person for the job, the spokesman said: “He has significant experience in that field and a number of changes have already been made.”

Meanwhile, the Sun reports the foreign affairs committee report said: “The fact the Foreign Office’s senior leaders were on holiday when Kabul fell marks a fundamental lack of seriousness, grip or leadership at a time of national emergency.”

It adds: “The committee has lost confidence in the ­Permanent Under-Secretary [Sir Philip], who should consider his position.”