Former British diplomats have expressed concerns that reported plans to cut staff could damage the country’s global reputation.
Civil servants have been told that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is planning to cut 20 per cent of staff, The Sunday Times reported.
The British government has been accused of letting down tens of thousands of Afghans in its airlift after the Taliban takeover and the former diplomats fear new controversies will flow from further jobs cuts.
Two former ambassadors, Sir Paul Lever and Lord Ricketts, outlined their worries if the cuts go ahead.
“You can’t absorb a cut of 20 per cent across the board in staff while continuing to do all the things you used to do … they won’t be able to maintain the same level of presence and performance,” said Sir Paul, a former ambassador to Germany.
“They will therefore need to be more ruthless in choosing what the priorities are.
“If it’s just done as a straight cut across the board … I think it will have an impact on our ability to make our voice heard.”
Lord Ricketts, a former ambassador to France, said 20 per cent staffing cuts would reduce the FCDO’s capabilities.
“Further cuts in FCDO numbers now seems to be completely incompatible with rhetoric about Global Britain,” he said.
The FCDO employs 7,471 UK staff, with about one-third of them posted abroad. There are also 9,261 local hires.
The aid budget, until at least 2024, has also been cut by £4 billion each year.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said the department was evaluating staff numbers.
“Strategic workforce planning will ensure that we have the right capabilities to deliver on our international priorities as set out in the Integrated Review,” she said.
“As the Foreign Secretary [Liz Truss] has said, we must deploy our diplomacy and development expertise to advance freedom, democracy and enterprise around the world.
“[This] will be delivered across a number of areas, including our estate, non-aid programmes, arms-length bodies and our workforce.”
