The FCDO official cited above put the shift in direction in No. 10 in recent days down to a mix of “assiduous lobbying” about the risks of another political appointee after the Mandelson affair as well as the importance of a pick with negotiating experience.
A government minister said the FCDO’s top civil servant, Olly Robbins, had cited Trump’s antipathy towards European leaders as a reason to push a security-focused candidate able to handle complex negotiations. Cooper had been “very focused” on ensuring a full recruitment process took place, a person with knowledge of the talks said.
Case, the former Cabinet secretary, said of Turner: “He’s got great experience of working in some big and difficult posts overseas, in Pakistan and Kenya, where he wasn’t afraid to change how the U.K. works in those countries.
“He’s also worked closely with prime ministers in the U.K., especially when he was deputy national security adviser for Theresa May. So he knows how domestic politics play into foreign policy.
“He has shown that he doesn’t mind taking bold decisions — he’s not afraid to take unpopular decisions if he thinks they work for the U.K.’s agenda. I think that the Trump team will respond well to his high energy, creative approach and they’ll like the fact he isn’t some diplomatic service stuffed shirt.”
Turner made TV documentaries before joining government in the 1990s. It appears he continued to dabble. The name Christian Turner is credited “with thanks” in the 2013 series “Ambassadors,” which starred British comedians David Mitchell and Robert Webb as diplomats in the fictional Central Asian Republic of Tazbekistan.