Simon McDonald Interviewed by Nick Higham

Former ambassador and head of the Diplomatic Service Baron Simon McDonald talks about leadership and his life in the corridors of power and how government could be run better.

McDonald hit the headlines over the summer after he accused Boris Johnson’s number 10 office of lying when it said it was not aware of the former whip Christopher Pincher’s sexual misconduct, an issue that led to the end of Johnson’s time in office. He reflects on what makes a good leader, and on what helped and hindered the foreign secretaries and prime ministers he worked for as they undertook some of the most important and challenging work for their country. And he makes a case for reform of the monarchy, the cabinet, Civil Service and the House of Lords.

‘This is a book full of riches – a despatch from deep inside the British state about how it really operates and how it could be run better.’ Peter Hennessy

McDonald was ambassador to Germany before becoming permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office and head of the Diplomatic Service. He worked directly for six foreign secretaries and observed at close quarters five prime ministers.  He is author of Leadership: Lessons from a Life in Diplomacy. McDonald has been a member of the House of Lords since 2021 and was recently appointed Master of Christ’s College, Cambridge. Here he talks to journalist Nick Higham, who was the BBC’s first ever media correspondent and is a former presenter of Meet the Author on the BBC news channel.