11/07/2010 ‘The Independent: Do our ambassadors... 118500 ‘The Ley mL INDEPENDENT July, 2010 Do our ambassadors spoil themselves? Bykim Sengupta Diplomats are up in arms at David Cameron's suggestion that their official residences may be too palatial One compiained: "We are being compared to the bloody avful French football team at the World Cup.” Another sighed: "i's 2 shame that he feels it is necessary to speak in humiliating terms about people who are working hard for their country - sometimes at personal risk - just to get laughs from businessmen." Indeed, Britain's diplomats were less than impressed by David Cameron's declarations yesterday about getting value for money from the Foreign Office. Ata "leadership conference” at the Foreign Office, more than 200 ambassadors, high commissioners and senior officials were summoned back (economy class) from their missions to see the Prime Minister, who told them they could only justify their "plush" residences if they acted as agents for British business abroad. Speaking later to business leaders gathered at Downing Street for a garden drinks reception, where he called for their backing for the export push, Mr Cameron laughed: "We made them all travel economy class, wherever they came from, fm pleased to say." The assembled audience laughed Diplomats noted that members from the commercial field, whose activities have helped to create the current economic turmoil, were spared from demands to make sacrifices on this occasion. Mr Cameron, sitting beside Nick Clegg, said: "I want you to ask yourself every day: ‘What am | doing to promote British business?’ if you want to keep Britain's great ambassadorial residences, then I want you to show me that every day you are using them relentlessly fo open new trade links and to generate new business for Britain.” Mr Cameron's strictures come amid demands from Downing Street that government departments present proposals to cut their budgets by up to 40 per cent. Various ministries are using “loopholes” to get round this. The Foreign Office, itis claimed, hopes to pass off some of its spending as international aid, which will ot be cut. The Conservative former foreign secretary and two former senior civil servants warned yesterday of the damage to Britain's role abroad from the prospective cuts. Lord Howe of Aberavon, who was foreign secretary for six years in the 1980s, said that instead of having its funding reduced, the Foreign Office should receive increased funding. "A substantial enhancement of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is fundamental to the successful conduct of foreign policy,” he said. Lord Kerr of Kinlochard, head of the FGO from 1997 to 2002, added: "The fat on the diplomatic service is ong gone. You can't wield the knife again vithout losing global reach and influence.” Lord Butler of Brockwell, cabinet secretary for a decade from 1988, added: "I fear that we will do irreparable harm to one of Britain's greatest sources of overseas influence, the respect stil felt for our diplomatic functions and our cultural activities overseas." licenseicopyrightnety...viewFreeUsea... 18