This special episode of the War & Diplomacy Podcast Series is a recording of an event that was hosted on 16 June 2021. This discussion, led by the Deputy-Director Dr Thomas Mills, highlights aspects of Alistair Burt's career as an MP and a minister in the Foreign Office. The conversation details several notable diplomatic events that took place during his tenure in office.
About Alistair Burt:
Recently appointed Pro-Chancellor of Lancaster University, Alistair Burt was a member of parliament for over 30 years, representing the constituencies of Bury North and North East Bedfordshire. He served in the government of Margaret Thatcher as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Kenneth Baker and in John Major’s government as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Social Security. Having returned to parliament in 2001, he served in various opposition roles, including Assistant Chief Whip and Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party.
Following the 2010 election, Alistair Burt was appointed by David Cameron to serve as a minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with responsibility for the Middle East and North Africa. After a period as a minister in the Department of Health, he was appointed by Theresa May in 2017 as a Minister in both the FCO and Department for International Development, again with responsibility for the Middle East and North Africa region.
Alistair Burt stood down from parliament at the 2019 election, having had the Conservative whip withdrawn in September of that year for his opposition to Brexit policy, only for it to be restored the following month. Alongside his current role at Lancaster, Alistair is a Council member of the European Council on Foreign Relations and a Distinguished Fellow at the Royal Institute for Strategic Studies.