A key negotiator of the Good Friday Agreement has been appointed as the Prime Minister’s new national security adviser.
Former chief of staff to Sir Tony Blair for a decade, Jonathan Powell, is once again in the heart of government after being appointed to the top job by Sir Keir Starmer.
The instrumental figure in peace talks here later played a pivotal role setting up the controversial Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) which represents the UDA, UVF and Red Hand Commando paramilitary groups.
Mr Powell will be using his wealth of experience to map out the implications of Donald Trump’s return to the White House, which will have ramifications for Ukraine and the Middle East.
“I am honoured to have been appointed as the national security adviser to the Prime Minister,” Mr Powell said.
“This is a hugely important role at a time where national security, international relations and domestic policies are so interconnected.
“As the Prime Minister has set out, national security is at the heart of this country’s response to the many challenges we face and having an integrated response will be crucial to our success.
“I look forward to advising the Prime Minister and working closely with ministers and officials in this new role.”
Mr Powell staked his reputation by fronting the LCC initiative back in 2015 in a move which was welcomed by many including the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the Methodist Church, the trade unions and the Irish government.
The move received a more qualified welcome from Sinn Féin and the SDLP which have criticised DUP ministers for meeting with the body over the years.
But just this week a new LucidTalk poll for the Belfast Telegraph revealed eight in 10 unionists back Executive ministers holding such meetings, although the same survey showed nearly nine in 10 nationalists and Alliance voters don’t.
Mr Powell, who regarded the fate of the loyalist paramilitaries as “unfinished work”, was praised by Sir Keir upon his appointment.
“Jonathan has devoted his career to protecting the interests of the country, having served for 17 years as a diplomat in the Foreign Office and 10 years as chief of staff in No 10, and I am delighted to appoint him to this important role,” he said.
“Together with his experience helping to negotiate the Belfast [Good Friday] Agreement and work on some of the world’s most complex conflicts, he is uniquely qualified to advise the Government on tackling the challenges ahead and engage with counterparts across the globe to protect and advance UK interests.”
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It is unusual for someone not employed by the Civil Service to be appointed to the post, but Mr Powell is highly regarded in the Labour Party.
He recently led negotiations which resulted in a deal that will see the UK give up the Chagos Islands.
Mr Powell’s role in the agreement to hand the contested Indian Ocean islands over to Mauritius is likely to come under scrutiny as a US military base is located there.
The deal is the outworking of negotiations led by Mr Powell who was appointed special envoy for the Chagos Islands talks back in September.
The announcement last month was fiercely criticised by senior Conservatives with former PM Boris Johnson warning it was “completely the wrong thing to do”.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden backed the Labour deal but president-elect Donald Trump could take a different approach.
The Daily Telegraph has previously reported the first Trump administration provided a legal statement backing up arguments made by the Conservatives to retain the islands.
A Conservative Party spokesperson told the newspaper that Mr Powell’s record on British overseas territories was “extremely concerning” and suggested he could pressure Sir Keir to make more concessions.
“It’s disappointing the Government has appointed another Labour apparatchik to a senior role, sidelining an experienced general,” they said.
“Mr Powell’s previous comments about the unimportance of British overseas territories are extremely concerning, and many will be worried that there is more to come.”
Mr Powell previously warned that Donald Trump’s first term in office would be catastrophic after the Republican candidate’s first shock election victory in 2016 and described him as a “nativist, protectionist and isolationist” who risked making the world “a more violent, more chaotic and more frightening place”.
The veteran diplomat has also questioned the incoming president’s temperament and went as far as suggesting that Mr Trump could not be trusted with the nuclear codes which could prove awkward.
Mr Powell’s return to the corridors of power creates uncertainty for outgoing national security adviser Sir Tim Barrow after his appointment by the Tories as UK ambassador to the US was blocked by Labour.
News Catch Up – Tuesday 12th November