Michael Jay, Baron Jay of Ewelme

Last updated

The Lord Jay of Ewelme
Official portrait of Lord Jay of Ewelme crop 2.jpg
Permanent Under Secretary of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
In office
2002–2006

Jay joined the Ministry of Overseas Development in 1969, serving in London, Washington (at the World Bank) in 1973 and as First Secretary (Development) at the British High Commission, New Delhi, in 1978. He transferred to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1981, serving as Private Secretary to the Permanent Under-Secretary of State. As Counsellor he served in the European Secretariat of the Cabinet Office from 1985 to 1987. [2] He was posted as Counsellor in the Paris Embassy from 1987 to 1990, returning to the FCO as Director for European Affairs until 1994. He was appointed Director General for European and Economic Affairs 1994–96, following which he became a Senior Associate Member of St Antony's College, Oxford.

From July 1996 to September 2001 he was British Ambassador to France. During this tenure, he was the first British official to speak publicly on the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in August 1997. In July 2001, he was appointed Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and thus Head of the Diplomatic Service, a post he took up on 14 January 2002.

In 2005 and 2006, Jay served as the Prime Minister's Personal Representative (Sherpa) for the G8 summits at Gleneagles and St Petersburg in addition to his PUS duties.

He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael & St George in the 1992 Birthday Honours, [3] promoted to Knight Commander in the 1997 New Year Honours [4] and made a Knight Grand Cross in the 2006 Birthday Honours. [5]

Post retirement

Upon his retirement from HM's Diplomatic Service on 27 July 2006, he was recommended for a life peerage, and this was gazetted as Baron Jay of Ewelme, of Ewelme in the County of Oxfordshire, on 18 September 2006. [6] [7]

Lord Jay was the Chair of Merlin, the British health and medical aid agency, from 2007 until 2013. He has been a non-executive director of Associated British Foods (2006-), Credit Agricole (2007-2011), EDF (2009-), Candover PLC (2008-)and Valeo SA (2007-). He is a Trustee of the Thomson Reuters Founders share company (2013-), and Chairman of the Advisory Council of the British Library (2011 -).[ citation needed ]

He was Chairman of the House of Lords Appointments Commission from 2008 until 2013 and has served on sub-committees C, E and F of the House of Lords Select Committee on European Union affairs.[ citation needed ]

Family

Jay married Sylvia Mylroie in 1975. In 2005, Lady Jay was appointed vice-chairman of L'Oréal UK & Ireland, then chairman from 2011 to 2013. She has been a non-executive director on the board of Alcatel-Lucent, and is non-executive director of St-Gobain, Lazard and Casino Group.

She is Chairman of the Pilgrim Trust and has been a trustee of the Prison Reform Trust and the Entente Cordiale Scholarship Scheme.

In 2019, she was appointed as High Sheriff of Oxfordshire.

Arms

Coat of arms of Michael Jay, Baron Jay of Ewelme
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Jay of Ewelme Escutcheon.png
Adopted
2007
Coronet
Coronet of a Baron
Crest
Upon a helm with a wreath Argent Or and Sable an Otter sejant erect Sable holding with both forepaws and blowing a Trumpet Or
Escutcheon
Per saltire Argent and Sable two Clarions in pale each ensigned with an Ancient Crown Sable and two Clarions in fess Argent each ensigned by an Ancient Crown Or. [8]
Supporters
On either side a Manx Shearwater contourny supporting with the wings addorsed and inverted Proper beaked and legged Or in the beak a trefoil slipped also Or.
Motto
In Homines Benevolentia (Goodwill To Men)
Badge
An otter's face Sable anciently crowned Or.
Symbolism
The grantee's career in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is reflected in the pelagic Manx Shearwaters. The latter's short legs prevent them from supporting the shield with a foot in a satisfactory manner. Accordingly, they have been shown contourny, thus enabling them to support with the wings. The natural black and white of the shearwater is reflected in the Arms which are divided to represent North, South, East, and West. Crown service is reflected in the coronets which ensign clarions which, in turn, suggest the initial J. General proclamation and industry is found with the trumpet-blowing otter in the crest. An industrious otter in the Crown Service is an idea repeated in the Badge.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington</span> British Conservative politician (1919–2018)

Peter Alexander Rupert Carington, 6th Baron Carrington, Baron Carington of Upton,, was a British Conservative Party politician and hereditary peer who served as Defence Secretary from 1970 to 1974, Foreign Secretary from 1979 to 1982, Chairman of the General Electric Company from 1983 to 1984, and Secretary General of NATO from 1984 to 1988. In Margaret Thatcher's first government, he played a major role in negotiating the Lancaster House Agreement that ended the racial conflict in Rhodesia and enabled the creation of Zimbabwe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alastair Goodlad</span> British Conservative politician

Alastair Robertson Goodlad, Baron Goodlad is a British politician who served as Chief Whip of the parliamentary Conservative Party from 1995 to 1997, and British High Commissioner to Australia from 2000 to 2005. He was Member of Parliament (MP) successively for the constituency of Northwich and that of Eddisbury, between February 1974 and a by-election in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Soames</span> British politician (1920–1987)

Arthur Christopher John Soames, Baron Soames, was a British Conservative politician who served as a European Commissioner and the last Governor of Southern Rhodesia. He was previously Member of Parliament (MP) for Bedford from 1950 to 1966. He held several government posts and attained Cabinet rank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Kerr, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard</span> British politician and diplomat (born 1942)

John Olav Kerr, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard is a British former diplomat and civil servant, and is a crossbench member of the House of Lords. He was a member of the European Convention that first drafted what became Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which came into force in December 2009. He later served for a period as Deputy Chairman of Scottish Power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oliver Franks, Baron Franks</span> English civil servant and philosopher (1905–1992)

Oliver Shewell Franks, Baron Franks,, was an English civil servant and philosopher who has been described as 'one of the founders of the postwar world'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Lindsay, 29th Earl of Crawford</span> Scottish hereditary peer (1927–2023)

Robert Alexander Lindsay, 29th Earl of Crawford, 12th Earl of Balcarres, Baron Balniel,, known by courtesy as Lord Balniel between 1940 and 1975, was a Scottish hereditary peer and Conservative politician who was a member of Parliament from 1955 to 1974. Lord Crawford and Balcarres was chief of Clan Lindsay and also acted, from 1975 to 2019, as Premier Earl of Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin Janvrin, Baron Janvrin</span> Private Secretary to Elizabeth II from 1999 to 2007

Robin Berry Janvrin, Baron Janvrin, is a British naval officer, diplomat, and courtier who was private secretary to Elizabeth II from February 1999 to September 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Green, Baron Green of Deddington</span> British diplomat and peer

Andrew Fleming Green, Baron Green of Deddington, KCMG is a former British diplomat. He is the founding president of MigrationWatch UK, an organisation arguing for lower immigration to the United Kingdom. He has also held a number of positions with voluntary organisations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roger Makins, 1st Baron Sherfield</span> British diplomat

Roger Mellor Makins, 1st Baron Sherfield, GCB GCMG FRS DL, was a British diplomat who served as British Ambassador to the United States from 1953 to 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Ricketts</span> British senior diplomat and life peer

Peter Forbes Ricketts, Baron Ricketts, is a retired British senior diplomat and a life peer. He has sat as a crossbencher in the House of Lords since 2016.

Robin William Renwick, Baron Renwick of Clifton, is a former diplomat and a former member of the House of Lords. He was appointed by Prime Minister Blair but moved to the crossbenches in 2007. He retired from the House in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin Turton, Baron Tranmire</span> British politician (1903–1994)

Robert Hugh Turton, Baron Tranmire, was a British Conservative Party politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Wright, Baron Wright of Richmond</span> British diplomat (1931–2020)

Patrick Richard Henry Wright, Baron Wright of Richmond, was a British diplomat who served as Head of HM Diplomatic Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Powell, Baron Powell of Bayswater</span>

Charles David Powell, Baron Powell of Bayswater, is a British diplomat and businessman who served as a key foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during the 1980s.

Oliver Charles Harvey, 1st Baron Harvey of Tasburgh was a British civil servant and diplomat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Gore-Booth, Baron Gore-Booth</span> British diplomat (1909–1984)

Paul Henry Gore-Booth, Baron Gore-Booth was a British diplomat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denis Greenhill, Baron Greenhill of Harrow</span>

Denis Arthur Greenhill, Baron Greenhill of Harrow was the British Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Head of the Diplomatic Service from 1969 to 1973; a respected expert on the US, Europe and the Soviet Union, he was actively involved in setting postwar Britain's role in the world in a new direction, away from its imperial past and a compliant involvement with the United States towards a more active engagement in Europe. He served under three prime ministers, Harold Wilson, Sir Alec Douglas-Home and Edward Heath. Noted for his poor treatment of the Chagos Islanders in August 1966, along with Sir Paul Gore-Booth, forcibly removed some 2,000 natives from their land referring to them as "some Tarzans or Men Fridays".

Sir John Emsley Fretwell, was a British diplomat.

Sir John Alexander Noble Graham, 4th Baronet, was a British diplomat who was ambassador to Iraq, Iran and NATO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon McDonald, Baron McDonald of Salford</span> British diplomat

Simon Gerard McDonald, Baron McDonald of Salford, is a British former diplomat who was the Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service until September 2020. He was the last professional head of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office before the creation of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. He has been the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge, since September 2022.

References

  1. Transcript of interview with Baron Jay
  2. The Diplomatic Service List 1989, p. 219), HMSO, ISBN   0-11-591707-1
  3. "No. 52952". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 1992. p. 3.
  4. "No. 54625". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1996. p. 3.
  5. "No. 58014". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2006. p. 3.
  6. "No. 58105". The London Gazette . 22 September 2006. p. 12975.
  7. "Announcement of Michael Jay's introduction at the House of Lords". 12 October 2006.
  8. Debrett's Peerage. 2019. p. 3159.

Offices held

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by British Ambassador to France
1996–2001
Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by
Unknown
Director-General, European and Economic Affairs of the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office

1994–1996
Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by Permanent Secretary of the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office

2002–2006
Succeeded by
Other offices
Preceded by Chairman of the House of Lords Appointments Commission
2008–2013
Succeeded by
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by Gentlemen
Baron Jay of Ewelme
Followed by