Scottish Catholic Observer

NIGEL Baker, the career diplomat, has been appointed as the UK’s new ambassador to the Vatican.

The former ambassador to Bolivia—a non-Catholic—will take up the role in August, replacing Francis Campbell, the first Catholic to be appointed to the post since the Reformation, and who retired from the role at the end of last year.

Mr Baker OBE joined the foreign and commonwealth office in 1989, since when his career has taken him principally to Central Europe and Latin America, most recently as UK ambassador to Bolivia.

Honoured

Following his appointment, Mr Baker said he was ‘delighted and honoured’ to be taking up the role and spoke fondly of last year’s four-day Papal visit to the UK.

“The last few years have seen the development of a strong and fruitful global partnership between the United Kingdom and the Holy See,” Mr Baker said. “The historic visit of Pope Benedict XVI in September 2010 reinforced that relationship and opened new avenues for bilateral and multilateral collaboration.”

Mr Baker added that he looks forward ‘to the challenge of deepening our engagement across the many issues on which we work together.’

Previous roles

The 44-year-old Mr Baker briefly worked with David Cameron in the Conservative Research Department on the late 1980’s before joining the foreign office, where his postings have also included Prague and Bratislava.

Between 2000 and 2003 Mr Baker, who is married to a Slovakian woman and has one child, was assistant private secretary to the Prince of Wales, advising him on international and cultural matters.

Although not a Catholic, Mr Baker knows Italy well, having spent a research sabbatical studying Italian and European History and living in Verona and Naples.

Welcome

Mark Pritchard, of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Holy See, has welcomed the appointment, saying that he felt Mr Baker’s ‘vast diplomatic experience’ would hold him in good stead for the post. The position is currently being covered temporarily by a chargé d’affaires, George Edgar.

Ann Widdecombe, a convert to Catholicism, Lord Christopher Patten and Lord David Alton were amongst prominent Catholics who had previously been linked to the ambassador’s role prior to Mr Baker’s appointment.