User:Vyser/John Buck, diplomat

John Stephen Buck was born on 10th October 1953 in East London, son of an East End docker, Frederick George Buck and Amelia Ellen Buck (née Stevens). He married his school-days sweetheart, Jean Claire Webb (musician and teacher) at Hornchurch Register Office, Essex in 1980; they have one son and one daughter.

He served as HM Ambassador to Portugal, 2004–07.

He was educated at East Ham Grammar School for Boys (1965-71), York University (BA History, 1975), Wolfson College, Oxford (MSc Applied Social Studies, 1979; CQSW 1979).

He flirted with, but did not actually become a member of, the International Marxist Group (IMG) while at university.

He has lived in Lawrence Avenue, East Ham; Goodmayes, Essex; Wytham Abbey, Oxford; Highgate, London; Camden, London; Sevenoaks, Kent.

His career history includes: Middlesex Probation Service, 1975–77; social worker, Oxfordshire Social Services, 1979–80; joined HM Diplomatic Service, 1980; Second Sec., Sofia, 1982–84 - recalled for undisclosed misdemeanour; First Sec., Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), 1984–88; Head of Chancery, Lisbon, 1988–92; FCO, 1992–94; Counsellor, on loan to Cabinet Office, Prin. Private Sec. to Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, 1994–96; Counsellor and Dep. High Comr, Republic of Cyprus, 1996–2000; Head, Public Diplomacy, FCO, 2000–03; Head, Commns and Information Centre, 10 Downing Street/FCO, 2003; Director for Iraq at FCO, 2003–04; HM Ambassador, Portugal, 2004-07.

Among his recreations are music, reading, swimming.

John Buck was Ambassador in Portugal when Maddie McCann was abducted in May 2007. It has been suggested that the intervention and involvement of the Ambassador had a detrimental effect on the course of the investigation by the Portugese police and was a compelling reason why John Buck's tenure of this appointment was shortened (he left the post and the diplomatic service entirely in September 2007). He has said, however, that his skills had been noted elsewhere and that he had been head-hunted by the industry sector.

REFS:

1. FCO website

2. ‘BUCK, John Stephen’, Who's Who 2009, A & C Black, 2008; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2008 [http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/ article/oupww/whoswho/U9285

http://duartelevyen.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/the-many-%E2%80%9Ccasualties%E2%80%9D-of-the-maddie-case/

http://trannyfattyacid.blogspot.com/2007/10/is-john-buck-as-blameworthy-as-police.html