Robin Butler, Baron Butler of Brockwell

The Lord Butler of Brockwell
The Right Honourable; The Lord Butler of Brockwell; KG GCB CVO PC
	Lord Butler in 2019
Cabinet Secretary; Head of the Home Civil Service
	In office; 1988–1998
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher; John Major; Tony Blair
Preceded by	Sir Robert Armstrong
Succeeded by	Sir Richard Wilson
Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
	In office; 1982–1985
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Clive Whitmore
Succeeded by	Nigel Wicks
Personal details
Born	3 January 1938; Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England, UK
Spouse(s)	Gillian Lois Galley (1962-present)
Children	3
Alma mater	University College, Oxford

Frederick Edward Robin Butler, Baron Butler of Brockwell, KG, GCB, CVO, PC (born 3 January 1938) is a retired British civil servant, now sitting in the House of Lords as a crossbencher.

Early life and family

Butler was born in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, on 3 January 1938. He went to Orley Farm School & Harrow School (where he was Head Boy), then taught for a year at St Dunstan's School, Burnham-on-Sea, before attending University College, Oxford, where he took a double first in Mods and Greats and twice gained a Rugby Blue. He married Gillian Lois Galley in 1962. They have a son and two daughters.[1]

Civil service career

Butler had a high-profile career in the civil service from 1961 to 1998, serving as Private Secretary to five Prime Ministers. He was Secretary of the Cabinet and Head of the Home Civil Service from 1988 to 1998.[2]

He joined HM Treasury in 1961, becoming Private Secretary to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury 1964–66 and Secretary to the Budget Committee 1965–69.[2]

Early in his career, he was occasionally confused with his namesake Rab Butler. Memos for Rab Butler, some highly sensitive, ended up on his desk, and some of his ended up on Rab's. It was agreed that all memos ambiguously addressed to "R Butler" should go to Rab's office first, and then Rab's office would send on any intended for the other R Butler. It is said that one day the young Butler, who was still playing first class rugby, received a letter that read: "You have been selected for the Richmond 1st XV on Saturday. Please be at Twickenham by 2 p.m.". Underneath, in Rab's distinctive handwriting, was the message: "Dear Robin, I am not free on Saturday. Please could you deputise for me? Rab"![3]

In 1969, he was seconded to the Bank of England and several City institutions. Later at HM Treasury as Assistant Secretary, General Expenditure Intelligence Division, he led the team which installed the UK Government's computerised financial information system 1975-77. He had been a founder member of the Central Policy Review Staff under Lord Rothschild 1971–2. After several senior appointments at the Treasury, he became second Permanent Secretary, Public Expenditure, 1985-87.

He was Private Secretary to Prime Ministers Edward Heath (1972–74) and Harold Wilson (1974–75), and Principal Private Secretary to Margaret Thatcher (1982–85).[1][2] Along with Thatcher, he was almost killed in the 1984 IRA bombing of the Grand Hotel in Brighton.[1] He was also Cabinet Secretary during the premierships of Margaret Thatcher, John Major and Tony Blair.[1][2]

Other activities

After retiring from the Civil Service, Butler was Master of University College, Oxford, 1998–2008.[2] He was announced to be made a life peer in the 1998 New Year Honours[4] and was raised to the peerage as Baron Butler of Brockwell, of Herne Hill in the London Borough of Lambeth.[5][6]

He became a non-executive Director of HSBC Group from 1998 to 2008. He is also Chairman of the Corporate Sustainability Committee and the HSBC Global Education Trust. In 2011, he was elected Master of the Worshipful Company of Salters.[2] He is a Trustee of the Royal Academy of Music. [7]

In 2004, Lord Butler chaired the Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction, widely known as the 'Butler Review', which reviewed the use of intelligence in the lead up to the 2003 Iraq War. The report concluded that some of the intelligence about Iraq's possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction was seriously flawed.[8] The report also concluded, in regards the so-called Niger uranium forgeries, that the report Saddam's government was seeking uranium in Africa appeared 'well-founded'.[9]

Honours and arms

Honours

Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO), 1986 New Year Honours[10]
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB), 1988 New Year Honours[11]
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB), 1992 Birthday Honours[12]
Life peerage, 12 February 1998[4][5][6]
Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter (KG), 23 April 2003[13]
Privy Counsellor (PC), 2004

Arms

Coat of arms of Robin Butler, Baron Butler of Brockwell
	Notes The Right Honourable The Baron Butler Brockwell bears the Coat of Arms granted to him by the College of Arms. A banner of his arms, a carving in wood of his crest, and a stall plate showing his whole achievement are set up in the choir of the Chapel of St George in Windsor, which is the chapel of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Lord Butler of Brockwell, Master of University College, Oxford, and formerly Secretary of the Cabinet and Head of the Home Civil Service, was created a life peer on 12 February 1998. In 2003, he was invested as a Knight of the Garter and as such he places the Garter around his shield. Adopted 2003 Coronet Coronet of a Baron Crest Out of a Well a demi Badger Azure the head Argent and eye-stripes Azure. Torse Mantling Or and Azure. Escutcheon Azure a Cross flory and parted Or between four Covered Cups bases inwards Argent. Supporters On either side a Lion Argent armed and langued Azure and holding in the interior forepaw a Lymphad flags flying Or. Motto SERVIRE ET SERVARE Latin: Serve and maintain Orders The Order of the Garter circlet. Other elements Ribbon of KG appended[14] Banner The banner of the Baron Butler of Brockwell's arms used as knight of the Garter depicted at St George's Chapel.

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References

BBC News Profile: Lord Butler of Brockwell
Salt Talk issue 9 (2011) p6 "The Master"
D. R. Thorpe (2011) "Supermac - the Life of Harold MacMillan" Random House, ISBN 1844135411, page 751
"No. 54993". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1997. p. 1.
"No. 55047". The London Gazette. 18 February 1998. p. 1911.
"No. 24350". The Edinburgh Gazette. 20 February 1998. p. 419.
"Governing Body". Royal Academy of Music.
The Daily Telegraph, 18 September 2011, p.16.
The Rt. Hon. The Lord Butler of Brockwell (14 July 2004). HC 898: Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction (PDF) (Report). London: The Stationery Office. p. 137. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
"No. 50361". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1985. p. 4.
"No. 51171". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1987. p. 3.
"No. 52952". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 1992. p. 3.
"No. 56915". The London Gazette. 23 April 2003. p. 5017.
The Arms of The Right Honourable Baron Butler of Brockwell, Grants of Arms (December 2003). College of Arms website. Retrieved 19 December 2013.

External links

Government offices
Preceded by Clive Whitmore	Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister 1982–1985	Succeeded by Nigel Wicks
Preceded by Sir Robert Armstrong	Cabinet Secretary & Head of the Home Civil Service 1988–1998	Succeeded by Sir Richard Wilson
Academic offices
Preceded by John Albery	Master of University College, Oxford 1998–2008	Succeeded by Sir Ivor Crewe

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[BBC-1] BBC News Profile: Lord Butler of Brockwell

[Salt-2] Salt Talk issue 9 (2011) p6 "The Master"

[Supermac-3] D. R. Thorpe (2011) "Supermac - the Life of Harold MacMillan" Random House, ISBN 1844135411, page 751

[LGS54993-4] "No. 54993". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1997. p. 1.

[LG55047-5] "No. 55047". The London Gazette. 18 February 1998. p. 1911.

[EG24350-6] "No. 24350". The Edinburgh Gazette. 20 February 1998. p. 419.

[7] "Governing Body". Royal Academy of Music.

[8] The Daily Telegraph, 18 September 2011, p.16.

[9] The Rt. Hon. The Lord Butler of Brockwell (14 July 2004). HC 898: Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction (PDF) (Report). London: The Stationery Office. p. 137. Retrieved 3 September 2011.

[10] "No. 50361". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1985. p. 4.

[11] "No. 51171". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1987. p. 3.

[12] "No. 52952". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 1992. p. 3.

[13] "No. 56915". The London Gazette. 23 April 2003. p. 5017.

[14] The Arms of The Right Honourable Baron Butler of Brockwell, Grants of Arms (December 2003). College of Arms website. Retrieved 19 December 2013.

Members of the Order of the Garter
Honi soit qui mal y pense
Ex officio	The Queen The Prince of Wales
Knights and Ladies Companion	The Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover The Lord Ashburton Sir Timothy Colman The Duke of Abercorn The Lord Inge Sir Antony Acland The Lord Butler of Brockwell The Lord Morris of Aberavon Sir John Major The Lord Luce Sir Thomas Dunne The Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers The Lord Boyce The Lord Stirrup The Baroness Manningham-Buller The Lord King of Lothbury The Lord Shuttleworth Sir David Brewer Lady Mary Fagan The Viscount Brookeborough Lady Mary Peters The Marquess of Salisbury Two vacancies
Royal Knights and Ladies	The Duke of Edinburgh The Duke of Kent The Princess Royal The Duke of Gloucester Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy The Duke of York The Earl of Wessex The Duke of Cambridge
Stranger Knights and Ladies	The Queen of Denmark The King of Sweden King Juan Carlos I of Spain Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands The Emperor Emeritus of Japan The King of Norway The King of Spain The King of the Netherlands
Officers	The Bishop of Winchester (Prelate) The Duke of Abercorn (Chancellor) The Dean of Windsor (Registrar) Thomas Woodcock (Garter Principal King of Arms) Clarenceux King of Arms (Secretary) Sarah Clarke (Black Rod)