David Ratford
{{Short description|British diplomat and translator (b.1934)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = David Ratford
| birth_name = David John Edward Ratford
| honorific_prefix = Sir
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1934|04|22|df=y}}
| honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|KCMG|CVO|size=100%}}
| alma_mater = Selwyn College, Cambridge
| office = British Ambassador to Norway
| termstart = 1990
| termend = 1994
| monarch = Elizabeth II
| successor = Mark Elliott
| predecessor = Sir John Robson
}}
Sir David John Edward Ratford {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|KCMG|CVO|size=100%}} is a retired British diplomat and translator.
Early life
David John Edward Ratford was born on 22 April 1934 to George Ratford and Lilian Ratford ({{Nee|Jones}}).{{Who's Who|id=U31924|year=2019|title=Ratford, Sir David (John Edward)}}
Ratford was educated at Whitgift Middle School. Ratford attended Selwyn College, Cambridge, graduating with a 1st class Honours degree in Medieval and Modern Languages.
Diplomatic career
Ratford completed his national service in the Intelligence Corps from 1953 to 1955.
= Ambassador to Norway =
Ratford was appointed the British Ambassador to Norway in 1990, succeeding Sir John Robson.
Ratford left this appointment in 1994.
Retirement
In April 2004, Ratford signed an open letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair, expressing concern over Blair's policy on the Arab-Israel conflict and the Iraq war.{{Cite news|date=27 April 2004|title=Doomed to failure in the Middle East|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/apr/27/foreignpolicy.world|access-date=18 April 2021|archive-date=18 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418200921/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/apr/27/foreignpolicy.world|url-status=live}}
In December 2004, Ratford signed a further open letter, urging Blair to commission an independent inquiry into the number of civilian casualties in Iraq since the invasion.{{Cite news|date=8 December 2004|title=Text of letter to Tony Blair|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4077031.stm|access-date=18 April 2021|archive-date=1 December 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051201133221/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4077031.stm|url-status=live}}
Personal life
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Who's Who|id=U31924|year=2019|title=Ratford, Sir David (John Edward)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ratford, David}}
Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Norway
Category:Alumni of Selwyn College, Cambridge
Category:Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order
Category:Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George