Brian Barder was born in 1934 and joined the Labour Party at 21. He was Chair of the Cambridge University Labour Club and worked in the Civil Service, Diplomatic Service, UK Mission to the UN, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He was Ambassador to Ethiopia between 1982 and 1986 and to Poland between 1986 and 1988. Brian was High Commissioner to Nigeria and Ambassador to Bénin between 1988 and 1991 and High Commissioner to Australia from 1991-1994, when he retired.

Since retiring, Brian has been Chair of Civil Service Selection Boards and sat on the Boards of the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability. Commonwealth Observer Mission, Namibian elections, '94. Brian blog at barder.com/ephems/.