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FCDO Outreach
Reaching out to a wider audience to inform and inspire others
About this blog
5th November 2013
London, UK
I recently launched the third round of consultations in the Balance of Competences Review, the most extensive analysis of our relationship with the EU ever undertaken. The first six reports were published in July this year, with the next nine due this winter. Marking the launch, I spoke to businesses and civil society organisations about the contribution the reports are making to the wider debate on European reform.
Read more on Reflecting on the Balance of Competences | Reply
1st November 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
I’ve had my mind expanded recently. I heard how adult education had lifted someone out of depression. I discovered organisations in Britain that I never knew existed. And I’ve been reflecting on whether Britain is particularly focussed on adult education. It may not be the right question. “Adult education” seems a British term. There is […]
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4th September 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The world’s media has been dominated by the politics of how to respond to the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons against civilians on 21 August. As often happens, the facts are obscured by false claims and rumours. The main question is whether the United States will launch a military attack. The United Kingdom has […]
Read more on Syria: What Next? | Reply (3)
7th August 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
I don’t have a great deal in common with Lady Thatcher, but my father was also a grocer. Growing up in Scotland in the early 70’s, I have vague memories of what now seems a very old-fashioned grocer’s shop, as far removed from today’s Waitroses and ICAs, as a Ford Model T is from a […]
Read more on FOOD FOR THOUGHT | Reply (2)
7th August 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Travel broadens the mind. By visiting different countries you can make comparisons and learn about how those countries handle big issues. You can also start to appreciate and understand your own country better. One issue which hits visitors abroad is the way a country handles rubbish. I have just returned after two weeks on […]
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2nd August 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The UK is one of the most attractive locations in the world to invest in the offshore wind sector. There are huge development projects in the pipeline, as well as the prospect of long-term price stability. With our recent announcements on Electricity Market Reform, the UK is the first country in the world to give […]
Read more on Going with the wind | Reply
22nd July 2013
London, UK
The Government today announced the publication of the first six reports of the Balance of Competences Review. They cover an overview of the single market, health, development co-operation and humanitarian aid, foreign policy, animal health and welfare and food safety, and taxation. They will be followed by another 26 reports between now and the end […]
Read more on Review of the Balance of Competences | Reply
15th July 2013
London, UK
It is now a fortnight since Croatia was officially welcomed into the European Union. The cafes are back to normal in Ban Jelacic Square, the firework smoke is long gone, and from now on I will be sitting down alongside twenty-seven, not twenty-six, other member states at the General Affairs Council.
Read more on EU enlargement – now for the next steps | Reply
1st July 2013
London, UK
Ten years ago, the world was a very different place. No one had heard of Twitter and there was no Facebook. Ten years before that, we didn’t even have the World Wide Web. Given the pace of change, what will the world look like in ten years’ time, and what does this mean for Europe?
Read more on Europe in the world in 2023 – what will it look like? | Reply
26th June 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
“Could you tweet my blog please?” Did I really say that to one of my staff? What on earth is this new language I’m using? No-one knew of “tweeting” and “blogging” 20 years ago. I’ve been using Twitter now for 2 years. It can become infectious, but is it useful? Should diplomats shed their quill […]
Read more on Twiplomacy | Reply (3)
