Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna
Part of14th November 2016 Vienna, Austria
Vienna is not Austria – any more than London is the United Kingdom. So I was delighted recently to visit Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) to find out what makes Austria’s largest and second most populous province tick; and to explore and promote connections to the UK. We started our visit in Amstetten, where I sampled tasty […]
11th November 2016 Vienna, Austria
Just over 55 years ago, on 30 October 1961, the largest nuclear weapon ever constructed was set off over Novaya Zemlya island in the Arctic Sea. The Soviet Tsar Bomba had a yield of 50 megatons, several thousand times as strong as the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The mushroom cloud reached around 60 kilometers into […]
21st October 2016 Vienna, Austria
A man awakes from a nightmare in the depths of the night. He writes down his fears and illustrates them with a painting. 500 years later, another artist is inspired by the painting to gather together a collection of historical objects, images and treasures from one of the finest collections in the world to “explore […]
19th October 2016 Vienna, Austria
So what really happens at a General Conference of the IAEA – the International Atomic Energy Agency? Delegates from 168 countries converge on the HQ of the IAEA in Vienna. They hold many meetings; and, after a week, most of them return to their countries. But why? It’s always difficult explaining what diplomats do. It’s […]
Read more on What really happens at the IAEA General Conference: Kraftwerk explain | Reply
7th October 2016 Vienna, Austria
I’m sitting around a table with numerous Ambassadors discussing nuclear security. But we’re not at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). We’re at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP). And instead of sitting in one of the huge semi-circular conference chambers of the Vienna International Centre, we’re on the thirteenth floor of the […]
20th September 2016 Vienna, Austria
When I arrived at the British Embassy in Vienna on 29 August 2016 one of my first meetings was with my excellent Press and Public Affairs (PPA) team. Part of the work of diplomats is to explain to people what we do; and draw attention to good things that link our countries together. For example, […]
6th September 2016 Vienna, Austria
What does a diplomat do? On Monday 29 August I started work in Vienna as “Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to the UN and other International Organisations in Vienna”. Recent weeks offer some pointers as to how I’ve prepared for the job, and, now, started. For example, I arrived in Austria on 1 August […]
Read more on Salzburg, Vienna, Austria: language, migration and nuclear testing | Reply (2)
15th July 2016
The best thing about working in Istanbul isn’t the history, the architecture or the teeming energy of the city, magnificent though they may be. No. For a diplomat, the best thing about working here is that Turkey really matters to the United Kingdom. A prosperous, successful Turkey can help boost British security and prosperity. So […]
14th June 2016
Let’s be honest. In four years in this great city I have experienced too many #reasonstolikeistanbul to sum them up in a few farewell blogs. Sorry. Your city is too extraordinary. Maybe that’s not a bad problem to have. For example, people often ask me about my favourite shops, restaurants and cafes. But there are countless […]
10th June 2016
The Bosphorus stands out amongst #reasonstolikeistanbul. It’s central; spectacular; and every Istanbullu craves a “Boğaz manzarası” (Bosphorus view). This matters for the Turkish economy. Not only tourists are attracted by great views. Quality of life is a key to attracting the mobile economic talent and inward investment which is vital for any economy. How can I […]