15th December 2017 Canberra, Australia
In the days before social media, 24/7 news and Freedom of Information requests, British Heads of Mission around the world used to pen an “Annual Review” at the tail end of each year. This was an opportunity for reflection on host countries and bilateral relations; and – inevitably – for competitive Ambassadors and High Commissioners […]
Read more on Annual Review – UK in Australia 2017 | Reply (3)
19th November 2017 Canberra, Australia
My first love was Geoff Boycott. It all started when I was just six years old, and was sat with my Dad watching England play the West indies on our black-and-white TV. The year was 1973. The test match was being held in Port-of-Spain. I was transfixed by Geoffrey’s batting; and was waiting desperately for […]
21st June 2017 Canberra, Australia
It’s been a difficult three months. The UK has been through a series of terrorist attacks, which have punched through the daily news cycle with repeated horror and intensity. We will remember them all – Westminster (22 March), Manchester (22 May), London Bridge (3 June), Finsbury Park (19 June) – and hope there are […]
Read more on Resilience: my country, my city and me | Reply (1)
26th March 2017 Canberra, Australia
I have two, what I jokingly call, spiritual homes in the UK. One is Wales, land of my fathers (actually my mother) and home now to all of my immediate family. The other is London. I was born in Hillingdon to the north-west of the capital, and raised in Ruislip, near the end of the […]
15th March 2017 Canberra, Australia
I watched you perform at the ANZ stadium in Sydney on Saturday night, with my 16 year old daughter and 94,998 other people. This was just one night in your multi-city Australia tour – your first time in this beautiful country, you said. Altogether, I reckon around 600,000 people will have seen you perform in Australia – […]