1st October 2026
A Year Too Big for Two Suitcases: Notes From a Chevening Scholar
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
11th May 2026
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill: turning a global ocean agreement into UK law
9th April 2026
The Gulf, Berlin and the Commission on the Status of Women: building global alliances to advance women’s progress
16th September 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the first of the arctic convoys in Russia
31 August 2016 marked the 75th anniversary of the first of what would become known as the Arctic Convoys, which delivered essential supplies to the Soviet Union during World War Two. The first convoy, codenamed ‘Dervish’, left Liverpool on 12 August 1941 and finally arrived in Arkhangelsk in north west Russia on 31 August. ‘Dervish’ […]
Read more on Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the first of the arctic convoys in Russia | Reply (2)
16th September 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The International Day of Democracy celebrated in Romania
Following a United Nations General Assembly resolution in 2007, the International Day of Democracy is commemorated on 15 September each year. The day provides an opportunity to think about democracy, what it offers, and the consequences for those people who do not live in democratic societies. The British government believes that democracy is the form […]
Read more on The International Day of Democracy celebrated in Romania | Reply (1)
16th September 2016 Kolkata, India
Another country
It is a cracking first line for a novel: The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.* As a thought – that the past is somewhere different – the line sounds very appealing. The past is distant from us and we can’t access it immediately. But the idea is nonsense, of course, […]
16th September 2016 Canberra, Australia
The high and lows of fast-forward diplomacy
One of the great joys of being High Commissioner to Australia is the sheer variety of what I do. I’ve learned to expect the unexpected, to travel widely and frequently, and to deal with a diverse range of issues. It’s why I love the job. The last three weeks have been a slightly extreme example […]
Read more on The high and lows of fast-forward diplomacy | Reply
15th September 2016 Colombo, Sri Lanka
Protecting the space
Democracy is the best path to long term peace, stability and sustainable development. It doesn’t just mean elections, though they are important too. It’s about having a say in the decisions that affect us, independent institutions that function as they were intended to and rule of law that upholds our human rights and protects us […]
15th September 2016 London, UKSkopje, North Macedonia
Democracy is not a spectator sport
Today, 15 September, is International Day of Democracy – celebrated each year by the UN and its members. Why celebrate a system of government? What’s so special about democracy? I think the answer is simple. Democracy is the only system of Government that puts ordinary people at its centre. It ensures the people have a […]
15th September 2016 Mogadishu, Somalia
Working with the Somali National Army
I recently joined the small team of British military advisors, currently deployed in Somalia to train, equip and advise the Somali National Army (SNA). It’s a fascinating job, with every day throwing up a completely new and unique set of challenges – no week is the same in this role. We do a wide range […]
Read more on Working with the Somali National Army | Reply (12)
15th September 2016 London, UK
International Day of Democracy 2016
A year ago today, to mark International Day of Democracy, I launched the Magna Carta Partnership Initiative. This consisted of a series of small projects in selected parts of the world where we judged that UK expertise could reinvigorate and promote the development of democracy, and strengthen the rule of law. Through this support, we […]
Read more on International Day of Democracy 2016 | Reply (1)
14th September 2016 Guatemala City
Thinking of Democracy
As a public servant and as a Briton, to talk about democracy is to talk about something I am passionate about. It’s not that I am an expert in the topic, but it is a system with which I can identify closely and it is an ideal which drives every day of my working life. […]
13th September 2016 London, UK
Foreign Office Virtual tour
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office