2nd December 2025
In cybersecurity, there are no limits – only new voices ready to lead
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
14th October 2025
Lost and Found (but mostly lost)
13th October 2025
UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls: September visits to Sarajevo and New York
1st March 2016 London, UK
The Commonwealth is no relic of the past
Sometimes the Commonwealth is seen as a relic of the past. I argue passionately that it is nothing of the sort. The test is always the same – would we invent the Commonwealth today? The answer is that we would. It is an important organisation for the present and the future. My visit last week […]
Read more on The Commonwealth is no relic of the past | Reply
1st March 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
My Welsh Great-Grandfather
1 March is St David’s Day, named after the patron saint of Wales who died in 589. The Consulate in Istanbul and the Embassy in Ankara are flying the terrific Welsh flag: I’m part-Welsh: my great-grandfather John Derfel (photo below) came from the the town of Llanderfel in north Wales and was the son of the […]
1st March 2016 London, UK
St David’s day
Today is St David’s Day – a special day for the United Kingdom, and in particular for Wales. Saint David is the patron of Wales, but who was he? He lived during the 6th century AD. The exact years of his birth and death are unclear, though it is believed that he was born in Cardiganshire, […]
26th February 2016 London, England
Nation Shall Tweet Tweets Unto Nation….
It is pretty rare these days for a British Ambassador or equivalent not to engage in social media – something that sets us apart from the vast majority of other countries’ emissaries (with notable exceptions). But at a time when diplomacy has progressively less to do with government to government (G2G) interaction and more to […]
Read more on Nation Shall Tweet Tweets Unto Nation…. | Reply (3)
26th February 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Humanitarian aid: the faith dimension
In May this year, the first World Humanitarian Summit will be held in Istanbul. The United Kingdom sees this as a real opportunity to take stock of how humanitarian aid around the world is distributed, and to improve the effectiveness of delivery to ensure that aid reaches those most in need. Humanitarian aid needs to […]
26th February 2016 Geneva, Switzerland
Not your typical intern
I am not your typical intern. I am about to turn 35, I have 2 children aged 5 and 3, and a previous career as a Barrister. I traded in late night briefs, daily court advocacy and negotiations, and challenging clients for the trials and tribulations of child rearing and home making. Eighteen months ago […]
25th February 2016 London, UK
To the Moon, Mars and beyond
The UK and UAE Space Agencies this week signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create a strategic space partnership. This will open the way for extensive cooperation between our two countries in space research, scientific missions and the search for popular applications. The MoU was signed bu UK Space Agency Chief Executive, Dr David Parker, […]
24th February 2016 Mumbai, India
Conference on intellectual property litigation
Last week, I spoke at the 2nd edition of LITCON – a CII conference on intellectual property (IP) litigation. The theme was cost effective strategies for managing IP rights litigation in multi-jurisdictions. My talk focused on the UK’s specialist court established for handling IP disputes involving small claims – the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC). […]
Read more on Conference on intellectual property litigation | Reply (1)
23rd February 2016 Istanbul, Turkey
Supporting Syria – with the help of Chevening Alumni
At the start of last month, 16 Chevening Alumni from Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey convened in the British Consulate in Istanbul for the Chevening Alumni Regional Conference 2016. The subject of this year’s conference was “Syria and its impact on the region: 5 years into the conflict”, covering important themes such as humanitarian access, […]
Read more on Supporting Syria – with the help of Chevening Alumni | Reply (1)
23rd February 2016 Mumbai, India
Discussion on innovation and intellectual property rights
Earlier this week, I was one of the panelists in a multi-stakeholder discussion on the role of a robust intellectual property (IP) regime in boosting confidence of foreign investors in India. This event was held in New Delhi by the Global Intellectual Property Center. The discussion was timely! – with all the energy and enthusiasm […]
Read more on Discussion on innovation and intellectual property rights | Reply