5th November 2026
United Nations General Assembly: championing women and girls’ rights
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
1st October 2026
A Year Too Big for Two Suitcases: Notes From a Chevening Scholar
11th May 2026
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill: turning a global ocean agreement into UK law
30th November 2015 Geneva, Switzerland
Combating Fragility
The terror that stalked the music halls of Paris and the virus from Africa that reached the streets of Houston have something important in common. They both originated in fragile or failing states. Just as the refugees risking everything and the children facing famine are victims of this same fragility. The British Government published three […]
30th November 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
St Andrew’s Day in Russia
St Andrew’s Day will be celebrated in St Petersburg, Moscow and other cities across Russia on 30 November. Both Moscow and St Petersburg have hosted annual St Andrew’s Day balls for many years and will do so again this year. The Scotland and Russia relationship is full of rich history and culture dating back over […]
30th November 2015 Mumbai, India
India-UK collaboration in intellectual property
Last month, Neil Feinson and Andrew Davidson, both from the International Policy Directorate of the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO), visited India – Mumbai, Chennai, and New Delhi. We met with representatives of government, industry, and society to discuss how India and the UK could collaborate in the increasingly important area of IP rights. Herein, […]
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30th November 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
ST ANDREW’S DAY: MUSIC FOR THE WORLD
One of the best things about the job of British Ambassador is being able to celebrate not only the UK as a whole, but also individually Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Today, as I look out of my window at the Saltire, the Scottish flag flying proudly alongside the Union Flag, I am full […]
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30th November 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Belgrade Barometer
This week the OSCE moves south with its 57 national delegations from Vienna to Belgrade, capital city of our 2015 Chair-in-Office Serbia, to await the arrival of our 57 government representatives for the annual Ministerial Council. The event may not make the headlines like NATO or EU Foreign Ministers. There will be no high profile […]
30th November 2015
Celebrating St. Andrew, Scotland in Rome
The celebration of the Feast Day of the apostle St Andrew, brother of St Peter, is one of the high points in the Scots College year. It is an opportunity to invite many friends in the city, as well as some from home, to join the community in celebrating both the College and Scotland. The […]
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30th November 2015
Scotland the Brave … and Innovative
Today is St Andrew’s Day, when Scotland celebrates its Patron Saint. It’s a day for all of us Scots to mark Scotland’s contribution to the UK and indeed to the wider world. The American author, Arthur Herman, published a book a few years ago entitled “How the Scots invented the Modern World”. His focus was […]
30th November 2015 Mumbai, India
Talking innovation in Kerala
Last month, I participated in a one-day India-UK workshop on innovation and technology commercialisation. This programme was jointly organised by my colleagues from the UK Science and Innovation Network and UK Trade and Investment in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. See press article here. I was one of six panelists in a discussion on Internationalising Innovations – Opportunities […]
27th November 2015 Chennai, India
A Very Unlikely Ambassador
Today I celebrate 20 years in the Foreign Office. I joined, like many others, because I wanted to see the world and be a part of something that mattered. I remember during the induction a colleague who was less awed by the surroundings asking how long it would take to get promoted (answer 12 years if […]
27th November 2015
Lighting Up The Past: How cutting-edge synchrotron science is helping to preserve our cultural heritage
History is all around us. From the buildings that adorn our towns and cities to the relics of past civilisations. These objects make up our cultural heritage – providing an insight into what went before us and linking us back to our past. But work is needed to ensure the preservation of historical icons, for […]
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