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
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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27th November 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Growth, jobs and fairness: The Reform Agenda
Wherever I go in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I try to seek out ordinary citizens, particularly young people, and to talk to them about the new EU strategy, and the Reform Agenda that has come from it. From all these conversations, one thing is very clear: most people really don’t understand what the Reform Agenda is […]
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27th November 2015 Tashkent
St Andrew – the patron saint of Scotland
Scotland’s national day, St Andrew’s Day, is celebrated each year on 30 November. St Andrew was born on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and was the younger brother of St Peter. Both he and his brother became disciples of Jesus. St Andrew has been recognized as the patron saint of Scotland since at […]
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27th November 2015
Soft Skills in Hard Times video blog series(I): DHM Adam Sambrook
In the first of this video blog series, my Deputy Head of Mission, Adam Sambrook, shares his views on using soft skills in the context of climate change negotiations. The series is part of the project ‘Soft Skills in Hard Times. Remembering the Service of Great Romanian and British Women,’ which aims to both commemorate […]
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26th November 2015 Sofia, Bulgaria
Busy Week for UK Defence in Bulgaria
A busy week for UK Defence in Bulgaria this November: Remembrance events in Sofia and Plovdiv and Britain’s newest and most capable warship’s visit to Burgas. Being a non-Resident Attaché to Bulgaria, unfortunately I was unable to attend the Remembrance events but I understand that they were extremely moving and both sites were immaculately presented – our […]
26th November 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
St Andrew’s Day: how Scottish was my great-grandmother?
30 November is St Andrew’s Day, named after the Patron Saint of Scotland. St Andrew offers continuity across cultures: he was crucified at Patras, in modern-day Greece, and his body was taken to Constantinople – present-day Istanbul – before being transferred to Amalfi in Italy in the 13th Century. He is Patron Saint of Ukraine as well […]
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26th November 2015 Mumbai, India
UK and India’s Prime Ministers shared commitment to tackle antimicrobial resistance
The theory of evolution has always fascinated me since my school days, but I had thought it to be a slow process. The pace at which multidrug resistant microbes have emerged across the world has been surprising! This is a major health crisis in the works. Are we doing enough to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) […]
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25th November 2015 London, UK
The start of a beautiful friendship
You’ve probably heard of the War of 1812, but do you know about the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation of July 3, 1815, or ‘A Convention to Regulate the Commerce between the Territories of the United States and of His Britannick Majesty?’ Probably not, especially since the name is so tricky to remember. However, it […]
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25th November 2015 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Don’t Leave Half of Yemen’s Population Behind
As a male ambassador, I am not an obvious candidate to promote women’s rights. But the subject is close to my heart. I have spent my whole life with brilliant, accomplished women. These include my mother and sister, my wife, daughter and my female friends, colleagues, and professional contacts which included the many Yemeni women […]
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