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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
2nd December 2025
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14th October 2025
Lost and Found (but mostly lost)
11th July 2014 Toronto, Canada
Antimicrobial resistance: The greatest issue of our time?
The 2014 Longitude Prize, a £10 million fund dedicated to solving one of the greatest challenges of our time, was recently assigned to antibiotics. Why is this issue so significant, and what is the UK doing about it? Antibiotics are one of the finest achievements of modern medicine, killing the bacteria and other microorganisms that […]
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11th July 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Countering ‘the globalisation of indifference’
Pope Francis rightly calls on the rich to do more to ensure equity for the poor. We must listen to the counsel of those on the periphery, he tells us. And we should be generous in our solidarity – a word, he told his audience on a recent trip to the Italian region of Molise, […]
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11th July 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Museum Pieces
Lunch at the British Museum with its Director Neil MacGregor OM. We ate under the roof of the Great Court, the splendid space which fuses old and new so sympathetically. I have very fond memories of the BM, as I used to work in the historical Reading Room when I was studying Japanese at the […]
10th July 2014 Brasilia, Brazil
Creativity and the work of British consulates – pubs, lingerie and more! Guest blog by Richard Turner
When you think of the work of diplomatic missions, you might think it is all political and consular work. You would be wrong. The largest amount of work is supporting British business connections and partnerships with Brazil. The Creative Industries sector is one of the most successful of the UK’s economy , having exported more […]
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10th July 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria
Our House on 69 Oborishte Street
by Jane Burner Jane Burner lived in Bulgaria between 1970-1972 and 1984-1987 when her husband Alan Burner was 3rd Secretary and Deputy Head of Mission respectively at the British Embassy in Sofia. Many foreign diplomats and their families lived in the house on 69 Oborishte Street. During our second posting in Bulgaria, we lived in a house not […]
10th July 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Westminster Abbey honours Australia’s first Governor
We assembled for a spectacular occasion in Westminster Abbey this week to celebrate Admiral Arthur Phillip RN, Captain of the First Fleet, and first governor of New South Wales. The Duke of Edinburgh inaugurated a plaque in Phillip’s honour in the central aisle of the Abbey, with cabinet ministers from both countries, the current Governors […]
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10th July 2014 New Delhi, India
Medical research in Puducherry
Set on the outskirts of Puducherry, the former French colony which retains a significant Gallic flavour and hosts some seriously warm weather at this time of year, is the Jawaharal Nehru Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER). I visited the institute earlier in the month with my colleague, Vimal Subramanian, to understand what […]
9th July 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
A Day in Londongrad
Every so often Belarusians comment to me that London attracts Russians. The British media regularly report on their activities. The Guardian newspaper recently stated that there are 150,000 Russians living in “Moscow-on-Thames”. And two of our newspapers – the Independent and the London Evening Standard are owned by a Russian. I spent a day in London last week at meetings on […]
9th July 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Ramadan: A Time to Reflect
The pace and rhythm of life in Amman has changed now that we are in Ramadan. Many non-Muslims prefer to take their holidays at this time. But just as Muslims are fasting to achieve greater self-awareness, so others can use this month to reflect. Commenting on religion is risky, so a diplomat should tread with […]
9th July 2014 Bucharest, Romania
Good Bye and Thank you Romania
Peter Thomas served as Head of the Political Section at the British Embassy in Bucharest from June 2009 – June 2014. On leaving Bucharest, he shared some of his thoughts regarding the five years he spent in Romania. At 17:10 on 30 June, our British Airways flight took off from Otopeni, bringing to a close […]