22nd December 2025
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
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17th December 2025
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9th December 2025
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4th June 2014 Warsaw, Poland
The Wensleydale Afternoon Tea at Warsaw’s Famous Bristol Hotel with His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex
Wensleydale cheese has a heritage that spans centuries, with its roots firmly set in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. First crafted in the 12th Century by a group of Cistercian monk settlers in Wensleydale, the art of Wensleydale cheese-making was perfected over time, and eventually found itself in the hands of local farmers’ wives. […]
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4th June 2014 Budapest, Hungary
How ‘smart’ do you think the UK is?
Guest blog by Kriszti Kocsis, Senior Policy Officer (Energy, Climate and Environment) at the British Embassy. Much more than most know. So I was glad to be able to publicise the UK’s smart credentials recently. But what are the smart grid and smart cities? Smart grids are the electricity transmission network enabled by digital technology for […]
4th June 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Time to Act: mobilising Catholic networks against sexual violence in conflict
I often have to remind people that I am accredited not to the Vatican City State, but to the Holy See, the governance of the global Catholic Church. As such, this embassy has reach into an extraordinary worldwide network of civil society organisations, religious congregations, diplomats, universities and other components that make up the Catholic […]
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4th June 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
British MPs in Canberra discuss Malaria and Foreign Policy
A busy week in Canberra with two separate visits by Members of the House of Commons. The Rt Hon Stephen O’Brien MP, the PM’s Special Representative for the Sahel, was in Australia in his capacity as envoy for the Roll Back Malaria campaign. He is a passionate advocate for the cause and believes there is […]
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4th June 2014 Dublin, Ireland
Poland – 25 amazing years
Even in a year of important anniversaries for Poland, the 25th anniversary of Solidarity’s victory in the elections of 4 June 1989 is a special moment. I arrived in Poland for the first time exactly seven years earlier. I would like to be able to say that I predicted what was to come. But I […]
3rd June 2014 Budapest, Hungary
Out of Office
We had our annual Away Day last week. It’s a day for staying out of your office and meeting with the whole Embassy team to chat about how to improve what we do (and how we do it) in the following year. And then to have some fun relaxing together. This year we had really […]
3rd June 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Australia sets scene for London Global Summit on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and I co-hosted a Dialogue on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict at Parliament House yesterday. It was well timed, just a week before the London summit from 10-13 June. Julie is one of 14 global champions for the PSVI initiative, including presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers from a diverse range […]
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3rd June 2014 Chennai, India
The Leadership Conference and Diversity
It’s just 2 weeks since I got back from the annual Leadership Conference which draws together all our Heads of Mission from across the world. It’s the 6th I have attended in a row, which does lead me to reflect on how they’ve evolved. As always, it was extremely useful to hear from and share […]
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2nd June 2014 Paris, France
Her Majesty The Queen in France
We’re three days away from the State Visit of Her Majesty The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Excitement is rising in the Embassy as we approach it. Why is this visit going to be so special? First of all, because the Queen stands for so much in the relationship between Britain and France.
2nd June 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Reptiles, fairies, conspiracies and cock-ups
Did US spacecraft Apollo 11 really land on the moon in July 1969? Was the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, an accident? Are many world leaders in fact shape-shifting reptilians? Back in August I wrote a blog called “Why Turkey can be confident”. I set out why I was so impressed by this wonderful, welcoming country; and […]
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