3rd December 2024
RENEWING OLD TIES: THE NEW BISHOP OF LONDON
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
25th November 2024
The climate crisis and gender-based violence
8th November 2024
Ecolabels: A Catalyst for Sustainable Food Choices?
3rd May 2014 London, UK
Journalism is a public duty
May 3 marks World Press Freedom Day. But this year it doesn’t feel like there is much to celebrate. Freedom House’s 2014 report finds that media freedom around the world has hit its lowest point in a decade. Only 1 in 7 people live in a country with a ‘free’ press: that means a country […]
2nd May 2014 Athens, Greece
Looking forwards to commercial revival
One of the parts of my job that I most love is the work we do to support British business here in Greece. Because of the deep and long recession, the market here is tough and British imports have fallen hugely. Last year, however, they rose again – by 8%: the first time in many […]
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2nd May 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria
The First Visit of The Royal Ballet to Bulgaria
By Jane Burner Jane Burner lived in Bulgaria between 1970-1972 and 1984-1987, during the two postings of her husband Alan Burner to Sofia as 3rd Secretary and Deputy Head of Mission respectively. Previously, Jane told us about the difficulty and satisfaction of finding and buying food in Bulgaria in the 70s. This time, she shares a fond […]
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2nd May 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Australian Defence Minister visits RN ship and sub as search enters new stage
With the search for Malaysian Airlines MH370 moving to a new phase this week, the two British ships involved – Hydrographical vessel HMS Echo, and submarine HMS Tireless – have been withdrawn from the search and are both in port in Western Australia. I invited Defence Minister, Senator David Johnston, to come on board to […]
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1st May 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Carrying the Baton for Turks and Caicos Islands
The recent arrival of the Queen’s Baton Relay was, as the Turks and Caicos Weekly News said, “…three days of immense patriotism…” for the Turks and Caicos Islands. It brought together young and old, politicians from both parties, athletes and businesspeople. I was able to share the enthusiasm it generated with hundreds of participants and […]
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1st May 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Magna Carta and the "Golden Thread for Economic Development"
“The authors of the Magna Carta clearly recognised the interdependence between personal freedom and economic freedom” said Foreign Minister Julie Bishop as she began her speech at the annual Magna Carta Lecture, which the British High Commission hosts. Before a packed audience at the Victoria State Parliament, she set out her new development paradigm, for […]
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30th April 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Feliz Año Nuevo – en Abril?
No se preocupen, no hemos cambiado los calendarios para juntarnos a los lugares del mundo que celebran el Nuevo Año en primavera. Más bien, el año financiero británico corre desde abril hasta marzo, entonces aquí en la Embajada se siente mucho como el nuevo año. Actualmente estamos planificando el año que viene y quisiéramos compartirles […]
30th April 2014 Gaborone, Botswana
It’s time to act together
“The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights” Gloria Steinem Botswana recently joined the international community in celebrating International Women’s Day under the theme “Equality for women is progress for all”. Shortly after that, […]
30th April 2014 Washington DC, USA
Women boost the world economy
At the end of March I joined other members of the British Embassy in American University’s Race to Representation, a 5k run organised by the Women and Politics Institute in Washington. The annual race (now in its third year) helps raise awareness of the gender gap in political leadership in the US, while the mission […]
30th April 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Britain and Ireland together at the Holy See
It has been an extraordinary few years for the relationship between the United Kingdom and Ireland. When Prime Minister David Cameron and Taoiseach Enda Kenny met in London in March, they commented that relations between our two countries had never been better. That’s a bold statement to make. And yet it was confirmed earlier this […]
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