17th July 2025
Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
15th July 2025
International Day of Women in Diplomacy: UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls visit to Geneva
1st May 2025
The UN Commission on the Status of Women: My first visit as UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls
3rd October 2013 Brasilia, Brazil
Do speak to strangers! Why Speakers’ Corner
Like most Londoners, I do not generally talk to strangers – especially on public transport. However, if I want to speak to them I can go to Speakers ‘ Corner in Hyde Park. It is an area where anyone can speak on any subject they want whilst others listen, debate or just heckle. I remember […]
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3rd October 2013 Kingston, Jamaica
DEPORTATION: STIGMA & SUPPORT
The majority of my working day is spent designing, developing and managing projects, to support Jamaican nationals returned from the UK settle back into a productive and fulfilling life in Jamaica. Most of this is informed by listening to Jamaicans the majority of whom tell me they need practical support such as help in getting […]
3rd October 2013 London, UK
Great digital opportunities at the Foreign Office
I blogged in July on some upcoming opportunities to join the Foreign Office Digital Team. We’ve now externally advertised some great jobs. First, four digital transformation roles: Two Digital Transformation Manager roles – driving and defining how the FCO will move its services to digital and also helping drive improvement in our internal software and […]
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2nd October 2013 Washington DC, USA
How timely: Britain announces it will host 2014 NATO Summit
Earlier this month I had the opportunity to travel to NATO headquarters in Brussels to attend a course put together by my colleagues in the UK Joint Delegation to NATO. The course is designed to give staff a thorough introduction to NATO and an understanding of its place at the centre of the UK’s defence […]
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2nd October 2013 Montreal, Canada
Biofuels on the rocks
Whisky is not just good for sipping; it is also good for making biofuel. The distillation process of whisky produces a lot of byproducts that do not make it into the bottle you see at the liquor store. Actually, only 10 % of what is produced in a distillery is drinkable whisky. The rest is […]
2nd October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The Winds of Change
Did you know that enough sunlight falls on the earth in 1 hour to meet the whole world’s energy demand for a year? Exploiting this source of clean and readily-available energy must surely be a no-brainer. Promoting renewable energy used to be seen as a fad for environmentalists. And there is no doubt that there […]
1st October 2013 Toronto, Canada
Canadian science news: 23-29 September 2013
[View the story “Canadian science news: 23-29 September 2013” on Storify]
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1st October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Climate change: an economic opportunity
Just over a year ago on a warm August afternoon, I paid a call on the Environment Minister, Lena Ek. She had an idea she wanted to share with the UK about the campaign for action on climate change. Twelve months on, that idea has been launched as a major international effort in New York, […]
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1st October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Echuca – paddle steamer capital of the world
Echuca, “paddle steamer capital of the world,” sits on the banks of the Murray River, which divides Victoria and New South Wales. Most other state borders in Australia are arbitrary straight lines. The town flourished in the 1870s, when wool was shipped down the river from outback sheep stations, to be transferred by rail to […]
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1st October 2013 Windhoek, Namibia
Visit to Namibia’s latest World Heritage Site in the Namib Desert
Namibia is a country blessed with magnificent scenery, wonderful warm people and a terrific climate. It is also now blessed with two World Heritage sites after the recent UNESCO naming of the Namib Sand Sea as the country’s latest addition to this eminent international grouping and marks its first natural site. Namibia’s other World Heritage […]
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