Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

28th May 2013 USA

Spencer Mahoney

by Spencer Mahony

HM Consul and UKTI Regional Director for the South East United States

Can You Hear Me, Major Tim?

The following is a guest post by Ryan Nalty, Business Development Associate, Advanced Engineering, UKTI. The great British comedian, Eddie Izzard, once quipped, that British efforts in space would be equivalent to putting a man in a track suit up a ladder. Last week, that track suit became more expensive and that ladder, a tad […]

Read more on Can You Hear Me, Major Tim? | Reply (1)

27th May 2013

Avatar photo

by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Well-being, the Common Good and the Holy See

What are governments for? At its most fundamental, the role of government is to keep people and communities safe. Right until the modern era, provision of security was seen as the prime function of government. It still is an essential priority, and it is no coincidence that assuring national security remains one of the over-riding […]

Read more on Well-being, the Common Good and the Holy See | Reply (1)

27th May 2013 Geneva, Switzerland

Avatar photo

by Bob Last

Head, UK Mission Political and Human Rights Team

June too soon

There was a time not so long ago when the Geneva sun shone happily throughout spring time, when kinder colleagues used to mistake me for an intern and the June Human Rights Council session actually began in June. This year we’ve still not managed to put our winter clothes away, a worrying number of colleagues […]

Read more on June too soon | Reply

24th May 2013

Avatar photo

by Bruce Bucknell

Former British Deputy High Commissioner Kolkata

Memory of War

I took part in the Victory Day ceremony in Minsk on 9 May to honour the veterans and fallen of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45. The term “Great Patriotic War” sounds strange to us Britons, but we weren’t invaded. Our memory is of the longer period we know as the Second World War (WWII) […]

Read more on Memory of War | Reply (1)

24th May 2013

Avatar photo

by Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Australian business opportunities: 10,000 miles and one click away

Australia is a very long way from Britain – 23 hours flying time. That can sometimes put small businesses off exploring the big opportunities in this important market. But many companies are exporting very successfully to Australia without leaving home, thanks to booming e-commerce sales. 15.7 million Australians are active online and Australia’s online retail […]

Read more on Australian business opportunities: 10,000 miles and one click away | Reply (1)

23rd May 2013 Paris, France

Avatar photo

by Peter Ricketts

Ambassador to France from February 2012 to January 2016.

The Prime Minister’s first visit to the Elysée

Prime Minister David Cameron and President François Hollande in the Elysée, 22 May 2013. Credits: Présidence de la République

We’ve just had David Cameron, the British Prime Minister, in Paris for his first visit here to President Hollande since his election. They travelled down together from the European Council in the same train, and they were able to have a bilateral meeting as they were travelling.

Read more on The Prime Minister’s first visit to the Elysée | Reply

23rd May 2013 New York, USA

Charles Arrowsmith

by Charles Arrowsmith

Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Consul-General

The Old Bill… in New York

If you were strolling into Central Park at the Columbus Circle entrance last Saturday morning you might have been surprised to see a Metropolitan Police car parked under the USS Maine monument. A hundred yards further in, you might have stopped short at the sight of three-score British police officers warming up for a light […]

Read more on The Old Bill… in New York | Reply

23rd May 2013 Washington DC, USA

by Peter Matheson

Economic Counsellor

A Tale of Two Summers

Two countries separated by different summers It’s that time of year again when Washington D.C. slowly but surely starts to melt. The heart of the East Coast summer time. Temperatures in the 80s, 90s and even higher. Suffocating humidity. Blazing sun. A feeling that we could be living in a swamp. The realisation that we […]

Read more on A Tale of Two Summers | Reply