9th December 2025
Why We Need Data, Courage, and Community
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
2nd December 2025
In cybersecurity, there are no limits – only new voices ready to lead
14th October 2025
Lost and Found (but mostly lost)
21st March 2013 Washington DC, USA
Over 33 shows, 32 venues and 10,000 miles
The following is a guest blog by musician Paul Williams who plays cornet in the Band of the Scots Guards. Paul is currently taking part in the Pipes and Drums of The Black Watch and the Military Band of the Scots Guards 2013 US tour. The Band of the Scots Guards and the Pipes, Drums […]
Read more on Over 33 shows, 32 venues and 10,000 miles | Reply
20th March 2013 Paris, France
Economic and high-tech cooperation
The big theme for me this week has been the economic and high-tech co-operation between Britain and France. In terms of economies, we had Boris Johnson, the Major of London, in Paris last week. He gave a number of media interviews but also a big speech to businessmen here, in which his main theme is […]
20th March 2013 Bucharest, Romania
Restart: Chevening Alumni network
I invited our colleague Ian Saunders to tell us more about our network of Chevening alumni and scholars with whom we reconnected recently. Ian, you have the floor! Attended by nearly 60 fellows and scholars and hosted by the Ambassador at his residence the gathering was a night of pleasant mix of networking and socialising. Among our […]
20th March 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The Prince’s Trust
What’s it like organising a royal visit? They don’t come round very often in a diplomatic career. But when they do, they present extraordinary opportunities. Last week’s visit by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall was just such an opportunity. It was made all the more meaningful because of the lasting relationship […]
20th March 2013 New Delhi, India
Framed at FICCI
Not me getting set up for a crime I didn’t commit, but a useful meeting entitled “Opportunities for creative collaboration between India and the UK” where we discussed case studies and new developments in both countries… Last week I was in Mumbai to attend the 14th chapter of FICCI Frames, one of the most noteworthy media and entertainment […]
20th March 2013 Washington DC, USA
SXSW diplomacy
Over the past year or so a lively community of ‘digital diplomats’ has developed in both Washington and New York, with ‘digital diplomats’ meeting on a monthly basis to share ideas and talk about their latest innovations. Social Media Week this year featured, in both cities, workshops and panels looking specifically at how governments can […]
19th March 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Farewell to Princess Lilian
It was an honour to attend the beautiful and moving funeral service for Princess Lilian, at Slottskyrkan on Saturday. It was a service with a strong British flavour, with the Palace Choir singing Vaughan Williams’ For All the Saints and a wonderful choral arrangement of Parry’s Jerusalem. The congregation sang Abide with Me (in English) […]
19th March 2013 Montreal, Canada
Green is growth
As a country that embraces the transition to a low carbon economy, the UK has very much adopted the idea that Green is what makes Britain GREAT. This is a concept that resonates not just with the UK but also with our valued partners, like Quebec. The challenge we face now is to convince people […]
19th March 2013 USA
“Snowquestration” and Innovation
On 6 March, the Washington DC weather forecasters were calling for a large snowstorm, duly named the “snowquester”, due to the unfortunate timing coming immediately after sequestration took hold on federal budgets. Unfortunately for my colleague from Atlanta and me, our long-awaited workshop on manufacturing innovation was set to take place the same day. As […]
19th March 2013 Warsaw, Poland
Entrepreneurs are GREAT!
A fundamental part of the UK’s growth strategy is to get British exports moving. About time – we have run a trade deficit for the last 40 years and we lag behind our EU peers in growing our international trade; 25% of French, German and Italian SMEs export. Looking at our region in particular, British […]