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)
24th September 2012 Warsaw, Poland
Great British Supercars Set the Pace for UK Trade & Investment
To mark the visit of the Right Hon William Hague, MP to Warsaw recently the British Embassy in co-operation with Aston Martin Warszawa, Lotus Warszawa and JLR Polska hosted a British Motoring Hall of Fame. A superb line up of British Motoring Excellence. Never before has the Embassy seen so much horsepower on one occasion. […]
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24th September 2012 Geneva, Switzerland
Growing Older, Getting Colder
My second week of the Council session got off to a particularly bad start as I managed to put my back out while playing with my son at the weekend. My boss Ian cheerfully put it down to age catching up with me. I like to think I’ve a few good years left in me […]
24th September 2012 New Delhi, India
Bangalore-Cambridge Innovation Network Launched
In a week when the UK was confirmed as having four universities in the top six in the world, we had a high-powered delegation from the University of Cambridge (ranking top in the UK) in town, led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz. The main event on 13th September was Science, Innovation and […]
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21st September 2012 Washington DC, USA
A Fashion Statement
‘We are the goon squad and we’re coming to town-beep beep’ So sang David Bowie in a thinly veiled 1980’s attack on charlatans and copycats, ‘Fashion’. Bowie is not only a British musical living legend but also one of our most stylish icons (second only to Bryan Ferry in my opinion). Which brings us to […]
21st September 2012 Paris, France
Two examples of support to British people in France
In this video, Sir Peter Ricketts discusses two very different examples of the work the British Embassy and Consulates are doing to support British people in France.
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21st September 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Religion, Foreign Affairs and Dialogue
In her book “The Mighty and the Almighty”, Madeline Albright asked rhetorically:“Why can’t we just keep religion out of foreign policy?”. She responded: “we can’t and shouldn’t. Religion is a large part of what motivates people and shapes their views of justice and right behaviour. It must be taken into account”. The last fortnight has […]
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21st September 2012 Warsaw, Poland
Great British Commercial Diplomacy
A Great British welcome to you in Warsaw Mr Foreign Secretary! The UK has got a great relationship with Poland and it’s about to get even better. Hot on the heels of the Great British Olympics a 1 stop commercial diplomacy day. The British Foreign Secretary, the Right Hon, William Hague MP and the Minister […]
21st September 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
International Peace Day
As well as being British Ambassador to Ethiopia, I am also the United Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Africa. Given that today is the International Day of Peace, it is perhaps worth reflecting on how much the AU does to promote peace throughout the […]
19th September 2012 Ottawa, Canada
“Brits on Bikes” for cancer research
I’ve discovered the wonders of spandex recently. For the second year in a row, I’ve had the privilege to participate, with a number of my colleagues here at the British High Commission, in a terrific local charity event called Ride the Rideau. Our team, dubbed “Brits on Bikes”, is not made up of the athletic […]
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19th September 2012 Budapest, Hungary
A weekend of firsts at the British Embassy in Budapest
Guest blog by Ian Saunders, visiting British diplomat Last Saturday and Sunday the Embassy participated in the European Heritage Days programme in Hungary for the first time. This cultural initiative allowed the public to see inside the British Embassy and savour its interesting and historical interior. On show were the main entrance, a view of […]
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