11th May 2026
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill: turning a global ocean agreement into UK law
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
9th April 2026
The Gulf, Berlin and the Commission on the Status of Women: building global alliances to advance women’s progress
26th February 2026
Different Memories, Shared Futures: Why Inclusive Remembrance Matters for Serbia and the Region
21st July 2010 London, UK
Questions please!
I’d like to receive your views and questions about Britain’s policies on Europe. It seems sensible to do this through my blog. Watch the video below to find out more about the issues I’ve been working on, and then submit your questions using the comment function at the bottom of the blog page. I look […]
20th July 2010 London, UK
A blog from Kazakhstan
Find out about the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe in this week’s video blog.
16th July 2010 New York, USA
The Queen opens the British Garden
Guest blog by Sheila O’Connor, Her Majesty’s Consul. I was proud and privileged to have been asked to coordinate the practical arrangements for Her Majesty The Queen’s visit to the British Memorial Garden on 6 July. The Garden in Hanover Square has been built in memory of the 67 British citizens who lost their lives […]
14th July 2010 London, UK
A trip to Budapest
Here’s my latest video blog, this time reflecting on my recent trip to Budapest!
7th July 2010
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
How to stop censorship in Ukraine
Is there a risk of an upsurge in censorship in Ukraine? If there is, what can Ukrainians do about it? And what if anything should outsiders such as foreign governments and diplomats be doing? These are all questions which come up when I host a lunch at the Residence for Ukrainian journalists and media activists. […]
5th July 2010 Islamabad, Pakistan
A deep partnership
The Cabinet Ministers of the new British coalition government are queuing up to come to Pakistan. In the past three weeks I have hosted both our new International Development Minister, Andrew Mitchell, and our new Foreign Minister, William Hague. It makes sense. Pakistan is already Britain’s second largest development programme and this is quite likely […]
28th June 2010
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Pumps, turbines & degrees – from Pune to Warwick & Glasgow
The British Business Group in Pune invited me to their AGM (Annual General Meeting) in mid June. Pune is Maharashtra State’s second largest city and I have heard estimates of a population between four to six million. The national census this year should give the figure. Pune is the major centre for the automotive sector […]
Read more on Pumps, turbines & degrees – from Pune to Warwick & Glasgow | Reply
11th June 2010
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Second tier cities, first class business opportunities
Many people are talking about India’s ‘Second Tier’ cities. The phrase doesn’t strike me as the kindest, with the hint that they haven’t quite made the grade. But it is commonly used, to differentiate the large number of growing two million plus cities from the huge metropolises like Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai. I visited briefly […]
Read more on Second tier cities, first class business opportunities | Reply
11th June 2010 New York, USA
Explorers Here, Climate Map There, Penguins Everywhere
Today a guest blog from Clare Risman, Vice Consul for Devolved Administrations at the Consulate. Growing up in London, the Natural History Museum was one of my favourite places. My children share a similar sense of excitement and wonder at the delights of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) – their imaginations have been inspired […]
Read more on Explorers Here, Climate Map There, Penguins Everywhere | Reply
9th June 2010
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The toughest exam in Ukraine
What’s the toughest thing you can do to a Ukrainian student sitting an important English oral exam? How about bringing in the British ambassador to watch your conversational efforts, together with the head of the training institute and a photographer? That’s what happens when I visit the Kharkiv Aviation University and am shown round the […]