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)
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 […]
7th June 2010 New York, USA
The Summer Season Begins
A short working week last week, with the Memorial Day holiday on Monday. Memorial Day and Fleet week are big events in the life of one of our most important New York Partners, the Intrepid museum, with whom we work closely on veterans issues. Welcome to Yorkshire have been busy promoting Yorkshire as great […]
4th June 2010 London, UK
24 hours in Brussels
I spent 24 hours in Brussels earlier this week for a packed schedule of meetings. As a city, Brussels has a somewhat unfair reputation for being rather dull and grey. I know from previous visits that there are some charming aspects to the place. Sadly on this occasion I saw little more than the inside […]
28th May 2010 New York, USA
The Poles North and South
Biggest news from the Consulate this week is the opening of the American Museum of Natural History’s exhibit on the Anatarctic expeditions of Scott and Amundsen to the South Pole. Why is the Consulate involved? Leaving aside the compelling history of the "race to the Pole", it’s a great way for us to get […]
28th May 2010 London, UK
My first two weeks as Minister for Europe
It was almost two weeks ago that the Prime Minister asked me to join the new coalition Government as Minister for Europe at the Foreign Office. Within two hours I was in my new office meeting my staff and planning briefings. I last worked in the FCO 20 years ago, when I was political adviser […]
Read more on My first two weeks as Minister for Europe | Reply
27th May 2010 Islamabad, Pakistan
The sky’s the limit
Whatever else Pakistanis may think about India, the evidence of economic growth there is hard to deny. Last week I visted Gurgaon, the new city outside New Delhi. It is mushrooming. Twelve years ago, when I last took a look, it practically wasn’t there. Now it has all the shopping malls, office blocks and building […]