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
20th January 2017 Skopje, North Macedonia
Записи во дневникот 26 август 2027 година
Во висините на Шар Планина воздухот има вкус како шампањ. По пет часови насладување, бевме уморни, но среќни од нашата прошетка. Драго ми е што сум повторно назад во Македонија. Последен пат пешачев на Шар Планина пред девет години. Тогаш, додека служев како британски амбасадор во Скопје прошетките како оваа денес ми беа прибежиште број […]
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20th January 2017 Skopje, North Macedonia
Shënime nga ditari, 26 Gusht 2027
Në malet e larta të Sharit në Maqedoni, ajri ka shije të shampanjës. Pas pesë orëve duke e pirë, ecja jonë sot na raskapiti por na gazmoi. Është e mrekullueshme të rikthehem në Maqedoni. Ka nëntë vjet që nga çasti kur eca në Malin Sharr. Aso kohe, kur isha në postin e Ambasadorit Britanik në […]
20th January 2017 Gaborone, Botswana
A Global Britain: Planning for Brexit
January is traditionally a time for looking ahead and setting out a vision for the year. For some of us, our goals may be simple – more time with family, lose weight, travel or study. For politicians however, sometimes the vision encompasses a major or historic change in international relations. UK Prime Minister Theresa May […]
19th January 2017 London, UKAustria, Vienna
How and why we hosted an Instagram event
A photographer is on his knees, stealthily taking pictures of Ambassador Leigh Turner from behind a Christmas tree. Another stands in the corner, facing the wall. Unnoticed by the other guests, she points her camera at the ceiling and triggers the shutter. Has the Ambassador’s residence in Vienna been infiltrated by foreign agents? Not quite. […]
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19th January 2017 London, UK
This is the decade for UK universities to be bold, brave and ambitious.
This is the decade for UK universities to be bold, brave and ambitious. We are going through the most challenging period since the huge expansion of higher education in the 1960s – and it requires a fundamental rethink to how we operate. That includes everything from our culture and outlook to how we market ourselves […]
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19th January 2017 Vienna, Austria
The wonders of Instagram
Which leading Austrian Instagramer features photographs of a figure in a yellow sou’wester? I was pleased to welcome to the Embassy recently a group of mostly young Austrians with leading accounts on the social media, like Instagram. In instagramese, this would read: Great to welcome @igersvienna to #BritishEmbassy #grambassador. One of the challenges of social […]
18th January 2017 London, UKScience and Innovation Network
When Great Minds Think Alike – and Save Lives
A unique investment in medical research teams up British and Israeli scientists to look for cures to the world’s most challenging diseases One in 500 people in the UK suffer from Parkinson’s disease and 175,000 Brits suffer heart attacks each year. But these numbers may drop significantly in the pretty near future thanks to Britain’s […]
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18th January 2017 Skopje, North Macedonia
Diary entry 26 August 2027
High up in Macedonia’s Shar Planina mountains the air tastes like champagne. And after five hours of drinking it in, our walk today has left us tired but happy. It’s great to be back in Macedonia. It is nine years since I walked in the Shar Planina. Back then, when I was serving as British […]
16th January 2017 Toronto, Canada
Leaders in the connected lane: UK and Canada look to make cars safer and smarter
Imagine being able to hop into a vehicle, tell it where you want to go, then be able to pull out your laptop and watch some TV, or get some work done on the way to your destination!
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16th January 2017 London, UKAddis Abbaba, Ethiopia
Volunteering for development: the double benefit
In December last year I had the thrill to meet Hiwot and her six month old baby boy in Hosanna hospital in Ethiopia. Hiwot had complications in her pregnancy that were life threatening for her son and for her. Luckily, VSO volunteer health specialists had worked with Ethiopian medical staff to establish a specialist care […]
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