25th April 2012
Up at 4.30am. And it’s my birthday. But I would not want to miss the privilege of attending ANZAC Day, Australia’s national day of commemoration for those who have sacrificed their lives serving Australia, in many conflicts over the years since the Gallipoli landings began 97 year ago today. The Australian War Memorial is one […]
23rd April 2012 Washington DC, USA
At the 18 April meeting of the NATO Foreign and Defence Ministers in Brussels, the British Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond announced a firm UK commitment to help fund the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) after 2014. He said “The UK contribution of £70m per annum to the funds to support the Afghan National Security Forces will make […]
13th April 2012 Washington DC, USA
Today the US/UK Defence Trade Cooperation Treaty comes into effect. In a ceremony presided by Rose Gottemoeller, the acting US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, our two countries finalised an agreement originally signed five years ago to strengthen our mutual security and build our shared prosperity. British and American manufacturers […]
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16th March 2012 London, UK
I recently made my first visit to Estonia and Latvia as Europe Minister. During the visits I was pleased to meet the Foreign Ministers of both countries and discuss a wide range of bilateral issues and international interests, on many of which we share similar views. In Estonia I met Members of Parliament, opinion formers […]
8th March 2012 Washington DC, USA
I’d like to draw your attention to the latest blog by our Head of Mission in Helmand, Michael O’Neill. The post covers Helmand Province on today, International Women’s Day. Helmand Province offers a microcosm of the wide range of conditions facing women and girls in Afghanistan. In many rural areas it’s hard for girls to […]
23rd February 2012 Islamabad, Pakistan
I began my career as a journalist on Egypt’s Al-Ahram Weekly newspaper, spending two years living on a house-boat in the heart of Cairo and reporting on the Middle East. In 2002 I joined the UK civil service. Before the Foreign Office, I was a Senior Policy Advisor in the Cabinet Office, covering Russia, Georgia […]
25th January 2012 USA
A unique feature of the UK’s policy and political work with the US on climate change over the past several years has been the engagement of Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti, our Climate and Energy Security Envoy. This first-of-its-kind role has provided the Rear Admiral and our government with new opportunities to work with a key […]
30th November 2011 Ottawa, Canada
There’s a guest video on the blog today – Jonathan Dart, our Consul-General in Toronto and the head of the UK Trade and Industry network in Canada. We’ve being doing a bit of a blitz in the Maritime Provinces. Jonathan’s been at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, talking tidal energy and marine research; and then […]
25th November 2011
Our Armed Forces Minister, Nick Harvey MP, was in Canberra and Sydney this week. He had a series of meetings with the Defence Department Ministerial team – Stephen Smith, Warren Snowdon and Jason Clare, and met a very broad range of senior officials and military officers. There was much to talk about. The Minister and […]
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10th November 2011 Ottawa, Canada
11 November is Remembrance Day. Along with many of my diplomatic colleagues, I’ll be laying a wreath at the War Memorial in Ottawa, at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, when the guns finally fell silent on the Western Front in 1918. This will be particularly poignant for me, as […]