23rd July 2021 Vienna, Austria
Today, COP26, the 26th UN-Climate Change Conference in Glasgow is only 100 days away. It is the last chance to keep accelerating climate change controllable. When it comes to the health of our planet, every day counts. Our planet is heating up. Through humanity’s impact, we have polluted our home more than it can cope […]
14th July 2021 Vienna, Austria
“When you’re an ambassador,” the wise ex-ambassador told me, fixing me with her steely gaze, “you’re miles from London. For visibility, you have to do something that people identify with you – build a brand, if you like.” In January 2008 I attended a conference in Miami on my way to Anguilla (“British diplomat in […]
4th May 2021 Vienna, Austria
One of the first mornings of my career break, as I dropped the kids off at school, I ran into an Embassy colleague. “How the mighty have fallen,” he said. I couldn’t think of a witty response. In 2002, after working full-time for 23 years, I took four years of what the Foreign Office called […]
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19th April 2021 Vienna, Austria
EDIT: Thanks for all your questions. We will start publishing answers shortly. If you are a UK national who was living legally in Austria before 1 January 2021, you need to apply for a new residency card before the end of 2021. Although you have until 31st December to do so, you should consider applying […]
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8th April 2021 Vienna, Austria
Before our first child was born in 1992, we studied best practice in bringing up babies. Two pieces of expert advice stuck out (NOTE: DO NOT FOLLOW THIS ADVICE). First, babies should always be laid face-down in their cots, to minimise the risk of choking. Second, natural lamb’s fleece in the cot was a great […]
Read more on Diplomatic lessons 6, Berlin 1998-2002: Specialise, or not? | Reply
18th March 2021 Vienna, Austria
“My boy is back. Thanks for all the hard work that helped make this happen!” The tweet sent late morning on 4 April 2020 shows two happy faces. Father and son reunited again in the UK. It was a positive ending of a weeks-long operation by British Embassy Vienna staff, evacuating 391 young British ski […]
17th March 2021 Vienna, Austria
During my career in the UK’s foreign service I have experienced how British foreign policy can be both stable and flexible at the same time. Does that sound like a paradox? It is entirely logical. For as long as I can remember, the UK government has sought to defend and promote human rights, democracy, rule […]
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23rd February 2021 Vienna, Austria
“September 1996, Beijing: second of three formal sessions of the Joint Liaison Group. There are 15 on each side of the long tables, with consecutive interpretation and note-takers on further tables behind us. We go through the agenda, rehearsing positions on each side, notching up here and there agreements that will be the evidence in […]
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14th January 2021 Vienna, Austria
Outside “The Two Chairmen”[1], the beer was cool and fresh. My colleague raised his glass. ‘You had children a few years back,’ he said. ‘We can’t decide on the best time. What do you think?’ ‘Some things, you can’t plan,’ I said. I had met Pamela, a colleague in London, in 1990. Later that year, […]
Read more on Diplomatic lessons 4, Russia 1991-95: have a plan, and break it | Reply
4th January 2021 Vienna, Austria
We are at a turning point for our planet. As the world comes back from COVID-19, it is vital that we build back greener and more resilient. This year, the UK will host the 26th UN climate change conference COP26, in Glasgow with our partners, Italy. The pandemic has not stopped the climate crisis. On […]
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