Best of the Spectator Coffee House Shots: why we left the Foreign Office | Ben Judah & Ameer Kotecha
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Mar 8, 2026 Ameer Kotecha, a former Foreign Office official who resigned in protest, criticizes the department’s priorities and culture. He recounts why the Chagos decision was decisive. Conversations cover loss of expertise from short rotations, the FCO/DFID merger’s effects, debates over diversity versus core diplomatic skills, and whether Britain still has a coherent grand strategy.
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Resignation Linked To Chagos And Kabul Failures
- Ameer Kotecha resigned after seeing the Chagos deal as emblematic of deeper Foreign Office failures.
- He cited being invited to World Afro Day while Kabul fell and inability to defend British territory like Chagos from potential Chinese seizure.
Contradictory Teams Undermine Coherent Strategy
- Ben Judah found contradictory advice from powerful teams made coherent grand strategy impossible.
- Middle East pushed international law, Russia team prioritised Zelensky, and Washington embassy prioritised the special relationship, leaving ministers to stack competing briefs.
Impose A Clear Strategic Doctrine
- Do impose a clear strategic doctrine to guide competing teams and crises.
- Ben pushed 'progressive realism' to give Labour a realism framed by national interest rather than ad hoc team priorities.