David Snoxell

Humour in diplomacy: the story behind the “plan” to move Hong Kong to Northern Ireland
24 Jul 2015 Security & Defence
Humour in diplomacy: the story behind the “plan” to move Hong Kong to Northern Ireland

When Foreign Office letters on a plan to move the entire population of  Hong Kong to Northern Ireland turned up at the National Archives, many media outlets failed to spot the hoax. Former FCO official David Snoxell shares the story behind the correspondence, and warns against humour-free diplomacy