British Foreign Secretary reacts to The Diplomat

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly fact-checks The Diplomat.
Is the @Netflix series true to life? Is that really how diplomacy is done? Does the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office really look like that? The Foreign Secretary can reveal the answers.
If the show has inspired you to consider a career in the Civil Service, visit www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk for more information or to sign up for alerts.
00:00 Introduction
00:24 The US ambassador arrives at FCDO - but is it the real building?
01:09 Has an ambassador ever barged into your office?
01:37 The Foreign Secretary summons the Iranian ambassador
02:19 The US ambassador door-steps the Foreign Secretary
02:55 The Prime Minister holds a meeting at the FCDO - would this happen?
03:21 Have you talked about the show with any of your foreign counterparts?
03:55 What did the show get right?
04:16 Do you think the show will inspire people to consider diplomatic careers?
04:37 The Foreign Secretary leaves for his next meeting

[@janechoy2073]

I love that both the British Foreign Secretary and US State Department put out their own reaction vids of the show!

[@miguelolivares4701]

me too,

[@zeffiraananas3999]

yes, & both used it as an opp to openly recruit

[@dannyfenris7708]

I don't love it. Those f***ers should stick to doing their jobs.

[@ankursingh6272]

​@@zeffiraananas3999why ? Nobody wants to join government??

[@anaolsen3649]

The Diplomat may not be completely factually accurate, but can we appreciate how great the writing and acting is?

[@Shawn_Kelley]

Fantastic show.

[@chance258]

@@Shawn_Kelleyhow so? Why?

[@Shawn_Kelley]

@chance258 Well written, produced and acted. Very entertaining.

[@user-gm6jj6tv7x]

@@Shawn_Kelleyare you a diplomat? Or work in international relations area?

[@airspeed_alive]

I'd love more of these types of vids with ministers... it humanises them!

[@nylyyyn7912]

Unfortunately, some of them are not very humanised…

[@dannyfenris7708]

Almost but not quite -it gives the false impression that they're human to gullible real humans. That's the point.

[@AdmiralAkhbar]

That was a very cool transition at the end. Fairplay

[@KingCharles3]

I’m surprised they were able to film in the real locations

[@TimesFM4532]

We need all the cash we can get

[@ftftyffghfvghfcht6701]

im more surprised the uk gov were so willing to let their prime minister be portrayed like such an incompetent comically sexist idiot in their actual government buildings. maybe not surprised but endlessly disappointed nonetheless

[@tyoung1687]

As a retired member of the US Foreign Service, the Foreign Secretary’s take on the Diplomat showed a fun commentary on how diplomats and viewers should view this show. There are elements which must offer realism and truth and there are elements which need a bit of ‘context cooking’ and over the top drama to make the show sing as a great TV show. The Diplomat has the perfect mix. As for the appeal of Foreign Secretary Cleverly vs. David Gyasi, I think it’s a toss up as to who takes the lead on handsome and charming.

[@kfh123]

Great idea. Thank you for providing a reality check

[@mercedesfernandezliporace7630]

Thank you! Wonderful video, Mr. Secretary!

[@darrylbannon8933]

It would actually be an interesting module to create for UK schools. Take a few TV shows that have covered a few different government departments and give young people an overview of how government really works. It would help young people with their civic duties and understandings as to why things are the way their are etc.

[@LBF522]

Wonderful video. I love this.

[@brianrunyon266]

They should do more of these with Ministers. Neeeeerd!.

[@pathological6]

Brilliant! 👌🏼

[@workinprogress2077]

This one is sharp as a tack!

[@EuropeanMedia]

Brilliant!

[@adamsharif8022]

The actor is doing a better job than James Cleverly in my opinion! 😮

[@saturnsandjupiters358]

Not hard tbh 😂

[@abdullah.a.nahyan]

Netflix should move beyond the bonhomie vibe of Western European missions and delve into the Real Deal experiences and challenges faced by US diplomats... portraying missions in the Middle East, Central Asia, Russia, and China!

[@davi7940]

Nice film about diplomacy on netflix: Sergio

[@szewei85]

Wonderful insight Sire haha

[@einfachso6250]

Enjoyed watching sir, looking forward in meeting you again in Berlin at some point. B.S.

[@Bomber_Fish]

This man is amazing, he always give a very diplomatic answers. If he keep up those charisma i think he is defintely going places.

[@dannyfenris7708]

Oh, he goes to lots of places, at great public expense, and to no good effect other than to make himself look good. Dude thinks he's a rock star. Pathetic.

[@petergriffin3194]

Not when his party is going to Opposition next year

[@dandy-lions5788]

Where is Sir Humphrey hovering in the background

[@ScootsFromNewCastle]

So in the UK federal departments are called ministries but they call the cabinet ministers secretaries?

[@JKLoans]

They used to be called ministries, the shift overtime was towards being called departments (with some retain the moniker _'office'_ and others for traditions sake retaining _'ministry'_ like the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Defence). Also, the UK does not have a federal political structure, so no such 'federal departments' exist.

[@timelord2024]

@@JKLoans Isn't Uk follows unitary structure ?

[@positivelyacademical1519]

The short answer is there’s no rhyme or reason to it and you can call the departments “department,” “department,” “office,” “ministry” as a prefix or suffix or even use “department of state for” as a prefix. The department heads can be called “secretary,” “minister,” or “secretary of state” (though minister is technically incorrect).

[@eqmuse]

That was more fun than the show.

[@chinmayk8004]

This is nice. Now, where is my ATAS

[@lizgichora6472]

Thank you.

[@Alex-191]

Great video.

[@nandinidash7832]

Exciting but not exact. that's why it is a fiction show inspired by reality.

[@tanishktomar7629]

background music?

[@sallydonaldson9802]

Dimpy Saganee works against violence towards women but signed an Egyptian petition vilifying Israel and rejecting the overwhelming proof of mass rapes on October 7.

[@yusuffulat6954]

good idea

[@miguelolivares4701]

weeeeeeeeee amooooo estas reacciones!!! Secretary James Cleverly, i´m a diplomatat cooking chef and i would like to work with you!!!!

[@mohammadsaadnadeem5924]

Fake vs Real Foreign Secretary

[@georgekobani7600]

Almost as interesting as the series !!

[@TimesFM4532]

Tbf the lest accrate bit is the minister not being switched due to some Tory party nonsenses

[@webbridges1422]

First off, it's a bloody fictional TV show, not a documentary. Second, compression of events is critical or the show becomes boooooring. Not going to see the actual protocols used because they are booooring. Can't devote 25 minutes of a 50 minute episode to all the nit noisy players involved in setting up meetings. Boooooring. Third, if Kate Wyler was already a PAS in the DoS (or any Federal agency) then under the Federal Vacancies Act of 1998 POTUS absolutely has the authority to send her to London "in a couple of days".

[@snath2349]

W Video

[@bigbarry8343]

is that not a waste of time for the foreign secretary at this highly challenging time?

[@dannyfenris7708]

Sure is. All part of his endless, rolling, personal propaganda mission.

[@dsdsdsssddsdsds1214]

Sorry but you have nothing more pressing / urgent to do at the FO? Good to know..

[@ryp6627]

What on Earth is this? Embarrassing

[@peteradaniel]

Has this guy got nothing better to do?! Let’s get these amateurs out of office. The Tories are a joke at this point.

[@misterkai83]

Took time out from sucking tax payer money to be cringe

[@b.alexanderjohnstone9774]

Cringe. Pathetic. Humiliation. Someone tell him he represents the British peoples the world over. He can be a tool if he wants on his own time. Salisbury once held this office, back when Britain won its wars.

[@Luvinist]

Hey, foreign and 'colonial' office stop trying to be human, you are not.

[@jonathanmills116]

Foreign Secretary not realising this is a fictional TV series. A series that has to make obvious compromises regarding locations and sets. Compromises on content is a given it being fictional, My only real concern is that the Foreign Secretary regards this as a good use of his time. That last explains more than perhaps he had wished.

[@SorbusAucubaria]

You, not realizing that at the end of the video the Foreign secretary said that the show is not about being accurate, it is about being exiting and that the show is a good fun.

[@islandsedition]

Well that was the most banal bit of PR and self promotion a FS has ever been misadvised to partake in.

[@showmanpete2805]

the man with the most innapropriate surname ever........