Lance Avery Morgan
His Expanding Of The UK–Texas Partnership Embraces Rodeos, Research, And Real Conversation
When Keith Scott landed in Houston, he barely had time to drop his bags before heading straight to an Astros game, an appropriately big Texas welcome for a man now charged with strengthening one of the world’s most important diplomatic relationships. As His Britannic Majesty’s Consul General, Scott represents a nation known for precision, heritage, culture, and the occasional warm beer. Luckily for him, Texas appreciates all four, just with a little more brisket, as our anglophile Lance Avery Morgan learned when he caught up with the diplomat whose territory, beyond Texas, includes Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.
In a city as famously international as Houston, yet proudly and unmistakably Texan, Scott sees a natural fit for British diplomacy. The United Kingdom, he explains, is fiercely proud of its traditions, globally minded, and serious about innovation, much like the Lone Star State. “We may not do rodeo or BBQ as well as you,” he jokes, “but we certainly think big.” And that, he insists, is exactly why the UK and Texas are such powerful partners.
Two Countries, One Giant Scale Difference
Scott has served around the world, but Texas offered its own unique brand of culture shock, starting with the size of… well, everything. Scott’s exposure to Texas came early in his life. He grew up watching Dallas on British television, but no amount of primetime drama prepared him for multi-lane freeways or a gas station big enough to swallow most UK motorway stops whole. “You could lose a British service station in a single Buc-ee’s,” he says with measurable awe.
But it’s not just the scale of Texas that has impressed him; it’s the surprising number of historic ties between the state and the UK. He recounts spending Remembrance Weekend in Terrell, home to the No. 1 British Flying Training School, where over 2,000 young cadets trained during WWII. His visit included opening Terrell’s British Bash festival, enjoying warm English beer under the Texas sun, and listening to a Beatles tribute band in November. “A beautiful, unexpected cultural mash-up,” he beams.
Beyond Oil: A Partnership Broader Than Many Realize
Scott is on a mission to show colleagues back home that Texas isn’t just “oil and gas”… though its energy leadership is undeniable. If Texas were a country, he notes, it would be the eighth-largest economy in the world, a global power in financial services, life sciences, and commercial space flight. “I joke that my role is as much about promoting Texas as it is the United Kingdom!” he laughs.
Among his top priorities is expanding health collaboration. With initiatives like the UK BioBridge Programme, which links British innovators with the Texas Medical Center, Scott sees lifesaving potential in the cross-Atlantic exchange of medical discoveries and technologies.
The Consulate is known for hosting UK dignitaries, and recently, Lady Henrietta Churchill was in Houston not only to celebrate the birth of Sir Winston Churchill but also to discuss her latest book on her ancestral home, Blenheim: 300 Years in the Life of a Palace.
Doing Big Business In A Big State
Texans famously say “everything’s bigger,” which Scott has learned applies to both ambition and geography. “I always keep a map handy,” he says, “because visitors sometimes want to go to Dallas, Houston, and Austin in the same day.” That scale requires sharper prioritization and a commitment to authentic engagement.
He keeps one piece of advice from a past diplomatic encounter close at hand: “Only call on someone if you have something to say.” That nugget came from none other than former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe; “not an obvious role model,” Scott notes, “but it was wise advice.”
Brains, Breakthroughs & British Museums
With the academic partnership between the US and UK stronger than ever, Scott delights in creating connections. The UK boasts four of the world’s top ten universities, and Texas institutions, from Rice University to the Texas Medical Center, are natural collaborators.
Recent Houston engagements have included hosting Professor Irving Finkel of the British Museum, whose talk on ancient medicine linked directly to modern breakthroughs. And with the Soccer World Cup coming to Houston and Dallas next year, he’s already hoping England, and maybe even Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, secure their seats at the party.
Texans: Masters Of “Serious Informality”
What stands out most on the Houston cultural circuit? According to Scott, the city’s unmatched ability to mix warmth, hospitality, and dealmaking. Whether at a gala, a BBQ, or a boardroom, he finds Texans take pride in their state and want visitors to experience its best. “It’s business,” he says, “but with heart.”
Diplomacy In A Changing World
He may not attempt Churchill’s legendary definition of diplomacy: “telling people to go to hell in such a way they ask for directions,” but Scott’s modern version rests on curiosity, respect, and authenticity.
To him, great diplomacy means getting outside the Consulate, connecting with communities, and respecting the cultures you serve among. Leadership, he believes, is rooted in clarity: paint a vision, outline the challenge, and trust your team to develop solutions informed by local nuance.
His advice to future diplomats? Remember that diplomacy is about people, not papers, not emails, not screens. He still brings a notepad and pen to meetings and insists that real understanding comes face-to-face. “I learned more about rural Arkansas chatting with schoolchildren at the Bigfoot Monster Mart than any briefing paper,” he says. “Though I admit, I was disappointed not to spot the Sasquatch.”
Tea, Tequila… Or Something Stronger?
When pressed on a quintessentially Texan-versus-British question, tea or tequila, Scott opts for diplomacy first: “Both.” But then the Scot within him surfaces.
“Whisky,” he grins.
A perfect answer from a man who blends cultures with charm—and builds bridges with wit, warmth, and a world-spanning view.
That said, the British Consulate’s Events Manager, Kathryn Tyler, has created the perfect “UK in TX” tea for two.
It blends a British classic, Earl Grey tea, with tequila, a Texan staple, and finishes with a Texas-made orange liqueur. It’s simple, refreshing, and an easy way to bring a bit of UK-Texas flair to any gathering.
UK in TX Tea (Serves 2)
Ingredients
• 1 cup Fortnum & Mason Earl Grey Classic Tea
• 2 oz Espolòn Reposado Tequila
• 1 oz Paula’s Orange Liqueur
• Mint sprigs and lemon slices (for garnish)
• Simple syrup or honey (optional)
Instructions
1. Brew 1 cup of concentrated Earl Grey tea (use 2 tea bags for 1 cup of hot water).
2. In a small glass pitcher, combine the tequila and orange liqueur. Add ice.
3. Pour in the tea.
4. Fill two glasses with ice and divide the mixture between them.
5. Garnish with a mint sprig and a lemon slice. Add simple syrup or honey to taste.
