David Durant
@bowsy.co.uk
I've been a long-time supporter of the government technology and transformation communities since 2009. I've worked for mySociety, the GLA, HackIT and GDS. I'm on the committees for GovCamp, TransformGov Talks and the UK Polyamory Association.
Reposted by David Durant
Mostly, I wish govt better communicated the trade offs. Voters want lower immigration? Ok, it means:
- not helping people from Ukraine and Hong Kong
- higher taxes to pay British carers more
- higher uni fees/grants to keep HE afloat
Instead govt makes incompatible promises which infuriates voters
- not helping people from Ukraine and Hong Kong
- higher taxes to pay British carers more
- higher uni fees/grants to keep HE afloat
Instead govt makes incompatible promises which infuriates voters
This is an excellent, level-headed, informative piece. I'd kill for a government which could discuss the issue with the same sense of objectivity and calm.
Here's this week's column. Please - please - can we stop talking about migration in a way that's completely detached from the facts? www.theguardian.com/business/202...
November 30, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Mostly, I wish govt better communicated the trade offs. Voters want lower immigration? Ok, it means:
- not helping people from Ukraine and Hong Kong
- higher taxes to pay British carers more
- higher uni fees/grants to keep HE afloat
Instead govt makes incompatible promises which infuriates voters
- not helping people from Ukraine and Hong Kong
- higher taxes to pay British carers more
- higher uni fees/grants to keep HE afloat
Instead govt makes incompatible promises which infuriates voters
Reposted by David Durant
📚Hey lovely people, since we're coming into the silly season, I thought it might be an idea to share my go-to cosy/comedy fantasy authors for a good, sanity-inducing laugh. If you're looking for an awesome read, you can't go wrong with the following:
November 30, 2025 at 6:36 AM
📚Hey lovely people, since we're coming into the silly season, I thought it might be an idea to share my go-to cosy/comedy fantasy authors for a good, sanity-inducing laugh. If you're looking for an awesome read, you can't go wrong with the following:
Reposted by David Durant
Channeling my inner @mrtimdunn.bsky.social on a KTX train from Busan to Seoul
November 30, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Channeling my inner @mrtimdunn.bsky.social on a KTX train from Busan to Seoul
Reposted by David Durant
Wow. Straight up Nazi/Stalin propaganda bullshit.
The White House web site now includes a "media bias" tracker with a leaderboard and an offender hall of shame. www.whitehouse.gov/mediabias/
November 30, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Wow. Straight up Nazi/Stalin propaganda bullshit.
Reposted by David Durant
A huge thank you to @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social @katybeale.bsky.social for great presentations @transformgovtalks.bsky.social tonight
Video etc to follow www.transformgov.org.uk
Sign up for our 10 December event @tpximpact.com (in Whitechapel) with @derekalton.bsky.social luma.com/1b6pmysz
Video etc to follow www.transformgov.org.uk
Sign up for our 10 December event @tpximpact.com (in Whitechapel) with @derekalton.bsky.social luma.com/1b6pmysz
November 26, 2025 at 9:29 PM
A huge thank you to @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social @katybeale.bsky.social for great presentations @transformgovtalks.bsky.social tonight
Video etc to follow www.transformgov.org.uk
Sign up for our 10 December event @tpximpact.com (in Whitechapel) with @derekalton.bsky.social luma.com/1b6pmysz
Video etc to follow www.transformgov.org.uk
Sign up for our 10 December event @tpximpact.com (in Whitechapel) with @derekalton.bsky.social luma.com/1b6pmysz
This is Asia's oldest observatory. It makes me a little sad that everyone rushes up for a selfie to centre themselves in what's happening rather than appreciate the feeling that it exists because 2,000 years ago people like us built it because they wanted to understand the universe.
November 30, 2025 at 5:34 AM
This is Asia's oldest observatory. It makes me a little sad that everyone rushes up for a selfie to centre themselves in what's happening rather than appreciate the feeling that it exists because 2,000 years ago people like us built it because they wanted to understand the universe.
Procuring multiple systems with locked in data and no APIs is costing the county billions and probably killing a lot of people.
When will we spend the money instead on building and maintaining a single common government platform.
When will we spend the money instead on building and maintaining a single common government platform.
Do the hard work to make it simple.
Shit show of GP not being able to see my hospital letters and them not having WiFi and 5 different platforms to find ‘info’ of what I need checked and the NHS login saying blocked for 15 mins as asked for too many codes to login into different platforms 😵💫
Shit show of GP not being able to see my hospital letters and them not having WiFi and 5 different platforms to find ‘info’ of what I need checked and the NHS login saying blocked for 15 mins as asked for too many codes to login into different platforms 😵💫
November 28, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Procuring multiple systems with locked in data and no APIs is costing the county billions and probably killing a lot of people.
When will we spend the money instead on building and maintaining a single common government platform.
When will we spend the money instead on building and maintaining a single common government platform.
Reposted by David Durant
👂 We want to hear from team in wider government about how they use the GOV•UK Design System and GOV•UK FrontEnd.
Any feedback will help us support teams better in the future.
💬 Join the discussion here: github.com/alphagov/gov...
Any feedback will help us support teams better in the future.
💬 Join the discussion here: github.com/alphagov/gov...
Teams in wider government: How do you use GOV.UK Frontend and the Design System? · alphagov govuk-design-system · Discussion #5001
About this work Since June 2025, we’ve made updates to the Design System to support work on the GOV.UK brand, in line with the GOV.UK brand guidelines. As part of GOV.UK Frontend v6.0.0, the colour...
github.com
November 28, 2025 at 12:33 PM
👂 We want to hear from team in wider government about how they use the GOV•UK Design System and GOV•UK FrontEnd.
Any feedback will help us support teams better in the future.
💬 Join the discussion here: github.com/alphagov/gov...
Any feedback will help us support teams better in the future.
💬 Join the discussion here: github.com/alphagov/gov...
Is anyone (a think-tank or the government themselves) actually collecting and publishing statistics on things like this?
Here is a list of reasons why some of my hearings and trials this year have been delayed and kicked off into the long grass, stuck in our record court backlog. Serious allegations which will now be tried *years* after the event. 🧵👇
November 28, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Is anyone (a think-tank or the government themselves) actually collecting and publishing statistics on things like this?
Reposted by David Durant
Do take a look at MHCLG's Open Digital Planning opendigitalplanning.org or DfE's plans for a Digital Centre of Excellence for how this could be done differently by central and local government.
Home | Open Digital Planning
Planning services designed by councils for councils.
opendigitalplanning.org
November 27, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Do take a look at MHCLG's Open Digital Planning opendigitalplanning.org or DfE's plans for a Digital Centre of Excellence for how this could be done differently by central and local government.
It's just awful what has happened to BBC News and yet nothing they do will ever stop it being attacked for being "too left".
This doesn’t feel like the kind of headline the BBC should be running with
November 27, 2025 at 12:38 AM
It's just awful what has happened to BBC News and yet nothing they do will ever stop it being attacked for being "too left".
Reposted by David Durant
I am a (perhaps balloon) bear.
November 26, 2025 at 11:47 PM
I am a (perhaps balloon) bear.
Reposted by David Durant
This was a botched Budget by a Chancellor who’s diagnosed the disease but won’t administer the cure.
Despite promises to cut the cost of living and grow the economy, the Government still refuses to fix our trade relationship with Europe and repair the £90bn Brexit black hole.
Despite promises to cut the cost of living and grow the economy, the Government still refuses to fix our trade relationship with Europe and repair the £90bn Brexit black hole.
November 26, 2025 at 2:45 PM
This was a botched Budget by a Chancellor who’s diagnosed the disease but won’t administer the cure.
Despite promises to cut the cost of living and grow the economy, the Government still refuses to fix our trade relationship with Europe and repair the £90bn Brexit black hole.
Despite promises to cut the cost of living and grow the economy, the Government still refuses to fix our trade relationship with Europe and repair the £90bn Brexit black hole.
Reposted by David Durant
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
November 23, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
Reposted by David Durant
Tomorrow! Join us in person or online 👇
🚨 NEXT WEEK 🚨
Join us at 6pm, Weds 26 November for the 11th @transformgovtalks.bsky.social
We'll hear from:
- @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social on local govt AI procurement & a new version of Consequence Scanning
- @katybeale.bsky.social, Chief Delivery & Engagement Officer, Westminster City Council
Join us at 6pm, Weds 26 November for the 11th @transformgovtalks.bsky.social
We'll hear from:
- @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social on local govt AI procurement & a new version of Consequence Scanning
- @katybeale.bsky.social, Chief Delivery & Engagement Officer, Westminster City Council
TransformGov Talks : November 2025 · Luma
Join us at 5.30pm for a 6pm start.
Rachel Coldicutt, Careful Industries, on local government AI procurement and a new version of Consequence Scanning
Second…
luma.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Tomorrow! Join us in person or online 👇
It's great this is going into beta six years after the initial pilot but here in Japan there's literally stickers on every pavement showing where all the underground utility lines are.
www.gov.uk/guidance/nat...
www.gov.uk/guidance/nat...
National Underground Asset Register (NUAR)
Information on the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR).
www.gov.uk
November 25, 2025 at 8:41 AM
It's great this is going into beta six years after the initial pilot but here in Japan there's literally stickers on every pavement showing where all the underground utility lines are.
www.gov.uk/guidance/nat...
www.gov.uk/guidance/nat...
Yes, I'm crying.
i’m not crying you’re crying
xkcd: Fifteen Years
xkcd: Fifteen Years
Fifteen Years
xkcd.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Yes, I'm crying.
Reposted by David Durant
Still reeling from the Stanford report on Brexit. Reduced GDP by up to 8% and investment by as much as 18%. The UK Treasury would have £40 billion more each year if Britain had remained in the EU. Devastating self-immolation.
The Economic Impact of Brexit
Other
siepr.stanford.edu
November 24, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Still reeling from the Stanford report on Brexit. Reduced GDP by up to 8% and investment by as much as 18%. The UK Treasury would have £40 billion more each year if Britain had remained in the EU. Devastating self-immolation.
"Capita's Copilot Enablement Workshop for civil servants" - dear god, I can't begin to imagine a more cursed event.
November 24, 2025 at 3:41 PM
"Capita's Copilot Enablement Workshop for civil servants" - dear god, I can't begin to imagine a more cursed event.
Reposted by David Durant
Really interesting post - captures a lot about the dysfunctionalities of modern government.
For people who leave their nerdy public sector reform long-reads to the weeekend… 👇👀
Are legacy mentalities from comms, political strategy and trad policy dragging government down?
Are legacy mentalities from comms, political strategy and trad policy dragging government down?
Are a small number of legacy disciplines dragging the whole of government down? A provocation:
medium.com/@jamestplunk...
Government seems increasingly unable to cope with the pace and complexity of today's world. Why? 1/n
medium.com/@jamestplunk...
Government seems increasingly unable to cope with the pace and complexity of today's world. Why? 1/n
November 24, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Really interesting post - captures a lot about the dysfunctionalities of modern government.
Japan is so clean. Every time I see a single piece of litter, it feels like a personal affront.
November 23, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Japan is so clean. Every time I see a single piece of litter, it feels like a personal affront.
Reposted by David Durant
I once knew a Federal bank examiner, and one time someone asked him why we had to KEEP inspecting banks over and over. He basically said every new batch of business school grads invents bank fraud from first principles.
AirBnB CEO calling it “vibe revenue” just 👨🍳 😘
The underlying cause of every bubble - debt masquerading as financial innovation - depends on not just short financial memory & speculative neophytism, but reinventing jargon of finance, like how each generation of kids has new ways to say same things.
The underlying cause of every bubble - debt masquerading as financial innovation - depends on not just short financial memory & speculative neophytism, but reinventing jargon of finance, like how each generation of kids has new ways to say same things.
November 22, 2025 at 6:02 PM
I once knew a Federal bank examiner, and one time someone asked him why we had to KEEP inspecting banks over and over. He basically said every new batch of business school grads invents bank fraud from first principles.
Reposted by David Durant
tldr of this thread: neither Parliament nor the government of the day ever intended, at any point, for sex in equality legislation to be read to exclude trans people.
The Supreme Court judgment was legislating from the bench and is clearly bad law, and as a result, untenable.
The Supreme Court judgment was legislating from the bench and is clearly bad law, and as a result, untenable.
1/🧵 The good people of the Cabinet Office has found a copy of the Department for Education and Employment’s drafting instructions* for the Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999.
* the Parly Counsel does vetting only in this case, so the instructions is to DfEE’s in-house lawyers
* the Parly Counsel does vetting only in this case, so the instructions is to DfEE’s in-house lawyers
Sex Discrimination Gender Reassignment Regulations 1999 Drafting Instructions - a Freedom of Information request to Government Equalities Office
Please send me copies of the Sex Discrimination Gender Reassignment Regulations 1999’s Drafting Instructions given to the Parliamentary Counsel. If you can’t locate all versions, send me any one of th...
www.whatdotheyknow.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:24 AM
tldr of this thread: neither Parliament nor the government of the day ever intended, at any point, for sex in equality legislation to be read to exclude trans people.
The Supreme Court judgment was legislating from the bench and is clearly bad law, and as a result, untenable.
The Supreme Court judgment was legislating from the bench and is clearly bad law, and as a result, untenable.
Reposted by David Durant
🚨 NEXT WEEK 🚨
Join us at 6pm, Weds 26 November for the 11th @transformgovtalks.bsky.social
We'll hear from:
- @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social on local govt AI procurement & a new version of Consequence Scanning
- @katybeale.bsky.social, Chief Delivery & Engagement Officer, Westminster City Council
Join us at 6pm, Weds 26 November for the 11th @transformgovtalks.bsky.social
We'll hear from:
- @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social on local govt AI procurement & a new version of Consequence Scanning
- @katybeale.bsky.social, Chief Delivery & Engagement Officer, Westminster City Council
TransformGov Talks : November 2025 · Luma
Join us at 5.30pm for a 6pm start.
Rachel Coldicutt, Careful Industries, on local government AI procurement and a new version of Consequence Scanning
Second…
luma.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:17 AM
🚨 NEXT WEEK 🚨
Join us at 6pm, Weds 26 November for the 11th @transformgovtalks.bsky.social
We'll hear from:
- @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social on local govt AI procurement & a new version of Consequence Scanning
- @katybeale.bsky.social, Chief Delivery & Engagement Officer, Westminster City Council
Join us at 6pm, Weds 26 November for the 11th @transformgovtalks.bsky.social
We'll hear from:
- @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social on local govt AI procurement & a new version of Consequence Scanning
- @katybeale.bsky.social, Chief Delivery & Engagement Officer, Westminster City Council