Juliet Swann
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muteswann.bsky.social
Juliet Swann
@muteswann.bsky.social
2.1K followers 3K following 500 posts
In Edinburgh | anti-corruption and political integrity | Scotland & Wales | for @transparencyuk.bsky.social | Co-chair of Open Government Partnership Scotland | she/her |
Slightly obsessed with Glen Powell
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muteswann.bsky.social
Delighted to spend the day at the Senedd thinking about all the changes, opportunities and requirements for scrutiny as the parliament grows in size. Thanks to @jemm-s.bsky.social for co-presenting with me!
Image shows 4 women speaking on a stage in the Senedd.
November 26, 2025 at 6:48 PM
muteswann.bsky.social
Cardiff!
November 25, 2025 at 10:20 PM
muteswann.bsky.social
The @transparencyuk.bsky.social submission to the Senedd Member Accountability Bill Committee is now on the Senedd website. business.senedd.wales/documents/s1...
Image is a screen grab from the submission referred to which states that Transparency International UK haS concerns at the level of detail currently in the draft Bill and at the detail of the reforms being left to secondary legislation. We would recommend at the least a requirement for an enhanced scrutiny process for the regulations made possible by the draft Bill and preferably for the pace of this legislation to be reconsidered.
November 22, 2025 at 12:36 PM
muteswann.bsky.social
Featuring me, issuing this challenge to the Scottish Government which I look forward to being part of our considerations for the promised anti-corruption strategy
Image is a screen grab from the linked article that says: Transparency International UK’s Juliet Swann argued that if Westminster does not take “prompt action” to improve transparency around trusts, “an opportunity exists for Scotland to carve its own path to trust transparency by re-imagining the RCI as an anti-corruption tool."
November 16, 2025 at 11:55 AM
muteswann.bsky.social
Two important things are happening tomorrow (21st October)…
1. It’s Glen Powell’s birthday
2. It’s the last chance for your donation to Transparency International UK to be doubled

Glen would want you to give.

donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...
Image is of the super sexy human Glen Powell looking longingly at the camera with a red tone around him because he wants you to donate to Transparency International so we can fight the villains like he does in the movies.
October 20, 2025 at 7:33 PM
muteswann.bsky.social
Delighted to see a full room for our #SNP25 fringe event on hidden land ownership
Image shows a crowded room
October 12, 2025 at 4:04 PM
muteswann.bsky.social
Today! At #SNP25
Can you keep a secret?
🏰 Tackling hidden ownership of Scotland’s assets
📍Room 8, TECA
☕️ Tea and coffee
🍷 Drinks
🧀 Cheese platter
October 12, 2025 at 10:42 AM
muteswann.bsky.social
Planning your time at #SNP25? Join us to talk secret land owners and discuss how to open up land registers at 5pm tomorrow.

www.transparency.org.uk/events/can-y...
Image is a flyer for the event - full details in the link
October 11, 2025 at 9:05 AM
muteswann.bsky.social
do we get 'Choose Growth' T-shirts? Or monologues?
youtu.be/SaP7qmsQbSI
Image shows Wham! in Choose Life T-shirts
September 9, 2025 at 1:51 PM
muteswann.bsky.social
Interested in lobbying transparency? Curious about who speaks to MSPs? Come and hear about what Scotland's lobbying regsiter reveals and how it could be improved. With me and my amazing colleagues, at Holyrood, September 3rd. More info and registration: www.transparency.org.uk/events/lobby...
Image shows transparenct orb with text 'Lobbying Transparency Impacts and Improvements. Scottish Parliament, 3 September. 18:00 BST' and the Transparency International UK logo.
August 4, 2025 at 11:15 AM
muteswann.bsky.social
As an employee of an anti-corruption organisation looking to make the case for the power of preventative corruption measures to identify risks of both actual corruption and perceived corruption, I appreciated this front page from @thecourier.co.uk
Just a damn shame such incompetence happened.
June 27, 2025 at 9:58 AM
muteswann.bsky.social
If you have thoughts about how transparency and accountability might help improve public perceptions of politics, do come along to this event in June. There will be plenty of time for conversation!
www.eventbrite.com/e/corruption...
image shows poster for event - all details can be accessed by clicking the link
May 14, 2025 at 9:48 AM
muteswann.bsky.social
Further reflections on today’s Democracy summit to follow:
Image shows text message in which the irony of Glen Campbell from BBC news not being Glen Powell, Hollywood heartthrob is enjoyed
April 23, 2025 at 10:56 PM
muteswann.bsky.social
Not much good news today BUT in positive developments ScotGov have written to the Delegated Law Committee to let them know that Private Purpose Trusts are on hold until preventative measures are found - possibly as part of an anti-corruption strategy for Scotland. www.gov.scot/publications...
Image shows a screengrab of the letter linked in the post. The letter reads: To: Stuart McMillan, MSP From: Siobhian Brown, Minister for Victims and Community Safety Dear Convener Trusts and Succession (Scotland) Act 2024 I am writing to make you aware of issues raised by stakeholders regarding private purpose trusts since the Trusts and Succession (Scotland) Act 2024 was agreed to by the Scottish Parliament. Provisions in the Act which relate to private purpose trusts have not yet been brought into force. Concerns have been raised about how private purpose trusts might be used to facilitate activites such as tax evasion or money laundering. This government views it as essential that we have in place the highest anti-corruption standards. It is our intention not to commence the provisions relating to private purpose trusts until we are certain that sufficient safeguards are in place to prevent these kinds of activities. We intend to undertake a review of private purpose trusts as part of our anti-corruption’work in our next Open Government Action Plan, which will commence in 2026. I will continue to keep the Committee informed about this as matters progress. The Scottish Government will continue work to commence the other provisions of the Act not yet brought into force. I have sent a copy of this letter to Lady Paton as Chair of the Scottish Law Commission.
February 11, 2025 at 3:24 PM
muteswann.bsky.social
It is so important that there are records of meetings Ministers have with details & outcomes made public. This incident is less of a case for a singular investigation & more a reason for ScotGov to be proactive in publishing the details of ministerial meetings www.heraldscotland.com/news/2487770...
Screenshot of opening paragraph in linked article. Text reads: John Swinney has insisted he still has confidence in Neil Gray following the Health Secretary's admission that he misled Parliament over the use of taxpayer-funded limos to attend football matches. The First Minister said he accepted his colleague’s explanation that he had made an “inadvertent error” when he told MSPs there would be notes of the official business conducted at all of the games he attended. The Scottish Government later rejected Tory calls to have the matter referred to the independent advisers on the ministerial code. However, changes to the rules around ethics - brought in by Mr Swinney - mean they could still launch an investigation into Mr Gray’s conduct themselves. Under the ministerial code, ministers who deliberately mislead Parliament are expected to resign.
January 23, 2025 at 10:47 AM
muteswann.bsky.social
The Public Accounts Committee in the Senedd reviewed the Ministerial Code, found it 'not fit for purpose' & wrote to the FM. Her response shows a worrying misunderstanding of how to embed transparency. Here's hoping she does have regard to the welcome UK and Scottish developments.
Text of letter from FM to Senedd Committee reads: Dear Mark, I am writing in response to your letter of 26 November setting out the results of the consultation by the Committee on possible changes to the Ministerial Code, with the consequent views of the Committee on what those changes should be. I had already intended to review and revise the Ministerial Code as an early task for me as First Minister so it is very timely to have the houghts of the Committee on what should be included. I will certainly consider these suggestions carefully in revising the Code. I will also, of course, have regard to recent development in the UK and Scottish Governments in relation to their own Codes, as outlined in your letter. I cannot guarantee that I will take on board every suggestion by the Committee, but I guarantee that I will consider each one carefully. Thank you too for the invitation to give evidence to the Committee. I think that it might be difficult for me to find a slot in the immediate future, and I would need to finalise my own thinking on the Code first in any case, but a meeting at some stage in the future might be very helpful.
January 20, 2025 at 11:43 AM
muteswann.bsky.social
My excellent @transparencyuk.bsky.social colleagues will be joining @theferret.scot & @foescot.bsky.social at @scvo.scot #Gathering. We will discuss how lobbying transparency protects against corruption risks, generates news stories & aids campaigning tactics.
Register now scvo.scot/the-gatherin...
Image shows bulleted list of event objectives: To introduce Transparency International UK's updated Open Access tool that enables users to look up Scottish lobbying activity and UK Ministerial Engagements data To demonstrate how the tool can allow users to filter by topic, thanks to machine learning To share case studies from Friends of the Earth Scotland and The Ferret about what lobbying transparency can tell us about decision making and how campaigners can use that information To discuss how lobbying transparency might be improved and strengthened
January 9, 2025 at 3:07 PM
muteswann.bsky.social
Find news ways to say the same thing in the hope of eventual change.
White text on black background says: Poorly explain what you do for a job.
December 31, 2024 at 2:47 PM
muteswann.bsky.social
Hard to disagree with this analysis of FoI in Scotland from @martynmcl.bsky.social in @thescotsmanpaper.bsky.social - with the key paragraph being this on proactive transparency and its role in public trust in government…
Geekily excited for an open government trust & transparency strategy in 2025!
Screen grab from linked article with text that reads: If public bodies sought to routinely publish a broad range of information on their websites by way of pre-empting many - if not all - of the FOI requests they receive, it would drive up standards, improve efficiencies, and allow members of the public and organisations to make better informed decisions. Most important of all, it would build public trust in the nation’s institutions - something that cannot be taken for granted.
December 29, 2024 at 8:39 AM
muteswann.bsky.social
Me, for @transparencyuk.bsky.social speaking to @leaskyd.bsky.social about the need for transparency in land ownership.

The mystery of Dunbeath Castle — who owns the £25m property?

www.thetimes.com/article/b9af...
Screen grab of quote in the linked news article.
December 22, 2024 at 11:28 AM
muteswann.bsky.social
Also welcome acknowledgement of the importance of local media
screen grab of text reads: "Local press and media play a crucial role ensuring decision making at local level is accountable to the people they serve and not just to national government. The sustainability of local journalism is an area of particular concern for this government. Our vision is a thriving sector that can continue to play an invaluable role by reporting on the issues that matter to communities, helping counter disinformation locally by being a source of trustworthy information, and keeping communities informed about local issues and decision making. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport will shortly develop a local media strategy. As part of that strategy, we will explore whether there is more that local authorities can do to support the vital role that local media plays, for example through increased openness in providing local journalists with access to information."
December 16, 2024 at 2:34 PM
muteswann.bsky.social
Really good to see tha acknowledgement in today's English Devolution White Paper that devolving power means developing decent accountability mechanisms... www.gov.uk/government/p...
Screengrab of text from white paper reads "But it is right that, alongside our plans for a permanent shift of power from Westminster, there should also be a new system of accountability, as well as comprehensive action to build capacity in the sector. This is not about marking the sector’s homework. However, we will set out and measure progress on the key services and outcomes we expect Strategic Authorities to deliver, to be clearer on priorities and reduce micromanagement – so they can focus on serving, and being held to account by, their residents."
December 16, 2024 at 2:31 PM
muteswann.bsky.social
Always forget what an exceptional debut album this is
Image shows me holding the vinyl sleeve of Aztec Camera’s High Land Hard Rain
December 14, 2024 at 6:50 PM
muteswann.bsky.social
I very much enjoyed my Bluesky roast courtesy of @fekri.io
Especially impressed with the quality of the Glen Powell content.
Screenshot of Bluesky roast content
December 2, 2024 at 6:13 PM
muteswann.bsky.social
Quite disappointed this isn’t the answer in the hidden books game
Picture shows two women dressed in cowboy gear browsing shelves in the music section of a bookstore. It is a clue in the hidden books game. The guess is ‘No Country for Old Men’. It is wrong
November 21, 2024 at 7:01 PM