David Durant

We've tweaked the front page of the Museum Data Service site! Instantly see how many millions of object records have been shared by hundreds of museums museumdata.uk Our 'Request a Search API key' form is live - let us know if tweaks could improve it! museumdata.uk/using-data/r... #MuseTech

I'll say this, the PM's comms team is doing a cracking job.

Talk TV still being funded by ad ££ from IKEA, among others, btw Yes, the same IKEA who boast of 'changing the narrative around refugees for the better' TAKE ACTION 👉 urge IKEA to stop advertising on Talk: 🟣 Comment on their posts ☎️ Call them at 01733 520006 📧 Email them at press.uk.ie@ikea.com

Still spaces available!

The W3C TAG has published: User Agents www.w3.org/TR/user-agen... It describes what makes software a user agent, e.g., browsers, search engines, voice-driven assistants, and generative AI systems acting on a person's behalf, and the duties owed to the user: protection, honesty, and loyalty.

📢 We're looking for a Product Manager to join our team! If you enjoy solving complex problems, working collaboratively and using evidence to make decisions, this could be the role for you. 📅 Apply by Friday 6 November at 12 noon 📌 Find out more: https://www.bennett.ox.ac.uk/vacancies/

Scathing but fair from @geoffmulgan.bsky.social that many of those who leave government complaining of the weakness of the state had not done enough to prepare for power and didn’t know how things work. He makes a strong case for training for politicians geoffmulgan.substack.com/p/power-fail...

The Reform Party was reeling this week, after an ITV exposé captured a Reform councillor on camera making comments that were immediately disowned by the party leadership. The councillor, who is now in hiding, was caught on film being neither racist or sexist. From the new Private Eye, in shops now

If you’re a lead or head working on a digital service, you’re going to be held to account by more than GDS’s guidance. And it doesn’t all live in the same place. My favourite governance nerd, Oli Lovell, has pulled together a compass. Have a peek. publicdigital-delivery-compass.netlify.app/trial/

i am delighted to announce deez nutz

I cannot over emphasise once again that I would pay extra for a service that promised never to add any more features.

This is full of serious commentary (you should definitely read it) in the same ridiculous but similarly motivated vein as so-called "sovereign citizens". That said, honestly, I'm mostly here for the Passport to Pimlico references.

Ideally, please respond (by DM) with concrete offers to connect us to specific people you know. Suggestions of people to reach out to are appreciated but we're really looking for an introduction. Many thanks.

A quick general question. Who's the most senior person any of us currently know in the Cabinet Office that would be willing to sign a letter for Companies House saying that it's okay for Gov Camp to use that name when becoming a non-profit company (currently blocked by the use of the word "Gov")?

Chaos in Washington The new Private Eye is out now.

Blimey, so much good stuff.

Our associate, @aliceolilly.bsky.social, on something that's not yet had a look in around the National Commission on Electoral Reform - sign up to her new newsletter! (Features a new voting system we would strongly endorse, too)

Fuming at the postcode lottery of women's health. Just had blood tests confirming low testosterone levels (v common in perimenopause). GP is not allowed to prescribe it to me. Has to go through specialist menopause clinic. Wait time? Up to a year.

This is not an accident. The national stats are going to be horrific. He's going to lose in spades anyway.

We see folks like Mandami, Sadiq Khan and my MP (co-incidentally all Muslim) going to lots of different types of religious celebrations but seldom members of the cabinet (of any party). I wonder why that is?

Regardless of whether you think this is good for justice (I don't) I'm sick of the comms people in the MoJ writing headlines like they work for tabloid. www.gov.uk/government/n...

Anything I can contribute to this feels woefully inadequate. ++ The government’s transphobic code of practice is now up and running. But we’re not going to take it, we’re helping to fight back. Join us goodlawproject.org/s/485c4d

I mean you can stop Social Network after the first scene You're going to go through life thinking that girls don't like you because you're a nerd. And I want you to know, from the bottom of my heart, that that won't be true. It'll be because you're an asshole.

Fascinating #databites talk on ensuring old data formats can be read long into the future by The National Archive. Free open code and data. pronom.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Great to be back at #databites

If someone is measuring co-option of words by giant organisations until they mean nothing it's probably already too late to add "relational" 😔.

Exemplary response from @mythic-beasts.com in managing PHP - quietly and rapidly patching having given clear advice and explanations to customers. One of those services which most of the time is invisibly efficient. And just occasionally is very visibly efficient.

Do we even have an centralised audit of what tech is being used for what critical infrastructure? Pros and cons but one more reason why centralising most parts of the way people interact digitally with government is a good idea.

This (Minority Report style ID) has felt inevitable for decades. I wonder if they've only waited so long because they need the public to be too tired to really think about it. Metro – Revolut introduces ‘pay with smile’ facial recognition for UK shoppers bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/press-covera...

I'd genuinely forgotten how amazing it is to spend a day working with smart people in person. Home working is good in some contexts but so often it's the much worse option.

Go to get on the train. Literally every pair of seats in this carriage has one person and their bag very deliberately on the other seat. When did we become like this?

First day of President Ocasio Cortez’s term better be just executive orders officially changing Republican Congresspeople’s names to “America!”

Navigating changes to Medicaid and SNAP shouldn't mean navigating a maze to get help. Today, we're launching HART, a new outreach team helping New Yorkers keep their health coverage, food benefits and get support on everything from housing assistance to eviction prevention.

Haven't laughed so much in a *long* time. Thanks Mark!

I presume you've been sent this by lots of people @ryanburge.bsky.social but just in case. pudding.cool/2026/10/life...

that's the calmest "heated exchange" I've ever seen

This ITV doc about Reform is basically a feature length parade of pathetic white men being racist and/or misogynistic and expressing violent fantasies against Muslims and other minorities. The sheer number of examples was damning. It should destroy their support. It probably won't.

Super impressive @timpaul.co.uk

3 @transformgovtalks.bsky.social events in the past month: London (machinery of govt changes/resilience) medium.com/@transformgo... Edinburgh (digital state/transformation) medium.com/@transformgo... Cardiff (Welsh Rev Authority/Shared Resource Service/@transform.wales) medium.com/@transformgo...