Gavin Freeguard

@gavinfreeguard.com

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Data/govt etc freelancer gavinfreeguard.com Starting @sotf.org.uk @connectedbydata.org, Data Bites @publicdigital.bsky.social, @instituteforgovernment.org.uk, Think Digital Partners, @kinship.works, @transformgovtalks.bsky.social Pic @paulclarke.com

Screenshot of a quote from an IfG post on digital ID (https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/andy-burnhams-id-card-scrap): When Keir Starmer unveiled his plan to introduce digital ID cards for mandatory right to work checks last September, there were many sceptical voices. One was the former mayor of Greater Manchester, who said days after the announcement at Labour conference: “I think there’s a risk of an opportunity cost situation here, where something can consume a huge amount of time and actually doesn’t come through. And that will be the lesson about [the ID card plans in the] 2005 to 2010 Parliament; it consumed a lot of air time and it didn’t actually materialize”.
A still from a documentary where former Danish PM, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, looks up at her husband, Stephen Kinnock MP (and new Welsh Secretary), asking 'Why are you doing this now?'
A chart of the Engagement Index scores from the Civil Service People Survey (where civil servants are surveyed on how they feel about about their departments and work). This shows DSIT's score falling from 60.3 in 2023 to 57.6 in 2025 - below the Civil Service median and the other departments created in February 2023.
A screenshot of the Wayback Machine capturing the 'ministerial appointments' page on GOV.UK. It reads 'Kanishka Narayan MP as Minister of State (Minister for Artificial Intelligence) jointly in the Cabinet Office and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. He will attend Cabinet.' The current version shows this to be a mistake, with Narayan listed as Cabinet Office and DBIST https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-july-2026
A screenshot of the DSIT page on GOV.UK. Below the GOV.UK banner and DSIT logo, text reads 'This organisation is changing'. You can say that again. But we currently don't know how it's changing. Or indeed why
An IfG chart from 2022, when Liz Truss succeeded Boris Johnson as prime minister, mid-parliamentary term. It shows that 4 ministers left Cabinet under the Thatcher-Major transition (1990), 11 between Blair and Brown (2007), 13 Cameron-May (2016), 19 May-Johnson (2019) and 14 Johnson-Truss (2022). Source: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/liz-truss-government-formation-september-2022 Source for Truss-Sunak transition https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/rishi-sunak-pm-cabinet-reshuffle-october-2022 I think we did this chart for the first time in July 2019 when Boris Johnson became PM
A quote from a BBC story reading: "This resignation is quite extraordinary and without precedent that I can think of in British politics and means that politics is now utterly unpredictable"
Text from a Cabinet Office response to a Freedom of Information request, which reads: The information you have requested is being withheld as it is exempt under section 22(1) of the Act. Section 22(1) of the Act protects information intended for future publication. Section 22(1) of the Act is a qualified exemption and we have considered whether the balance of the public interest favours maintaining the exemption in section 22(1) or disclosing the information. We recognise the public interest in demonstrating transparency by releasing information to the public. We also appreciate that this increases public trust and that the public benefits from being kept informed about matters affecting them. However, there is a public interest in cost effectiveness in how the Government publishes information. Section 22(1) of the Act acknowledges that public authorities must have freedom to be able to determine their own publication timetables. This allows them to deal with the necessary preparation, administration and context of publication. It is a part of the effective conduct of public affairs that the general publication of information is a conveniently planned and managed activity within the reasonable control of public authorities. As there is a commitment to publish, we are reasonably entitled to make our own arrangements to do so. After weighing up the competing public interest considerations, we consider it is reasonable in all the circumstances that the information held should be withheld from disclosure until the future date of publication (section 22(1)(c)) and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure at this time.
The Policy Camp logo. On the left, a pink triangle and thin rectangle form a 'P' shape and two yellow triangles a 'C' one, with a green triangle separating the stem of the 'P' and bottom of the 'C'. Policy Camp is written in black (Aharoni font) on the right
Logo for Policy Camp. A stylised P is made up of sticky note-coloured shapes (a triangle and thin rectangle) in pink, a C with two yellow triangles, and there is a green triangle in the gap between the stalk of the P and the bottom of the C. There is white space between each of the shapes. 'Policy Camp' is written next to the logo.
A gif. Of Gunnersaurus. CHAMPIONS!!!
Black background White text reads: public digital [logo] x TransformGov Talks [logo]
Rebekah Wilson from the Local Government Association presents at TransformGov Talks. She is stood in front of a green TransformGov Talks banner, and behind a lectern and laptop
A photo of the window of Waterstones bookshop in Crouch End with a sign reading No Pokemon No Needoh
Gavin and Alice stood in front of the Crucible theatre
Photo of a Brighton Marathon Finisher medal
A screenshot of TfL's webpage for Turnpike Lane Station. It gives a live status of the station being quieter than usual, then a pale yellow box saying there are reported access issues - this has to be expanded to show that the station is in fact closed due to flooding. Below is a live arrivals table showing when trains are arriving at the station. https://tfl.gov.uk/tube/stop/940GZZLUTPN/turnpike-lane-underground-station?lineId=piccadilly
Akash Paun and Rhun ap Iorwerth on stage at the IfG
DWP's Ishmael Burdeau presents, virtually, at Data Bites 54, an environment and sustainability special, in April 2025. He appears on a large screen - the wall behind has a lightning image - to the left of the screen I am sat - the back of audience members' heads are also visible
A BBC Sport headline reading, 'Team GB face uphill task for four-man bobsleigh medal'
BBC News headline from 4 September 2023: 'Angela Rayner handed new role as Keir Starmer reshuffles top team' (with photo of Starmer and Rayner)
A horizontal bar chart from the Institute for Government showing the tenure of Cabinet Secretaries. The tenure of Sir Burke Trend (1963-1972) is highlighted in a poor attempt at a pun. The full list can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_Secretary_(United_Kingdom)#List_of_cabinet_secretaries
Linda O'Halloran presents at TransformGov Talks. She is stood on the left of the image - to the right is a screen with a blue slide and white text reading 'And we need more common language to deliver it'
Darren Jones at a lectern. Black backdrop has logos for Institute for Government, what3words and 'Move fast. Fix things'
A screenshot of the BBC News app. Visible in the top half: a link to a video entitled 'Why 'Blue Monday' isn't real' (good!) Visible in the bottom half: a link to a story, 'Blue Monday? Five easy ways to find joy in January', with summary text reading 'It might be the most miserable time of the year but there are some simple things you can do to improve your mood.' (not good!)
An email from Trainline arrives at 718 to say a disruption might affect my journey. Immediately below it is an email from Trainline at 710, telling me my train has been cancelled.
A table from Whitehall Monitor 2026. Text reads: Digital leaders on departmental executive committees, December 2025 Institute for Government A table from the Institute for Government showing digital leaders in departmental executive committees, December 2025. It shows that seven of the core departments have one or more digital leaders on their executive committees, but the ten other core departments do not. Table with 2 columns and 8 rows. (column headers with buttons are sortable) Department Digital leaders CO Chief digital and information officer DHSC (Interim) Director general, technology, digital and data DSIT Government chief data officer; Government chief product officer; Transformation Director; Director general, digital centre design; (interim) Director general, artificial intelligence; (interim) Director general, digital, technology and infrastructure DWP Chief digital and information officer HMRC Chief digital and information officer MoD Enterprise chief information officer MoJ Chief digital and information officer; Director general, service transformation DBT, DCMS, Defra, DESNZ, DfE, DfT, FCDO, HMT, HO, MHCLG None Source: Institute for Government analysis of executive committees provided on departmental websites, 2025.Notes: DSIT's blueprint for digital government defines a “digital leader” as a “Chief Digital Information Officer (CDIO), Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Data Officer (CDO) or leader in service transformation, product or customer experience with deep digital expertise”.
Welsh Government chief statistician, Stephanie Howarth, speaks at Data Bites 60. She joined us virtually - she has a photo of Aberystwyth behind her (though she joined us from Cardiff), with a Welsh Government logo top right, 'data bites' top left, 'pd' bottom left, and the timer showing 07:36 bottom right
Rachel Coldicutt presents at the eleventh TransformGov Talks
A slide from this week's Data Bites intro presentation showing previous, interim and new holders of various government data and digital roles. Titled 'DSIT up and take notice', it shows: DSIT perm sec: previous Sarah Munby; new Emran Mian Govt chief digital officer: previous Mike Potter; interim Joanna Davinson; new tbc Govt chief data officer: previous Craig Suckling; interim Lindsay Mason; new Aimee Smith Govt chief AI officer: new role; new tbc National Statistician: previous Sir Ian Diamond; interim Emma Rourke; new tbc ONS perm sec: previous Sir Ian Diamond; new Darren Tierney UKSA Chair: previous Sir Robert Chote; interim Penny Young; new tbc
Simon McLellan from the Met Office presents at Data Bites 59. He is at the front, on the right of the image, with a 'Data Bites' banner to the right and a screen with a slide full of text to the left. Further left is a clock displaying 01:18. The backs of audience members on green chairs are visible.
A photo from Data Bites 50 in November 2024, courtesy of Paul Clarke. Backs of audience heads are visible. On the right of the image, I'm sat at the front with a corner of screen visible. On the left is the iconic Data Bites countdown clock, displaying 04:34
A photo of the article in the physical edition of The House magazine
A photograph (courtesy of Paul Clarke) of me hosting Data Bites in November 2024. I'm stood behind a lectern (back of audience's heads visible), in front of a banner reading 'Data Bites' and a photo of lightning on the wall
A BBC headline which reads: Head coach Wellens departs St Helens
Extract from the linked piece: Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting that Starmer should do away with the speech and instead make a video of himself trying unusual American snacks, performing TikTok dances or compiling a tier-list of his favourite cabinet ministers.
Screenshot from the linked New Statesman piece: 'Documents also show Blair personally intervened to urge Kyle to embrace AI, telling him in a private meeting that there was “no other solution to productivity, no other route to growth”, and that AI was “the UK’s economic future”. Blair also encouraged Kyle to meet with the Ellison Institute of Technology, a for-profit research institute that works via a group of internal companies based in Oxford funded by the Oracle chief – and “emphasised the importance of the national data library”, according to a response to an FoI. In May, Kyle told his officials to work with TBI on the nascent national data library (NDL) project. “Attaching the initial scoping work from TBI here,” he wrote in an email to his team. 'A UK government spokesperson said it engaged with a “wide range of stakeholders” in the development of policy, adding: “The government publishes quarterly details of ministers’ and certain senior officials’ meetings with all external individuals and organisations.”'
Screenshot of the Data Bites landing page, with individual videos broken out. These each have a vertical block - four wide - with photograph, title, blurb and link. These are below a heading of 'Previous Data Bites', with a header menu and the p.d logo. The ones in shot are: Tracking environmental harm in real time Kate Marks talked about a new digital service they’ve just launched for reporting environmental incidents at the Environment Agency Digital sustainability in UK government Tom Parry gave us an overview of efforts within the department and UK government more widely around digital sustainability. Data and waste management Liz Lutgendorff, Senior Digital Transformation Manager at the North London Waste Authority, speaks about why tracking waste is hard. Council Climate Action Scorecards Isaac Beevor, and Alex Parsons talked about their work on measuring UK local authority climate action through their bi-annual Council Climate Action Scorecards.
A screenshot of the Ministers page on GOV.UK, which is missing the usual portraits, names and titles and carries a message saying 'This page is currently being updated.'
The 'distracted boyfriend' meme. A man in the centre, representing No 10, is ignoring his girlfriend, labelled 'grown ups', for another woman, also labelled 'grown ups'
A silver laptop is open, with a pink background. The screen has the following text (in black) on a background of light pink with bright pink dots: data bites #58 18 September 2025 18:00 GMT pd
An image promoting the event with photographs of speakers. Text reads: The Freedom of Information Act at 25: What next for freedom of information? Wednesday 3 September | 12:00-13:30 Jenna Corderoy, Investigative reporter at Democracy for Sale Dr Louise Crow, Chief Executive of mySociety Dr Ben Worthy, Lecturer at Birkbeck University John Edwards, Information Commissioner Lord Charlie Falconer, Secretary for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor (2003–07) Lynn Wyeth, Executive Board Member of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, and Executive Board Member of The National Association of Data Protection and Freedom of Information Officers (NADPO) Gavin Freeguard, Associate of the Institute for Government.
Poster for concert. Text reads: New Tottenham Singers with orchestra VIVALDI - GLORIA PURCELL - DIDO+AENEAS Saturday 19th July 2025 | 7.30pm St Mary's Church, Stoke Newington Advance tickets: £15* (Under 18s & full-time students £10*) *£20/£12 on the door Get your tickets now at TOTTENHAMSINGERS.COM
A headline from Politico West Wing Playbook, 'Steve Davis did not go quietly'
DWP's Ishmael Burdeau presents virtually at Data Bites 54. He is on a screen, on the right, with me sat on the left in front of a lightning image on the wall. Audience heads are visible. Photo by @paulclarke.com
A hairdresser in Ghent, named 'Hairway to Heaven '
A photo of a medieval garderobe - toilet - at the Gravensteen in Ghent. There is a modern sign above it making clear it should not be treated as a toilet today.
Fernanda stands on stage behind a lectern, next to a TICTeC banner. Her slide takes up most of the image, projected on a screen. The slide includes a two by two matrix, and the quadrants are: - Top left, low involvement in tech governance, high in policy: citizens as opinion-giving 'users' - Bottom left, low in tech governance, low in policy: citizens as sensors - Bottom right, high in tech governance, low in policy: citizens as collaborators - Top right, high in tech governance, high in policy: citizens as democratic architects
A view out of the windows from the top floor of The Spine - there is a cathedral either side of the window partition, the Anglican Cathedral to the left and the Metropolitan Cathedral to the right
A picture of me looking slightly windswept in front of the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
Tony Blair on stage with Sam Bankman-Fried (and Bill Clinton) at the Crypto Bahamas conference, 2022
Isaac Beevor (left), from Climate Emergency UK, and Alex Parsons, from mySociety (right, behind a lectern and in front of a standing banner reading 'Data Bites'), present at Data Bites 54. Photo by @paulclarke.com
A terrible, terrible doughnut chart showing which clubs players selected by the Lions (rugby union) come from
A photo from Data Bites 55 by @paulclarke.com. First presenter, Laura Gilbert, sits at the front (right) with me on the left, a screen with 'data bites pd' behind. There is a lectern on the right of the image, and a screen with a timer displaying 00:36 on the left. The backs of audience members' heads can be seen. There is a lightning pattern on the back wall.
Screenshot of Wikipedia entry on North American Racing Team which reads: 'It was created in 1958 when Chinetti received backing from wealthy racers George Arents, Jr and Jan de Vroom.'
A cue ball (white ball) approaches the pocket on a snooker table
DWP's Ishmael Burdeau presents virtually at Data Bites 54. A large screen shows one of his slides - the left half, a black and white image of a street with cars in 1978; the right half, a colour photo of the same street today with pedestrians and cyclists. Photo by @paulclarke.com
Ryan Dunn (DWP) presents at Data Bites 50 in November 2024. He is stood, on the left, behind a lectern and in front of a Data Bites banner. A large screen in the middle shows his slides, with a diagram about data for decision making. To the left, a screen shows a digital clock displaying 06:05. The backs of audience members' heads are visible.