Julia Cushion
@juliacushion.bsky.social
Policy & Advocacy Manager @ mySociety Clumsy, enthusiastic, interested in exciting things like parliament and cryptic crosswords (she/they)
Still time to register to join us at 12! luma.com/tfn60j3e
Getting the right message to the right place: navigating changes in Welsh democracy · Luma
Join mySociety to relaunch WriteToThem in Wales and learn how to reach the right representative in a changed democratic landscape. Wales's democratic map has…
luma.com
This is tomorrow! Our first big update to WriteToThem.com in a while, we've got lots of lovely stuff to tell you about, and we're hearing from the best of the best, @jessblair.bsky.social!
writetothem.com
mySociety@mysociety.org · 3w agoJoin us online on 23 July for the relaunch of WriteToThem in Wales, and learn how to reach the right representative in Wales's changing democratic landscape. We'll also be joined by @jessblair.bsky.social from the Electoral Reform Society to discuss how Welsh politics has evolved. luma.com/tfn60j3e
Braf i weld @mysociety.org yn hyrwyddo y digwyddiad yma yn ddwyieithog (gweler : ) luma.com/tfn60j3e?tk=... @annabrychan.bsky.social @plaidcymru.bsky.social
Getting the right message to the right place: navigating changes in Welsh democracy · Luma
Join mySociety to relaunch WriteToThem in Wales and learn how to reach the right representative in a changed democratic landscape. Wales's democratic map has…
luma.com
This account is fake, it's one that's been regularly renamed several times since 2025 - it started as @vatican-news.bsky.social! From Clearsky: clearsky.app/downingstree...
UK Prime Minister Updates@downingstreet.bsky.social · 2w agoA very warm welcome to Downing Street, Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
It may not be "coming home" in that sense but me, @alexparsons.bsky.social and @zarino.co.uk spent the entire 90 minutes discussing the state of british politics and how we're going to fix everything, so rest assured everyone it's all gonna be ok
Specific bits here (especially commitment on ministers to engage) fit into the "co-produce the whip" section of our blog post on reforming the whip www.mysociety.org/2026/07/01/r...
Reforming the whip
Practical steps to improve parliamentary decision-making and transparency
mysociety.org
Jessica Elgot@jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 4w agoNEW - Andy Burnham has written a long letter to all Labour MPs tonight - promising a major overhaul of whipping and engagement on legislation, as well as a “broad church” cabinet where ministers routinely engage MPs & select committees. Comes as nominations open for leadership. Letter here 👇
Cracking remote job with @mysociety.org going here. apply.workable.com/j/3808FB03C4/
Digital Service Manager, mySociety (Remote UK based) - mySociety and SocietyWorks
mySociety is a small, purposeful charity which creates and runs digital services that break down barriers to democratic participation, equipping people to take action and drive meaningful change. We’r...
apply.workable.com
Work with us! £45-55k, fully remote, working with the dreamiest team of super smart do-gooders who are also super kind fun-havers! DMs open for qs!
mySociety@mysociety.org · 4w agoWE'RE HIRING! Data protection, media law, online communities, and FOI: if that sounds like your jam, you might be just the person we're looking for as mySociety's new Digital Service Manager. See the details and apply here: apply.workable.com/mysociety/j/... And please do share!
Andy Burnham has talked about moving away from the whip system - what might that mean in practice? www.mysociety.org/2026/07/01/r...
Reforming the whip
Practical steps to improve parliamentary decision-making and transparency
mysociety.org
Organisation merch goals right?! This week our friends at SPOON in the Netherlands hosted our annual ATI Network day. We discussed what's helping (and hindering) freedom of information in practice, and why effective oversight matters just as much as having a good law.
What makes freedom of information work in practice? Reflections from ATI Day 2026
By continuing to learn from one another, we stand a much better chance of making the right to information work not just on paper, but in practice.
mysociety.org
Over on the blog @alexparsons.bsky.social is doing what he does best - nicely explaining something quite niche but very important! What Parliament can learn from FOI, why MPs should be able to appeal refused PQs & some ideas for joining the dots ⬇️ www.mysociety.org/2026/06/16/i...
Improving FOI and Parliamentary Questions
Why does FOI work better than parliamentary questions? And how can we make both better?
mysociety.org
Just reposting the blog on 'Government by WhatsApp' by me and @mrosenbaum.bsky.social for @politicalquarterly.bsky.social politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/governm...
Government by WhatsApp? Covid, Transparency and Government by Text
The Covid Inquiry revealed that there were ‘substantive discussions’ of important policy decisions through texts and messages. Is this ever acceptable?
politicalquarterly.org.uk
Great to be in Cardiff for the @datajusticelab.bsky.social conference! Say hi if you're here 🏴
The incredible Eleanor Shaikh continues to push for transparency around the #PostOfficeScandal - read the latest here (& how @dracos.co.uk's archive played a part) as she prepares to go to #FOI tribunal to uncover a potentially explosive piece of the puzzle: www.postofficescandal.uk/post/project...
Project Brisbane – a report the Post Office is desperate to keep secret
In January 2022 the researcher Eleanor Shaikh was poring over some written evidence submitted by the Business Department (then known as BEIS) to the Business Select Committee in March 2020. In an a…
postofficescandal.uk
On the train back to Glasgow now - but a great excuse to talk about FOI, Parliamentary transparency and AI at the same time. Thread walking between the links.
mySociety@mysociety.org · 3mo ago📺 Starting soon! @alexparsons.bsky.social, @benworthy.bsky.social & @jennacorderoy.bsky.social are giving evidence to the Procedure committee about Written Parliamentary Questions and FOI. Tune in here: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
📺 Starting soon! @alexparsons.bsky.social, @benworthy.bsky.social & @jennacorderoy.bsky.social are giving evidence to the Procedure committee about Written Parliamentary Questions and FOI. Tune in here: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
Parliamentlive.tv
Procedure Committee
parliamentlive.tv
In my experience going through MPs' registered interests for whofundsthem.com, this rule that covers the 12 months before being elected isn't well enforced, but the rule itself is pretty clear!
Alex Parsons@alexparsons.bsky.social · 3mo agoI think hard to argue that a significant personal donation shouldn't be covered publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cm...
Really worth stressing what a minority position "the gambling industry is good" is.
And this is really the core of the mySociety approach through WhatDoTheyKnow or FixMyStreet - by making FOI requests or pothole reports visible in public, it transforms private interactions into collective benefits that reduce the need for future interactions.
Super smart stuff from @alexparsons.bsky.social (as always) here!
mySociety@mysociety.org · 4mo ago@alexparsons.bsky.social has been thinking about the increased demand on public systems created by #AI - not just #FOI but for all areas where the public interface with government. Here's a suggestion for an approach that can work for the public benefit: www.mysociety.org/2026/04/14/r...
Response to a Parliamentary question from Mike Wood about the floated change to FOI cost limits www.theyworkforyou.com/search/?q=%2...
So the theme I want to look at this week is gifts received in a private capacity vs where there's some kind of professional justification
TheyWorkForYou@theyworkforyou.com · 4mo agoA new House of Commons register of interests has been released and uploaded to TheyWorkForYou https://www.theyworkforyou.com/interests
Both the Senedd and Scottish Parliament have now dissolved for the upcoming elections - but if you put your postcode into @theyworkforyou.com we're using @democracyclub.org.uk data to tell you more about candidates.
The growing case to protect FOI www.mysociety.org/2026/04/08/t... Great summary by @juliacushion.bsky.social of responses to recent threats to freedom of information We, @mysociety.org & others are exploring what an FOI Network could look like Next online workshop: Wed 15 April luma.com/y12euvs2
The growing case to protect FOI
The response from across the FOI community and beyond is clear that restricting access to information is not the answer.
mysociety.org
great part time role going here at @mysociety.org! feel free to dm any questions etc! 🌀
mySociety@mysociety.org · 4mo agoJOB VACANCY: Could you provide excellent support for the users of mySociety's key services, some of whom are taking their first steps into democratic engagement? Part time, fully remote. Find out more and apply at: apply.workable.com/mysociety/j/... NO AGENCIES, THANKS!
In response to the anonymously-briefed article in the FT last week floating new restrictions to FOI, Alex Parsons breaks down what’s proposed, and why it’s not a good solution www.mysociety.org/2026/03/19/r...
Reducing FOI cost limits will reduce government transparency
The proposed change would narrow the scope of information rights and undermine promises of greater openness across government.
mysociety.org
With the rush to deploy #AI in both the public and private sectors, it's essential to stop & ask: 'Is this the right tool for the job?'. In this blog post, we lay out a simple model for checking just that. www.mysociety.org/2026/03/24/h...
How can we tell when AI is actually the right tool for the job?
Generative AI is good at solving some kinds of problems, and bad at solving others. With the rush to apply AI approaches across the public and private sector, we want to encourage people to use the ri...
mysociety.org
Have written more about what FOI cost limits are, and the effects of lowering them www.mysociety.org/2026/03/19/r...
Reducing FOI cost limits will reduce government transparency
The proposed change would narrow the scope of information rights and undermine promises of greater openness across government.
mysociety.org
Alex Parsons@alexparsons.bsky.social · 5mo agoEven by the normal standards, a very weak case being made here. Almost all of the increase relates to records moving to the National Archives. www.ft.com/content/2c34...
In yesterday's FT anonymous government officials talked of need to 'tighten' to FOI to stop China (!?!) The real story, though, is how much govt spending on legal fees to fight FOI requesters in court Campaigners, citizens, journalists all paying price democracyforsale.substack.com/p/government...
Government spent over £1m on court cases to keep information secret
Whitehall departments spent seven-figure sum on legal fees to fight Freedom of Information requests
democracyforsale.substack.com
