James Plunkett
@jamestplunkett.bsky.social
Interested in more human ways to govern our lives together, and how technology can help. Blog: https://medium.com/@jamestplunkett 🏳️⚧️
Reposted by James Plunkett
Excellent canter through the field of civic renewal by @jamestplunkett.bsky.social.
"technocracy lacks an emotional register. It can’t speak in sentiments like pride, agency, and a felt sense of momentum - precisely the sentiments that are abundant in community-led development."
"technocracy lacks an emotional register. It can’t speak in sentiments like pride, agency, and a felt sense of momentum - precisely the sentiments that are abundant in community-led development."
New post just out:
"Power to the People"
Today we have a guest post from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social on how Labour can counter the "Britain is Broken" narrative by investing in civic life and giving people more control over their community.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/p...
"Power to the People"
Today we have a guest post from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social on how Labour can counter the "Britain is Broken" narrative by investing in civic life and giving people more control over their community.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/p...
Power to the People
How Labour can restore civic life and counter the "Britain is broken" narrative
open.substack.com
January 19, 2026 at 9:02 AM
Excellent canter through the field of civic renewal by @jamestplunkett.bsky.social.
"technocracy lacks an emotional register. It can’t speak in sentiments like pride, agency, and a felt sense of momentum - precisely the sentiments that are abundant in community-led development."
"technocracy lacks an emotional register. It can’t speak in sentiments like pride, agency, and a felt sense of momentum - precisely the sentiments that are abundant in community-led development."
Reposted by James Plunkett
🚨 6PM, WED 28 January 🚨
At TPXImpact or online
Matt Wood-Hill, MHCLG, and Linda O’Halloran, TPXimpact on public service market-shaping.
Patrick Diamond, Professor in Public Policy, Queen Mary, University of London, on government effectiveness
luma.com/pc7ji8sg
Please share! Thanks 🙏
At TPXImpact or online
Matt Wood-Hill, MHCLG, and Linda O’Halloran, TPXimpact on public service market-shaping.
Patrick Diamond, Professor in Public Policy, Queen Mary, University of London, on government effectiveness
luma.com/pc7ji8sg
Please share! Thanks 🙏
TransformGov Talks: January 2026 · Luma
Join us at 5.30pm for a 6pm start.
Matt Wood-Hill, MHCLG, and Linda O'Halloran, TPXimpact on public service market-shaping
Patrick Diamond, Professor in Public…
luma.com
January 19, 2026 at 1:10 PM
🚨 6PM, WED 28 January 🚨
At TPXImpact or online
Matt Wood-Hill, MHCLG, and Linda O’Halloran, TPXimpact on public service market-shaping.
Patrick Diamond, Professor in Public Policy, Queen Mary, University of London, on government effectiveness
luma.com/pc7ji8sg
Please share! Thanks 🙏
At TPXImpact or online
Matt Wood-Hill, MHCLG, and Linda O’Halloran, TPXimpact on public service market-shaping.
Patrick Diamond, Professor in Public Policy, Queen Mary, University of London, on government effectiveness
luma.com/pc7ji8sg
Please share! Thanks 🙏
A new guest post I’ve written for Sam Freedman’s Substack, exploring the evidence on civic renewal and Labour’s communitarian turn… 👇
New post just out:
"Power to the People"
Today we have a guest post from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social on how Labour can counter the "Britain is Broken" narrative by investing in civic life and giving people more control over their community.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/p...
"Power to the People"
Today we have a guest post from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social on how Labour can counter the "Britain is Broken" narrative by investing in civic life and giving people more control over their community.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/p...
Power to the People
How Labour can restore civic life and counter the "Britain is broken" narrative
open.substack.com
January 19, 2026 at 5:04 AM
A new guest post I’ve written for Sam Freedman’s Substack, exploring the evidence on civic renewal and Labour’s communitarian turn… 👇
Reposted by James Plunkett
Three technology-related things I'm really interested in, along the lines of @jamestplunkett.bsky.social's piece.
1. What (if any) central data/digital infrastructure supports local community activities? James mentions Polis for example. Perhaps OpenStreetMap might be another?
1. What (if any) central data/digital infrastructure supports local community activities? James mentions Polis for example. Perhaps OpenStreetMap might be another?
New post just out:
"Power to the People"
Today we have a guest post from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social on how Labour can counter the "Britain is Broken" narrative by investing in civic life and giving people more control over their community.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/p...
"Power to the People"
Today we have a guest post from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social on how Labour can counter the "Britain is Broken" narrative by investing in civic life and giving people more control over their community.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/p...
Power to the People
How Labour can restore civic life and counter the "Britain is broken" narrative
open.substack.com
January 18, 2026 at 1:09 PM
Three technology-related things I'm really interested in, along the lines of @jamestplunkett.bsky.social's piece.
1. What (if any) central data/digital infrastructure supports local community activities? James mentions Polis for example. Perhaps OpenStreetMap might be another?
1. What (if any) central data/digital infrastructure supports local community activities? James mentions Polis for example. Perhaps OpenStreetMap might be another?
Reposted by James Plunkett
A really optimistic, actually quite joyful piece! Thank you for sharing @jamestplunkett.bsky.social
New post just out:
"Power to the People"
Today we have a guest post from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social on how Labour can counter the "Britain is Broken" narrative by investing in civic life and giving people more control over their community.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/p...
"Power to the People"
Today we have a guest post from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social on how Labour can counter the "Britain is Broken" narrative by investing in civic life and giving people more control over their community.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/p...
Power to the People
How Labour can restore civic life and counter the "Britain is broken" narrative
open.substack.com
January 18, 2026 at 11:17 AM
A really optimistic, actually quite joyful piece! Thank you for sharing @jamestplunkett.bsky.social
Reposted by James Plunkett
New post just out:
"Power to the People"
Today we have a guest post from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social on how Labour can counter the "Britain is Broken" narrative by investing in civic life and giving people more control over their community.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/p...
"Power to the People"
Today we have a guest post from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social on how Labour can counter the "Britain is Broken" narrative by investing in civic life and giving people more control over their community.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/p...
Power to the People
How Labour can restore civic life and counter the "Britain is broken" narrative
open.substack.com
January 18, 2026 at 8:54 AM
New post just out:
"Power to the People"
Today we have a guest post from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social on how Labour can counter the "Britain is Broken" narrative by investing in civic life and giving people more control over their community.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/p...
"Power to the People"
Today we have a guest post from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social on how Labour can counter the "Britain is Broken" narrative by investing in civic life and giving people more control over their community.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/p...
Reposted by James Plunkett
New this week! The latest in our work mapping public sector reformers. 👏👏👏
@gavinfreeguard.bsky.social has pulled together the amazing responses we got to a shoutout before Christmas. He’s shared an update here: 1/n
medium.com/kinship-work...
@gavinfreeguard.bsky.social has pulled together the amazing responses we got to a shoutout before Christmas. He’s shared an update here: 1/n
medium.com/kinship-work...
Mapping public sector reformers: an update
In late October 2025, we kicked off some work trying to map where the public sector reformers are. What are the communities, events…
medium.com
January 15, 2026 at 8:16 AM
New this week! The latest in our work mapping public sector reformers. 👏👏👏
@gavinfreeguard.bsky.social has pulled together the amazing responses we got to a shoutout before Christmas. He’s shared an update here: 1/n
medium.com/kinship-work...
@gavinfreeguard.bsky.social has pulled together the amazing responses we got to a shoutout before Christmas. He’s shared an update here: 1/n
medium.com/kinship-work...
New this week! The latest in our work mapping public sector reformers. 👏👏👏
@gavinfreeguard.bsky.social has pulled together the amazing responses we got to a shoutout before Christmas. He’s shared an update here: 1/n
medium.com/kinship-work...
@gavinfreeguard.bsky.social has pulled together the amazing responses we got to a shoutout before Christmas. He’s shared an update here: 1/n
medium.com/kinship-work...
Mapping public sector reformers: an update
In late October 2025, we kicked off some work trying to map where the public sector reformers are. What are the communities, events…
medium.com
January 15, 2026 at 8:16 AM
New this week! The latest in our work mapping public sector reformers. 👏👏👏
@gavinfreeguard.bsky.social has pulled together the amazing responses we got to a shoutout before Christmas. He’s shared an update here: 1/n
medium.com/kinship-work...
@gavinfreeguard.bsky.social has pulled together the amazing responses we got to a shoutout before Christmas. He’s shared an update here: 1/n
medium.com/kinship-work...
One of the most interesting trends of the last few years has been watching Google's products become as bloated/hard to use as Microsoft's. An iron law of political economy: big companies get sclerotic/bureaucratic! (This is one reason it's so important to have activist competition policy.)
January 12, 2026 at 8:45 AM
One of the most interesting trends of the last few years has been watching Google's products become as bloated/hard to use as Microsoft's. An iron law of political economy: big companies get sclerotic/bureaucratic! (This is one reason it's so important to have activist competition policy.)
Back at one of our favourite venues. Very impressed if anyone guesses it!
December 30, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Back at one of our favourite venues. Very impressed if anyone guesses it!
Christmas Day walk to a mountain temple in Lampang. Not quite on brand for the day maybe but very beautiful.
December 25, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Christmas Day walk to a mountain temple in Lampang. Not quite on brand for the day maybe but very beautiful.
Eugh, I know HMRC digital services are much improved, and this has taken endless toil. But after being stuck in a loop trying to sort a trivial task let’s just say there is still work to do. Also: please employ more service designers.
December 23, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Eugh, I know HMRC digital services are much improved, and this has taken endless toil. But after being stuck in a loop trying to sort a trivial task let’s just say there is still work to do. Also: please employ more service designers.
A Friday share of this 👇 Perfect hopeful reading for the Christmas wind down:)
🔔 New report out today 🔔 🪴 Rewilding Civic Life 🪴
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
Rewilding Civic Life — Can we cultivate social capital? If so, how? — Kinship Works
In this Working Paper we curate the lessons from Big Local, a 15 year experiment in revitalising the capacity of local communities. We explore what Big Local did and the practices the programme employ...
www.kinship.works
December 19, 2025 at 9:37 AM
A Friday share of this 👇 Perfect hopeful reading for the Christmas wind down:)
One of my favourite insights from this Working Paper on Big Local: the power of taking a more organic approach to governance.
Rather than designing governance in Whitehall - a chart that looks neat on paper - cultivate it as a local capability. 🧵
Rather than designing governance in Whitehall - a chart that looks neat on paper - cultivate it as a local capability. 🧵
🔔 New report out today 🔔 🪴 Rewilding Civic Life 🪴
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
Rewilding Civic Life — Can we cultivate social capital? If so, how? — Kinship Works
In this Working Paper we curate the lessons from Big Local, a 15 year experiment in revitalising the capacity of local communities. We explore what Big Local did and the practices the programme employ...
www.kinship.works
December 17, 2025 at 8:33 AM
One of my favourite insights from this Working Paper on Big Local: the power of taking a more organic approach to governance.
Rather than designing governance in Whitehall - a chart that looks neat on paper - cultivate it as a local capability. 🧵
Rather than designing governance in Whitehall - a chart that looks neat on paper - cultivate it as a local capability. 🧵
Reposted by James Plunkett
🔔 New report out today 🔔 🪴 Rewilding Civic Life 🪴
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
Rewilding Civic Life — Can we cultivate social capital? If so, how? — Kinship Works
In this Working Paper we curate the lessons from Big Local, a 15 year experiment in revitalising the capacity of local communities. We explore what Big Local did and the practices the programme employ...
www.kinship.works
December 16, 2025 at 7:06 AM
🔔 New report out today 🔔 🪴 Rewilding Civic Life 🪴
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
🔔 New report out today 🔔 🪴 Rewilding Civic Life 🪴
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
Rewilding Civic Life — Can we cultivate social capital? If so, how? — Kinship Works
In this Working Paper we curate the lessons from Big Local, a 15 year experiment in revitalising the capacity of local communities. We explore what Big Local did and the practices the programme employ...
www.kinship.works
December 16, 2025 at 7:06 AM
🔔 New report out today 🔔 🪴 Rewilding Civic Life 🪴
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
Reposted by James Plunkett
One for people working in government evaluation and analysis teams. Also research councils. 👇
How can we broaden our field of view to see and spread more promising alternatives?
How can we broaden our field of view to see and spread more promising alternatives?
What if government is stuck in a local maximum?
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
What if government is stuck in a local maximum?
The case for broadening our field of view
medium.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:51 AM
One for people working in government evaluation and analysis teams. Also research councils. 👇
How can we broaden our field of view to see and spread more promising alternatives?
How can we broaden our field of view to see and spread more promising alternatives?
One for a Friday coffee! 👇
What if government is stuck in a local maximum?
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
What if government is stuck in a local maximum?
The case for broadening our field of view
medium.com
December 12, 2025 at 11:44 AM
One for a Friday coffee! 👇
One for people working in government evaluation and analysis teams. Also research councils. 👇
How can we broaden our field of view to see and spread more promising alternatives?
How can we broaden our field of view to see and spread more promising alternatives?
What if government is stuck in a local maximum?
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
What if government is stuck in a local maximum?
The case for broadening our field of view
medium.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:51 AM
One for people working in government evaluation and analysis teams. Also research councils. 👇
How can we broaden our field of view to see and spread more promising alternatives?
How can we broaden our field of view to see and spread more promising alternatives?
Reposted by James Plunkett
If you read @jamestplunkett.bsky.social 's piece earlier this week (and linked again in the thread) considering "What if government is stuck in a local maximum?" then this response from @mssophiaparker.bsky.social is well worth your time.
sophiaparker-241.medium.com/a-larger-rea...
sophiaparker-241.medium.com/a-larger-rea...
A larger reality: how governments can escape the local maximum
Back in September, James Plunkett and I launched The Centre for the Edge, a new collaboration between JRF and Kinship Works. We are…
sophiaparker-241.medium.com
December 10, 2025 at 11:47 AM
If you read @jamestplunkett.bsky.social 's piece earlier this week (and linked again in the thread) considering "What if government is stuck in a local maximum?" then this response from @mssophiaparker.bsky.social is well worth your time.
sophiaparker-241.medium.com/a-larger-rea...
sophiaparker-241.medium.com/a-larger-rea...
New post this week 👇 People are worried that the scientific discovery process has got stuck, and this has led to a new discipline of metascience.
But what if the same has happened to policy-making and Government more generally? And. if so, what do we do about it?
But what if the same has happened to policy-making and Government more generally? And. if so, what do we do about it?
What if government is stuck in a local maximum?
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
What if government is stuck in a local maximum?
The case for broadening our field of view
medium.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:40 AM
New post this week 👇 People are worried that the scientific discovery process has got stuck, and this has led to a new discipline of metascience.
But what if the same has happened to policy-making and Government more generally? And. if so, what do we do about it?
But what if the same has happened to policy-making and Government more generally? And. if so, what do we do about it?
Reposted by James Plunkett
What if government is stuck in a local maximum?
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
What if government is stuck in a local maximum?
The case for broadening our field of view
medium.com
December 8, 2025 at 8:09 AM
What if government is stuck in a local maximum?
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
What if government is stuck in a local maximum?
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
What if government is stuck in a local maximum?
The case for broadening our field of view
medium.com
December 8, 2025 at 8:09 AM
What if government is stuck in a local maximum?
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
Today I'm publishing a new post exploring whether the evidence standards and control mechanisms we use in government are limiting us to a dangerously narrow field of view. If so, what could we do about that?
medium.com/@jamestplunk... 1/n
Honestly, the extent to which you now need to work around the machinery of government (in stealth, against the rules, etc.) in order to save it from itself is truly extraordinary.
December 5, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Honestly, the extent to which you now need to work around the machinery of government (in stealth, against the rules, etc.) in order to save it from itself is truly extraordinary.
A Friday share of this 👇 Should we make a hit list of the top 500 buildings in deliquent ownership? Could we help to setup a safe harbour scheme - holding buldings of civic value while communities raise funds to buy them? All of this and more....!
🔔 Is it time for a new push on delinquent ownership? 🔔 We're hosting a conversation @kinship.works to share ideas...
cado.kinship.works. 1/n
cado.kinship.works. 1/n
Is it time for a new push on delinquent ownership?
Across Britain, there are countless examples of land and buildings in the heart of communities lying empty and deteriorating, often stuck in unclear or absent ownership. We can all think of examples: ...
cado.kinship.works
December 5, 2025 at 1:49 PM
A Friday share of this 👇 Should we make a hit list of the top 500 buildings in deliquent ownership? Could we help to setup a safe harbour scheme - holding buldings of civic value while communities raise funds to buy them? All of this and more....!