Juliet Swann
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muteswann.bsky.social
Juliet Swann
@muteswann.bsky.social
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
We were delighted to be invited and look forward to next steps including closing the lobbying exemption loophole (more to follow on that…)
Yesterday's evidence session about freedom of information in Scotland felt really positive and ambitious - much needed at the moment!

Lovely to see @benworthy.bsky.social & @muteswann.bsky.social also speak to the committee, and huge thanks to @cfoiscot.bsky.social for all of their hard work!
Yesterday @alexparsons.bsky.social spoke at the Scottish Parliament about our views on the Freedom of Information Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Catch up on the evidence session and find out why we're really keen on the proposed proactive publication measures👇

www.mysociety.org/2025/11/07/a...
November 7, 2025 at 4:02 PM
The reality is that much of the intended improvements of land ownership transparency will not be effective without reform of trust transparency and land registration. We look forward to working on an anti-corruption strategy to address these loopholes
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Scottish Parliament passes land reform bill
The legislation is designed to help reduce the concentration of rural land ownership among a small number of people.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Reposted by Juliet Swann
Grateful to Rhoda Grant MSP for lodging the amendment that triggered this commitment on the floor of the chamber. If you want to get involved in creating Scotland's first anti-corruption strategy lmk!
Also, this is why this matters www.transparency.org.uk/news/researc...
💥 BREAKING 💥

Scottish Government commits to anti-corruption strategy with improved transparency of trust structures (as proposed by Rhoda Grant in parliament).

This is an important commitment that will help prevent kleptocrats and oligarchs investing their ill-gotten gains in Scottish property.
November 4, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Reposted by Juliet Swann
A few days after the presidential election one year ago, we went to Fordham Road in the Bronx.

It was a little different last week.
November 3, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Reposted by Juliet Swann
💥 BREAKING 💥

Scottish Government commits to anti-corruption strategy with improved transparency of trust structures (as proposed by Rhoda Grant in parliament).

This is an important commitment that will help prevent kleptocrats and oligarchs investing their ill-gotten gains in Scottish property.
November 4, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Grateful to Rhoda Grant MSP for lodging the amendment that triggered this commitment on the floor of the chamber. If you want to get involved in creating Scotland's first anti-corruption strategy lmk!
Also, this is why this matters www.transparency.org.uk/news/researc...
💥 BREAKING 💥

Scottish Government commits to anti-corruption strategy with improved transparency of trust structures (as proposed by Rhoda Grant in parliament).

This is an important commitment that will help prevent kleptocrats and oligarchs investing their ill-gotten gains in Scottish property.
November 4, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Well that was exciting - Scottish Government just confirmed in the chamber at Holyrood that they will bring forward an anti-corruption strategy as part of the next Open Government Action Plan.
November 4, 2025 at 8:12 PM
It's pretty shocking that a vital piece of energy infrastructure could be sold to someone with so many questions to answer about the legality of their business dealings www.source-material.org/mazzagatti-v...
North Sea Storm – SourceMaterial
Poised to take control of ‘the backbone of the UK’s energy production’, Franceso Mazzagatti is defending allegations bribery, forgery and fraud
www.source-material.org
November 4, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Tomorrow!
Fossil fuel companies have an oily grip on our politics 🤝

On Wed 29th Oct, we'll discuss taking action to end fossil fuel lobbying in politics with Paul Dobson @theferret.scot & Juliet Swann & Rose Whiffen from @transparencyuk.bsky.social

Join us in Edinburgh/online: act.foe.scot/nat_meeting_...
October 28, 2025 at 2:11 PM
As Holyrood gets ready to begin the final stages of the Land Reform Bill, read more about the imrpvements to transparency of land ownership @transparencyuk.bsky.social considers to be an essential aspect to ensure the provisions can be effective...
#LandReform #Holyrood #transparency
NEW: £3.2 billion worth of Scottish property is held by opaque offshore structures.

This makes it impossible to identify the true owner and raises concerns that transparency loopholes could undermine the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill currently before MSPs.

www.transparency.org.uk/news/researc...
Research reveals £3.2 billion worth of property in Scotland held by opaque offshore trusts
As MSPs debate new land reform legislation, loopholes could hide true owners of land and undermine Government and Parliament’s efforts
www.transparency.org.uk
October 28, 2025 at 9:21 AM
“Ensuring a fully transparent dataset of land ownership in Scotland could have immediate benefits to communities seeking to use land reform provisions and will also help prevent kleptocrats and oligarchs investing their dirty money gains in Scottish property.“
NEW: £3.2 billion worth of Scottish property is held by opaque offshore structures.

This makes it impossible to identify the true owner and raises concerns that transparency loopholes could undermine the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill currently before MSPs.

www.transparency.org.uk/news/researc...
Research reveals £3.2 billion worth of property in Scotland held by opaque offshore trusts
As MSPs debate new land reform legislation, loopholes could hide true owners of land and undermine Government and Parliament’s efforts
www.transparency.org.uk
October 27, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Reposted by Juliet Swann
NEW: £3.2 billion worth of Scottish property is held by opaque offshore structures.

This makes it impossible to identify the true owner and raises concerns that transparency loopholes could undermine the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill currently before MSPs.

www.transparency.org.uk/news/researc...
Research reveals £3.2 billion worth of property in Scotland held by opaque offshore trusts
As MSPs debate new land reform legislation, loopholes could hide true owners of land and undermine Government and Parliament’s efforts
www.transparency.org.uk
October 27, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Secret trust structures could undermine the effective of the accountability measures in the Land Reform Bill. As Stage 3 kicks off, read more…
www.transparency.org.uk/news/researc...
Research reveals £3.2 billion worth of property in Scotland held by opaque offshore trusts
As MSPs debate new land reform legislation, loopholes could hide true owners of land and undermine Government and Parliament’s efforts
www.transparency.org.uk
October 27, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Very much enjoyed Marina Hyde talking to Glen Powell. Can’t think what persuaded her to dust off her interview skills after a decade… 😉😎
October 25, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Great reporting from @willhaycardiff.bsky.social as always. Shocking to read of the abuse and threats he has received for simply doing his job. Much respect Will.

Also, do subscibe to Will's newsletter. Wales is guaranteed to be popcorn worthy for the next few months.
October 24, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Whilst I appreciate the interest in today's Caerphilly by-election - in Wales and beyond - I'd like to take a moment to remember that Hefin David was by all accounts a very lovely man, partner, son and father and I really feel for his family and friends today that his death has prompted this mania.
October 23, 2025 at 9:59 PM
In person with vegan food or online with food from your kitchen!
All welcome.
Fossil fuel companies have an oily grip on our politics 🤝

On Wed 29th Oct, we'll discuss taking action to end fossil fuel lobbying in politics with Paul Dobson @theferret.scot & Juliet Swann & Rose Whiffen from @transparencyuk.bsky.social

Join us in Edinburgh/online: act.foe.scot/nat_meeting_...
October 22, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Reposted by Juliet Swann
⏰ Under 7 hours to go!

Any donations made to support our work via the @biggive.bsky.social link before 6pm today will automatically be doubled.

donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...
Breaking Big Money’s Grip on Politics – Big Give
In 2023 66% of donations to political parties came from just 19 donors. Increasingly, our politics is funded by a small number of super donors. We seek support to make sure those with the deepest poc...
donate.biggive.org
October 21, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Reposted by Juliet Swann
Today's AWS outage, which affected a range of websites and applications—from Signal to Fortnite to key UK government services—reveals the dangers of relying on a handful of Big Tech firms, write Article 19's Corinne Cath and Don Le. These are not glitches; they are democratic failures, they say.
Amazon Cloud Outage Reveals Democratic Deficit in Relying on Big Tech | TechPolicy.Press
The AWS outage demonstrates the need for a fundamental shift in how we think about digital infrastructure, write Corinne Cath and Don Le.
www.techpolicy.press
October 20, 2025 at 2:03 PM
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...
October 20, 2025 at 7:33 PM
If you think this situation should be addressed because wealth shouldn't be able to buy influence, and you can spare a few pounds, then until tomorrow (21st October) your money will be doubled!
donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...
October 20, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Delighted to be invited to speak at this event, and looking forward to all the contributions.
Fossil fuel companies have an oily grip on our politics 🤝

On Wed 29th Oct, we'll discuss taking action to end fossil fuel lobbying in politics with Paul Dobson @theferret.scot & Juliet Swann & Rose Whiffen from @transparencyuk.bsky.social

Join us in Edinburgh/online: act.foe.scot/nat_meeting_...
October 17, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Reposted by Juliet Swann
Survivors of sexual and gender-based violence are being silenced by the very people accused of committing the abuse. 📣Read our new report revealing how abusive legal actions in the UK & Ireland are silencing those who speak out ⬇️
www.indexoncensorship.org/2025/10/the-...
October 16, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Reposted by Juliet Swann
At SNP Conference we hosted a packed fringe with @theferret.scot on land ownership transparency in Scotland.

We looked at offshore ownership and whether current rules are working.

Watch @muteswann.bsky.social share key takeaways from the event.
October 15, 2025 at 4:28 PM
For the next week, if you donate to
@transparencyuk.bsky.social
we get DOUBLE THE MONEY! What a great deal!
If you think tackling corruption & pushing for better standards in political life is important, do consider donating. I'd appreciate it 💓
donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...
Breaking Big Money’s Grip on Politics – Big Give
In 2023 66% of donations to political parties came from just 19 donors. Increasingly, our politics is funded by a small number of super donors. We seek support to make sure those with the deepest poc...
donate.biggive.org
October 14, 2025 at 2:40 PM