Taking Stock of the UK Tech Policy 'Muddle'
Justin Hendrix / Aug 2, 2026Audio of this conversation is available via your favorite podcast service.
The United Kingdom has a new prime minister, and as Tech Policy Press fellow James Ball reported last week, he has already moved to put his mark on tech policy—scrapping a scheme for digital ID, shuttering the Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), shifting the Government Digital Service (GDS) to the Department of Culture, Media, and Sports, and reshuffling responsibility for AI policy.
To learn more about how the table is being set under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, I spoke to three individuals who are following these matters closely:
- James Ball, a journalist and fellow at Tech Policy Press;
- Gavin Freeguard, the founder director of a new think tank called State of the Future; and
- Rachel Coldicutt, the founder and executive director of Careful Industries.
A transcript is forthcoming.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham speaking during a visit to a family center in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, on Friday, July 31, 2026. (Annabel Lee-Ellis/PA Wire POLITICS)
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