WIREDGOV

This year’s reception brought together leaders from policing, justice, fire and industry for an afternoon of discussion on the role of data and technology in improving public safety outcomes

Today we’ve published the latest figures for complaints we’ve received about the UK’s major providers of landline, mobile, broadband and pay-TV services.

Around 530 people in England will benefit from access to the Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment givinostat, following the successful negotiation of a commercial deal to make the medicine available on the NHS.

The abundance of oil deposits in Somalia has lured interest from Turkey, deepening the Mogadishu-Ankara relationship.

Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones visits Ukraine to address the United for Justice Conference.

Ofcom recently (05 May 2026) awarded small-scale DAB multiplex licences for six more areas across the UK.

The Democracy Defenders Award recognises the contribution civil society makes to promoting democracy in the OSCE region. PromoLex promotes democratic values, developing a strong civil society and implementing internationally recognised human rights standards in Moldova (07 May 2026).

YPO continues to support local communities through its annual £10,000 Social Value Fund, delivered as part of its Social Value and Sustainability Strategy and in partnership with Corona Energy.

Post poll statement given yesterday 07 May 2026.

A haulage company boss who used his business as cover for transporting cocaine has been jailed following a National Crime Agency investigation.

Today’s generation of teenagers are growing up worried about their futures and uncertain about voting in the next general election, the Children’s Commissioner will warn today, as she launches her final large scale national survey to ask children what it’s like to be a child in England today.

The UAE has emerged as Israel’s most operationally significant Arab partner. But, for now, the relationship is no guarantee of wider regional integration.

FDA General Secretary Dave Penman has responded to report from The Telegraph claiming that civil servants in HMRC and the Land Registry have been “faking office attendance”.

Ofsted's National Director for Education, Lee Owston, spoke at the Schools and Academies Show in London.

Over the last two years, a team of volunteers have transcribed The National Archives’ records of registered designs from 1885–1888. Jessie O’Keeffe worked on this project and reflected on why these records matter below.

Costa Rica to join UK as member of £13 trillion in GDP global trade bloc.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing the way organisations approach resilience, crisis management, and emergency planning. 

The UK Government and European Commission gave a statement after the Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework meeting.

Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones MP addresses the United for Justice Conference in Kyiv.

Statement given yesterday by Jess Jambert-Gray, Deputy Political Coordinator, at the UN Security Council meeting on Sudan and South Sudan.

The risk that AI-enabled vulnerability discovery tools will be misused is real. How can the UK minimise its strategic dependence and stay capable in cyber defence?

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's statement to mark eighty-one years since VE Day.

The Crown Prosecution Service has today announced Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, 57, and Scott Drewitt-Barlow, 32, both from Danbury, Essex, have been charged with arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation, as well as sexual offences including rape.

Businesses see processing times slashed in groundbreaking new trial.

The UK condemns Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which is a direct attack on the security architecture built after the Second World War.

Two men have been convicted of assisting a foreign intelligence service by conducting unauthorised information‑gathering and unlawful surveillance in the UK to benefit China.

The Government has responded to the Transport Committee’s report on skills for transport manufacturing without fully committing to any new measures focused on sector-specific recommendations. 

A new report from WWF has laid out how UK supermarkets can credibly claim reductions in emissions from soy, a key feed crop for poultry, pigs and farmed salmon. 

IOPC Director Amanda Rowe commented, following the acquittal yesterday (7 May) of Greater Manchester Police officer PC Mark Burrows, who was on trial for causing death by dangerous driving in connection with the death of Heather Smedley

The co-founder of clothing company Superdry has been jailed for eight years for raping a woman after a night out. 

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is announcing the appointment of Luke Ashton as the new Director General for Digital, Data and Technology. 

The Speaker, Assembly Members and Assembly Committees will take part in a series of public engagement activities at the Balmoral Show next week, providing visitors with opportunities to learn more about the work of the Assembly.

We’re now recruiting for our new Pathways Trainee Programme.

A West Yorkshire Police (WYP) officer who provided misleading accounts for speeding offences she committed has pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice following an investigation directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct’s Anti-Corruption Unit.

Recently the Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza spoke to Jewish children to hear about the impact of anti-Jewish racism in the wake of recent violence.

The challenge of youth disengagement is becoming harder to ignore. In the UK 957,000 16-24 year olds are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET), with 411,000 unemployed and 547,000 economically inactive.

Blog posted by: Steph Rowe, GDS Senior Events Manager, 5 May 2026 – Digital, Data and Technology, Events.

Takaichi is doubling down on the strategic bet made by Abe, that the benefits of a more self-reliant defence posture and engaged international security role outweigh the costs.

techUK has submitted its response to the Department for Education's Call for Evidence on the use of AI and digital technology in children's social care.

In just eight months’ time, in January 2027, the copper network that powers traditional landline phones is expected to be switched off, and the Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) is supporting calls to government and industry to push back the deadline to 2030.

An evaluation of how NHS public information supports decision-making about screening tests in pregnancy.

A statement from the Foreign Secretary on the Hantavirus outbreak.

RUSI and the National Cyber Force are renewing the UK Cyber Effects Network, a joint initiative focused on developing and maintaining a community of interest on offensive cyber and cyber effects operations.

China will not displace the US as regional security guarantor, but it could play an important role building a new regional order, as Gulf states rethink their security strategies.

Blog posted by: Steven Kelly, 6 May 2026 – a great place to work, collaboration, Our Culture, Our People, Our services, Technology, Technology Adoption.

NPL spun out K3 Metrology to commercialise Metralis – a real-time, traceable measurement technology for advanced manufacturing – with support from the GOTT.

The efforts by the US and Iran to interfere with the flow of oil and gas from the Gulf mirror each other in their intent to affect any final settlement.

UK Counsellor, Ankur Narayan, warns that such actions violate international humanitarian law and undermine OSCE norms built since the Second World War to maintain security. Russia must cease these attacks immediately and to agree to a ceasefire as a first step towards a just and lasting peace (06 May 2026).

UK Armed Forces personnel will be better protected from enemy interference with navigation systems through the development of innovative new technology.

A director of two companies which supported a scheme allowing business owners to keep their assets while dropping their debts has been disqualified.

Comments made last week by Fintan Slye, chief executive of the National Energy System Operator (NESO), at the Aurora Spring Forum have attracted attention. 

Recipients of The King’s Awards for Enterprise announced, celebrating the achievements of outstanding businesses from across the UK

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's remarks at the No10 Tackling Antisemitism Forum (05 May 2026).

The digital skills landscape is undergoing a significant realignment. Over recent years, the conversation has moved on from simply building digital systems towards something more complex: how they are operated, governed, and protected at scale.  

Statement given yesterday by Jess Jambert-Gray, Deputy Political Coordinator, at the UN Arria meeting on protecting medical care in conflict amid evolving threats.

The government is right to address the dire situation facing criminal courts but there is considerable uncertainty attached to the proposed reforms.

Find out how Staffordshire based SME Nuvoli is helping NHS Trusts move to sustainable mobile management solutions through a GCA agreement

An Army Cadet who threatened to ‘ruin prom’ and had bomb-making videos and a terrorist manual has been sentenced to four years and six months for terrorism, stalking offences and making indecent images of children.  

Your Place discusses its innovative congregate Housing First model and its transformative outcomes for residents. Their CEO, Amanda Dubarry, will be speaking in more detail on the subject at a workshop session at Homeless Link's Under One Roof conference in June.

Latest information on cases including British nationals.

Prolonged conflict in the Middle East could cost the Treasury up to £8 billion a year through higher debt interest payments and lost tax revenue

Public Health Wales has written to parents and carers who have children in primary schools in Barry to ask them to ensure that they and their children are extra careful with handwashing, because of an outbreak of Hepatitis A in the town. This is a viral infection that affects the liver, that in most cases is a mild illness, that most people make a full recovery from without long term health problems.    

A statement from the Foreign Secretary on the Hantavirus outbreak

In 2025, multiple national strategies linked the NHS, the life sciences sector and economic growth more explicitly than before. A core aspect to the strategies is the use of novel innovation to transform the NHS. 

The Met Office has joined forces with Microsoft to launch the South West Connector Platform, in collaboration with the South West Institute of Technology (SWIoT) and Tech South West.

The Welsh Government has agreed in principle to the UK Government’s proposal to cap interest rates on Plan 2 and Plan 3 student loans at 6% from September 2026, for the 2026 to 2027 academic year.

Poor planning and weak communication around asylum hotels are fuelling tensions in communities across England, according to new research from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).  

The Welsh Food Advisory Committee of the Food Standards Agency is holding its next meeting in Cathays Park, Cardiff, on 18 May 2026. This hybrid meeting will focus on enhancing the understanding of Future of Food Regulation.

Following the publication of financial reportingLink is external by PayPal Holdings Inc, we can confirm we are investigating Mastercard, PayPal and Visa under Chapter I in the Competition Act 1998, and Mastercard and Visa under Chapter II in the Competition Act 1998, for suspected anti-competitive conduct linked to the funding and usage of PayPal’s digital wallet.

Voters across England are being urged to remember that they’ll need to bring an accepted form of photo ID to the polling station to vote in tomorrow’s elections.

Transport for London (TfL) has introduced even more features to the free TfL Go app, designed to provide mobile-friendly and accessible travel information to customers travelling across London.

We have published new guidance to help public authorities confidently handle Freedom of Information (FOI) requests that involve the use of artificial intelligence (AI). 

Updated legal guidance to speed up charging decisions in hate crime cases was published yesterday as the Crown Prosecution Service steps up efforts to tackle the rise in antisemitic incidents.

National care home provider Barchester Healthcare supports 13,800 residents and patients across 268 homes and hospitals spread across the country, with 19,000 staff and an estimated 50,000 regular visitors.

Victims of serious and sexual crimes to receive improved guidance and support in the Service Justice System

Up to £6.5 million is available across 2 grants to boost 

A man who was given an indeterminate sentence with a minimum term of three years in 2010, but who remains in prison, has had his sentence referred to the Court of Appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). 

Funding will help develop a numberplate ID system for drones, helping police better protect UK skies and prosecute illegal users.

The change follows a landmark guideline published jointly in 2024 by NICE, the British Thoracic Society (BTS) and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN).

Businesses urged to take simple steps for smoother trade with the EU

Olympia, London's newest entertainment destination, is funding 16 extra peak‑time services per weekday on the Mildmay line between Clapham Junction and Shepherd's Bush.

Ofqual's Chief Regulator urges students not to take mobile phones or smart devices into exam halls as the summer 2026 GCSE and A Level series begins.

Building on the European Political Community Summit (EPC) in Copenhagen last year, European leaders reaffirmed critical lines of effort on upstream migration in Armenia.

Provisional Met Office statistics show that April 2026 was drier, warmer and sunnier than average across the UK, although conditions varied by region.

The Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) is inviting organisations to be considered for the 2026 UK Digital Inclusion Awards, with new and existing signatories to the Charter for Digital Inclusion able to take part ahead of the 30 June 2026 deadline.

Ultra Electronics Holdings Ltd (previously PLC) accepts responsibility for failure to prevent bribery and will pay millions to the taxpayer as a penalty.

The Environment Agency has blocked access to land in Lancashire to prevent the illegal dumping of waste.

Commanders will better coordinate surveillance, targeting and weapons across platforms and uncrewed systems.

At Bournemouth and Poole College, adult education is about supporting people to build confidence, develop new skills and create meaningful progression opportunities – whether that is for personal growth, wellbeing or career advancement. 

Address and street data sits quietly underneath almost every public service decision—but when it’s wrong, out of date, or inconsistent, the impact is immediate: delayed services, duplicated effort, and missed opportunities to join data up properly.

YPO has received Feefo’s Gold Trusted Service Award, recognising the consistently high standard of customer service it provides to schools, local authorities and other public sector organisations.

Free talks with charities and organisations supporting women's mental health on Wednesday 6 May will raise awareness and provide an open, safe space for conversations around maternal mental health.

Joint Declaration on a Strategic Partnership between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Armenia.

NHS commissioned services should operate fairly, transparently and with clear clinical rationale, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has said following an investigation which found that an NHS body denied women, but not men, NHS funding for sterilisation.  

Report assesses impact of the conflict in the Middle East on fuel prices and margins until the end of March 2026.

Minister of State at the Home Office, Dan Jarvis MP, Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist of the Metropolitan Police and radio presenter Nick Ferrari addressed a conference at RUSI about the theft of vehicles by organised criminal gangs.

Farmers failed to properly store slurry in three separate cases, two of which led to pollution incidents.

National Threat Level increased to SEVERE following Golders Green attack and increasing threat of Islamist and Extreme Right Wing terrorism in the UK.

For many professionals, business development is about building relationships and supporting partners. But for Jaymie Littlemore-Smith, an Account Manager at NCFE, combining those relationships with data-driven insight has helped unlock new opportunities to support both colleagues and customers.

There are no immediate supply issues, but government is preparing now to give families long-term certainty and avoid unnecessary disruption.

A report on the feasibility of potential options for improved collection and management of end-of-life gear, based on information gathered from an industry engagement project.

Government Commercial Agency (GCA) is an enhanced executive agency that will come into operation from 1 April 2026.

At ESPO, we aim to make public sector procurement as simple as possible for our customers. Our procurement frameworks ensure a quick and compliant route to sourcing products and services that meet the ever-changing needs of our customers.

Israel and the US’s targeting of Iran’s supply chain routes are starting to have a discernible impact on Russia’s long-term infrastructure plans.

Government funding to tackle antisemitism and support Jewish communities.

Tens of thousands of patients could benefit from a ‘rapid’ new immunotherapy jab on the NHS for over a dozen different cancers, which can be given in just 60 seconds.

The UK has announced a raft of new sanctions to curb production of Russian drones and the nefarious networks that are exploiting vulnerable migrants from across the globe to support Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.

Welcome to Building the Smarter State Week 2026! This week will feature blogs from techUK members in the run up to our Building the Smarter State conference on Wednesday 13 May.

GAD helped the Ministry of Justice understand how climate change could affect its services, finances and estate, supporting better long-term planning.

The UK military and Gulf partners will be better protected against drone attacks following the successful testing of new British-built Skyhammer interceptor missiles and launchers in Jordan.

Hundreds of UK business leaders will travel to the US later this month as part of the largest ever UK trade mission to the country, building on the success of the State Visit of Their Majesties the King and Queen.

An assessment of the current and potential future recycling capacity in Scotland, able to deal with the known and likely volumes of end-of-life gear produced annually from the fishing and aquaculture sectors.

Stephen Parkinson, Director of Public Prosecutions, reacted to the recent antisemitic incidents

A former Met Police officer is due to appear in court next week charged with multiple fraud and corruption-related offences, following an investigation directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to 23 years after being convicted of multiple sexual abuse offences involving seven children.

Dame Vera Baird KC, Chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), has welcomed the appointment to the organisation of six more Commissioners, announced recently [1 May 2026 – Appointment of Commissioners of the Criminal Cases Review Commission – GOV.UK].

Germany is ready to rearm, but faces many political challenges to achieve strategic leadership.

A prison tutor has been sentenced for misconduct in public office after entering an inappropriate relationship with a prisoner at HMP Erlestoke in Wiltshire.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has informed a Merseyside Police officer they are under criminal investigation following a collision on the M53 that left a man in a critical condition.

The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has responded to a report by MPs laying bare South East Water’s failures around the handling of disruption to thousands of customers’ water supply in Tunbridge Wells.

Britain already levies more as a share of GDP in wealth and wealth-related taxes than any other OECD country, making the case for a new wealth tax weaker here than anywhere else in the developed world, according to a new paper from the Institute of Economic Affairs.

Suffolk Constabulary’s approach to the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, also known as Clare’s Law, is inadequate, the police inspectorate has said.

On 29 April 2026, the English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill received Royal Assent. This means that it has passed all stages of its parliamentary progress, through the House of Commons and House of Lords and has become law, as the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act.

1st May 2026 marks the day Phase 1 of the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force. 

Dr Maya Singer Hobbs, senior research fellow at IPPR, responded to the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act 

The final total of voters registered for the Scottish Parliament election is 4,320,981 – a record number for a Scottish Parliament election.  

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has begun an investigation into the death of a man who fell from a river bridge in Chippenham, Wiltshire, following police contact.

The final UKRI applicant-led funding opportunities are now open following a temporary pause to enable the move to an ‘always open’ funding approach.

The Work Foundation at Lancaster University responded to the Sickness absence in the UK labour market figures for 2025 released by the Office for National Statistics. Asli Atay, Senior Policy Advisor, the Work Foundation at Lancaster University commented: