Phew! What a week in the world of policy. Even without Trump’s tariffs, there is more than enough fodder to write about – from welfare reforms, to growing concerns over the Employment Rights Bill, to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill being revealed, and half a dozen other things besides.
We’ll get into each of these at some point. But today, I want to write about One Login. Well, more precisely, I want to encourage you to read James O’Malley’s excellent article on why the new GOV.UK login system is the first step in a radical transformation of the British state.
Inspired by the successful Government Digital Service (GDS), established in 2011, the UK has now launched a new Digital Centre of Government, bringing various digital initiatives under one coherent strategy. O’Malley contrasts this careful evolution with Elon Musk’s “bull in a china shop approach” to DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency).
One Login aims to consolidate hundreds of government logins into a single credential. Currently accessible for services like veteran ID cards and DBS checks, major services such as Universal Credit and HMRC remain separate for cautionary reasons.
For businesses, this means a lot less bureaucracy. For example, as I’ve been writing for years now, in Estonia it is estimated that these sorts of reforms save business owners around 12 million hours every year. (Given there are around 36 British companies for every Estonian one, an – admittedly very crude – estimate for time that could be saved here would be approximately 430 million hours per year!)
A key ambition is the ‘once-only’ principle, meaning you’ll only have to submit your information once, leaving government responsible for updating records across departments automatically – similar to the existing ‘Tell Us Once’ service used for death notifications. This is, as I wrote in our essay collection endorsed by Tony Blair and Stripe’s Patrick Collison, “the way of the future.”
Do read O’Malley’s piece to get the full breadth of the potential. But ambition is one thing, and reality is another. The first hurdle will be ensuring these aspirations aren’t dented by the upcoming Spending Review.
n+1 = innovation
Following the announcement that former Science Minister Lord Willetts has been appointed as Chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO), this week was perfect timing to publish my interview with John Fingleton CBE to get his perspectives on how Britain should go about regulating markets in a way that encourages more innovation and economic growth.
I first heard John speak when he was head of the Office of Fair Trading (the precursor to the Competition and Markets Authority) and have followed his insights on all things regulation for years.
Our conversation covered what it would take for RIO to hit the ground running – how it should work with other bodies, how regulators can embrace risk in a risk-averse society, and how regulators should approach the AI sector.
Sense on Security
We’re delighted to welcome Julia O’Toole, Co-CEO of MyCena, as an Adviser. Combining mathematics and neuroscience, she spent over 20 years researching cybersecurity gaps, creating a pioneering mathematical model that eliminates human-managed credentials and prevents credential-based attacks. Her expertise combines advanced encryption, cybersecurity practices, and practical business solutions for digital safety.
Julia thinks: “If the UK government aligned their policies with innovative companies’ needs, improved connections between entrepreneurs and resources, and optimised procurement and grant processes, it could enable more technological advancement, driving growth, jobs, and competitiveness.”
We couldn’t agree more. Drop me a message if you’re keen to join as an Adviser.
One More Week
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