In a scathing critique, crossbench peer Beeban Kidron has accused Keir Starmer's government of failing to hold big tech accountable, handing over democratic control over data and infrastructure to Silicon Valley. Writing in an opinion piece, Kidron argues that the Labour government has reversed its pre-election commitments on child safety, copyright, and public data, succumbing to intense lobbying from the tech sector.
Lobbying success: Big tech writes its own rules
Kidron highlights that powerful tech interests use limitless cash to fund thinktanks, friendly research, and armies of lawyers and consultants, spinning a narrative that technology is too complicated to regulate and too important to refuse. The result is a world where big tech writes the rules, not democratically elected governments.
Since 2025, the UK government has signed multiple memorandums of understanding without scrutiny, pledged to discount energy costs for datacentres benefiting US multinationals, opened tenders for military satellites to a US company for the first time, and given access to highly sensitive data in health and defence to Palantir, a company with a history of citizen surveillance. According to an insider, the government was "swaddled" by lobbying from the very beginning.
Impact on children, workers, and democracy
Kidron points to the impact of the tech sector on mental health services, education time, UK businesses, and creative industries, all with economic and social costs. She argues that the real choice is between imposing our rules or living under terms of service set by Silicon Valley. The government has given up our democratic right to set the terms under which we use technology, and with it any national control over infrastructure and critical services.
Three commitments for a new deal
Kidron calls on the incoming Labour leadership to make three unequivocal commitments: first, any tech deployed in the UK will respect the privacy, rights and safety of children; second, precious data of the BBC, NHS, and UK innovators will be used to benefit the UK; third, invest in key UK infrastructure so no US company can exert influence over defence, security, or government decisions. She concludes that without solving this issue, no leader will be truly in control of the country.
