Silicon Valley Firms Engage UK Government Through Ex-Politicians Amid Growing AI Industry
Nvidia hosted a London state-visit party highlighting AI as part of a “new industrial revolution,” with CEO Jensen Huang announcing investments and appearing on stage with Labour leader Keir Starmer, who received an inscribed AI processing unit as a gift.
The event highlighted the close ties between Westminster and Silicon Valley, with several ministers including Liz Kendall and Peter Kyle attending. This revolving-door dynamic sees former politicians moving into significant roles within leading technology companies.
OpenAI exemplifies this trend, having hired former chancellor George Osborne, who joined the company to help embed OpenAI technology into public systems globally. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also took advisory roles with Anthropic and Microsoft in October, while Liam Booth-Smith joined Anthropic. Former Liberal Democrat deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, after years at Meta, is now an AI investor reportedly having earned tens of millions during his time at the company.
Tony Blair’s Institute has been lobbying for digital ID initiatives, partly funded by Larry Ellison’s Oracle foundation, with Kirsty Innes acting as a special adviser to Liz Kendall.
The Commons science, innovation and technology select committee is monitoring this revolving door, expressing concerns over potential regulatory capture as former high-level officials transition into tech roles.
Beyond these political links, Palantir is expanding its influence in the UK by engaging with health trusts, police, and local councils. Their UK communications are led by a former Downing Street strategic communications chief.
The UK’s appeal to AI firms is driven by comparatively looser regulations than the EU, strong universities, and a reputable AI safety institute. This environment also supports government positions like AI ambassadors Raia Hadsell and Tom Blomfield, and public digital consultancies winning contracts, further entwining government and AI industry interests.
