Tag: united kingdom

UK, US Sign $42 Billion Tech Deal To Boost AI Partnership

The United Kingdom and the United States struck a technology pact on Sept. 16 that would bring $42 billion in investments from U.S. tech giants into the UK’s AI infrastructure.

The deal was reached as President Donald Trump arrived in the UK for a two-day state visit, during which he is expected to meet King Charles and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Under the “Tech Prosperity Deal,” the two nations agreed to cooperate in advancing AI, quantum computing, and nuclear technology, according to a statement issued by the UK government.

Major U.S. tech companies—Microsoft, Nvidia, Google, OpenAI, and CoreWeave—will invest in the UK’s AI infrastructure, including data centers and computer chips, as part of the agreement.

The deal is expected to generate more than 5,000 jobs in the northeast of England, which the UK government said will become a new AI growth zone.

The two countries will collaborate on research schemes to further the use of AI to allow for “targeted treatments and other shared priorities like fusion energy,” according to the statement.

This could lead to “life-changing breakthroughs like developing targeted treatments for those suffering with cancer or rare and chronic diseases,” the UK government said.

“This Tech Prosperity Deal marks a generational step change in our relationship with the U.S., shaping the futures of millions of people on both sides of the Atlantic, and delivering growth, security and opportunity up and down the country,” Starmer said.

The deal includes a $30 billion investment from Microsoft over four years, its largest commitment in the UK.

The company stated in a blog post that the funding will help develop the country’s “largest supercomputer,” which will be equipped with more than 23,000 advanced AI chips.

Under the U.S.–UK tech pact, Nvidia will partner with UK companies to deploy 120,000 advanced GPU chips across the country, marking its largest rollout in Europe to date, according to the statement.

“Today marks a historic chapter in U.S. – United Kingdom technology collaboration,” Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang said.

OpenAI said it will team up with British company Nscale and Nvidia to launch a Stargate UK project to boost the UK’s sovereign computing capabilities, as part of the tech pact.

The UK and the United States signed a trade agreement in June on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada. The deal still left UK steel and aluminum subject to 25 percent tariffs, rates that the UK government is working to reduce.

Speaking to reporters before departing for the UK on Sept. 16, Trump indicated that he was willing to further negotiate trade with the UK government.

“They want to see if they can refine the trade deal a little bit. We made a deal, and it’s a great deal. And I’m into helping them,” the president told reporters.

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BBC Media Action: Britain’s overseas info warfare unit

Leaked documents reveal how a shadowy BBC unit is “embedding” staff in foreign media outlets to “contest the information space” and generate “behaviour change” in favor of London’s geopolitical objectives.

Though BBC Media Action (BBCMA) portrays itself as the “international charity” of the British state broadcaster, files show the group frequently carries out politically-charged projects overseas with government funding. Furthermore, the group consistently trades upon the BBC’s reputation and its intimate “links” with the British state broadcaster when pitching for contracts with donors, including the Foreign Office, which operates in tandem with MI6.

The leaks reveal that BBCMA’s work is explicitly “driven by a social and behaviour change communication approach.” The organization’s “project design” is informed by “psychology, social psychology, sociology, education and communication,” and consideration of “the specific factors that can be influenced by media and communication that could lead to changes in behaviours, social norms and systems” in foreign countries. Which is to say, BBCMA is concerned with psychological warfare, warping perceptions and driving action among target audiences.

“We recognise that different formats achieve different things when it comes to change… and consider audience needs, objectives and operational context when deciding which format to use,” BBCMA asserts in one file. In another, the organization crows, “people exposed to our programming are more likely to: have higher levels of knowledge on governance issues; to discuss politics more; to have higher internal efficacy (the feeling that they are able to do something); and participate frequently in politics.”

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Britain Bans Israelis From Prestigious Military Academy

Israelis have been barred from one of Britain’s top defence academies because of the war in Gaza. The Telegraph has the story.

The Royal College of Defence Studies will not accept students from Israel from next year, the Government confirmed.

Amir Baram, the Director General of Israel’s Defence ministry, who studied at the college, said the decision was “a profoundly dishonourable act of disloyalty to an ally at war”.

In a letter to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), shared with the Telegraph, he called it a “discriminatory act” that amounted to a “disgraceful break with Britain’s proud tradition of tolerance – and plain decency”.

It is the first time that the college has excluded Israelis.

Maj Gen Baram said the decision came at a time when Israel was “defending international shipping from Houthi aggression, preventing nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of an Islamist regime that chants ‘Death to England’, and fighting to bring home 48 hostages from Hamas captivity”. …

An MoD spokesman said British military educational courses had long been open to personnel from a “wide range of countries, with all UK military courses emphasising compliance with international humanitarian law”.

He added: “However, the Israeli Government’s decision to further escalate its military operation in Gaza is wrong.” …

The Israeli Ministry of Defence said that the ban was on all Israeli citizens enrolling, not just soldiers. …

The exclusion of Israelis from the college is the latest in a string of punitive actions against Israel taken by Downing Street.

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Protest as 200-year-old oak trees face chop to save house built in 1980s… with villagers accusing insurance giant of ‘eco-terrorism’

Planted in George III’s reign, the three oaks have stood side by side for more than two centuries.

But now two of the trio – known as the Billingshurst Sisters – could be felled over claims they have damaged a nearby house built in the 1980s.

Insurance giant AXA said their roots have caused cracks and subsidence in the home in the West Sussex village and that the 90ft-high trees must be axed.

The firm has overturned a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) and has sought permission to chop them down from the landowner, Billingshurst Parish Council.

However, furious villagers branded the move ‘eco-terrorism’ and urged the council to oppose the application. Their fate will be decided at a meeting tomorrow.

Campaigners accuse AXA of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut – and failing to properly investigate the subsidence.

They say that shallow foundations or other factors may instead be to blame. More than 2,500 villagers have now signed a petition to save the oaks.

Gabi Barrett, who launched the petition, said the trees are ‘vital to the community’s ecosystem’.

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EPSTEIN CURSE IN THE UK: Fired US Ambassador Lord Peter Mandelson Is Ousted From His Own Lobbying Firm, Loses University of Manchester Honors

A reduced version of Prince Andrew’s fall from grace is ongoing with Mandelson.

Like we have been reporting here on TGP since December 2024, the long and close relationship between Labour peer Lord Peter Mandelson and the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein made him a very poor choice for a British Ambassador to the US – not to talk about his reportedly shady EU and China ties.

In January, reports arose of pushback on the part of the Donald J. Trump administration, who much preferred Dame Karen Pierce as the Washington envoy.

These reports have partially been confirmed since Trump invited Pierce to a state banquet during his upcoming UK state visit – and not Mandelson.

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Putin deploys his strategic nuclear bombers as UN warns world is ‘staring into the abyss of WW3’ and UK prepares to help Nato fortify its eastern front against Russian attack

Vladimir Putin has deployed strategic nuclear bombers as the UN warns the world is ‘staring into the abyss of a Third World War’ – and the UK prepares to help fortify Nato‘s eastern front against Russian attack. 

The Russian president has launched the Tu-22M3 aircrafts in a renewed show of aggression – which the UN security council warned could escalate into global conflict. 

Footage shows Kremlin long-range aviation forces carrying out an air strike on a ‘simulated’ enemy, with the aim of ‘disrupting the control system and destroying critical objects’. 

Bastion complexes from the Russian archipelago of Franz Josef Land, which lies in the Arctic Ocean, struck the target in the Arctic with Onyx missiles as part of a drill. 

And just today, Putin taunted the West again by deploying hulking nuclear-capable Iskander missile launchers close to Russia’s border with Poland.  

It comes after the Kremlin flew attack drones into Polish airspace earlier this week which it had to shoot down on Tuesday night with the help of its Nato allies. 

Poland closed its border with Belarus as the UN security council was warned of the dire risk of a new world war. 

Nato was forced to urgently strengthen its eastern defences – efforts the UK will join. 

Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte said on Friday military activity under ‘Eastern Sentry’ would start in the coming days and involve assets from the UK, as well as allies including France and Germany. 

‘In addition to more traditional military capabilities, this effort will also feature elements designed to address the particular challenges associated with the use of drones,’ Mr Rutte said.

The operation will bolster Nato’s posture and add flexibility to its approach, he said.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: ‘The UK is fully committed to playing our part in Nato’s Eastern Sentry following the reckless and dangerous airspace violations by Russia.

‘We will provide further detail on the UK Armed Forces contribution soon.’

Putin’s deployment of nuclear bombers comes as part of its four-day Zapad-2025 exercises – annual drills in the Arctic, Belarus and Russia to test the defensive readiness of the Union State, the alliance between the latter two nations. 

They are seen as a challenge to Nato in all three locations. 

The war games will also see troops drill the use of nuclear missiles from the West’s doorstep in Belarus, Russia’s authoritarian neighbour. 

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Harry Miller Accused of Hate Crime – for Tweet Celebrating Dismissal of Trans Police Officer Who Stalked Him

Harry Miller, a former police officer who now campaigns for free speech, was accused of a hate crime by police for a tweet celebrating the dismissal of a trans police officer who had stalked him. The Telegraph has the story.

Harry Miller, a former police officer who now campaigns for free speech, was questioned under caution by Lincolnshire Police for a tweet welcoming the officer’s removal.

Mr Miller had been the victim of a sustained campaign of harassment by Lynsay Watson, a transgender constable with the Leicestershire force who was the complainant behind the arrest last week of Graham Linehan, the comedy writer.

Watson was sacked for gross misconduct in October 2023 after being found guilty of sending more than 1,200 messages to Mr Miller over an 18-month period, branding him a “Nazi”, a “bigot” and “wife beater”.

Mr Miller, who set up the Fair Cop campaign group to remove politics from policing, posted a tweet welcoming the decision. However, in November 2024, more than a year later, he was accused of having committed a criminal offence over the wording of the tweet and questioned under caution.

He was accused of having impersonated the Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police in his online remarks, seemingly because the offending tweet began: “Statement re the dismissal of PC Watson from @leicspolice”. The detective sergeant who interviewed him suggested the post read as though it was a statement being issued on behalf of Leicestershire Police.

Mr Miller was also accused of misgendering Watson in an article he had written about his stalking ordeal for the Critic magazine.

He was informed he was being questioned on suspicion of a breach of the Online Safety Act, which makes it a criminal offence to send a message knowing it to be false and intending it cause non-trivial psychological or physical harm without a reasonable excuse.

The Online Safety Act gained Royal Assent on October 26th 2023, the day before Mr Miller posted the tweet, but did not become law until January 31st last year, so could not have been applied in this case.

Mr Miller was subsequently released with no further action.

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“Art Must Always Tell The Truth”

Popular artist Banksy created a graffiti mural in London depicting the current state of the UK censorship system using the courts to trample the rights of British citizens…

As ‘sundance’ writes at TheConservativeTreeHouse.com, it did not take long for the authorities to cover the mural and eventually attempt to remove it.

I particularly like the fact the govt turned the CCTV camera, so they can monitor who might visit the scene of the criminal dissent.

Apparently, the British government doesn’t quite see the irony.

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Online Safety Act: Ofcom’s super-complaints scheme will be used to censor “emerging online harms”

Introduction

Ofcom is a public corporation accountable to the UK Parliament.  It is the UK’s regulator for communications services.  It regulates the UK’s broadband, home phone and mobile services, TV, radio and video on demand services, oversees the universal postal service and looks after the airwaves used by wireless devices such as cordless phones, walkie-talkies and even some car keys and doorbells.

With the introduction of the Online Safety Act (“the Act”) in 2023, Ofcom became the regulator for online safety.  The aim is that Ofcom will become the online regulator not only in the UK but globally.

The Act gives Ofcom the powers they need to take appropriate action against all companies in scope, no matter where they are based, where services have relevant links with the UK. This means services with a significant number of UK users or where UK users are a target market, as well as other services which have in-scope content that presents a risk of significant harm to people in the UK.Online Safety Act: explainer, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, UK Government, 24 April 2025

What are Super-Complaints?

A super-complaint is a formal mechanism established under the Online Safety Act that allows designated organisations to raise concerns about systemic issues affecting users of regulated online services.  Unlike individual complaints, super-complaints focus on broad, emerging trends or widespread problems across multiple platforms, rather than isolated incidents. 

Eligible entities, such as consumer protection bodies or organisations representing users, can submit these complaints to trigger a specific regulatory response from Ofcom.  The super-complaints regime is designed to complement Ofcom’s own research and horizon scanning, a forward-looking assessment of emerging risks and trends in digital services.

“The super-complaints regime, in line with the Act and recent Government regulations … will enable eligible entities to raise systemic issues that arise across services or, in exceptional circumstances, on one service, to our attention. We expect to consult on draft guidance for potential super-complainants in September 2025 and publish our final guidance in early 2026,” Ofcom’s roadmap to regulation of “online safety” states.

From November 2023 to 11 January 2024, the Government ran a public consultation on the eligible entity criteria and procedure for super-complaints.  The Government’s response to the consultation was published on 9 June 2025; the Ministerial Foreword by Baroness Maggie Jones stated:

The objective of the super-complaints regime is to ensure that eligible entities can make complaints to Ofcom, as regulator, to make them aware of existing or emerging online harms. This will also support Ofcom’s horizon scanning function, supporting Ofcom in taking an agile approach to regulating online harms.

Once approved by both Houses of Parliament, the super-complaints regime will come into force on 31 December 2025.Ministerial Foreword, Consultation Outcome: Super-complaints eligible entity criteria and procedural requirements: government response, UK Government, 9 June 2025

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Revealed: Keir Starmer edited manual on interpreting human rights laws that prevent Britain from deporting small boat migrants

Sir Keir Starmer edited the manual on how to interpret the human rights laws that are preventing Britain from deporting small-boat migrants.

The Prime Minister edited a guide on the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in 1999 when he was a human rights lawyer.

A copy of the book revealed Sir Keir hailed the Human Rights Act as having ‘enormous potential’ and representing a ‘new way of thinking’ about the law.

It came as the Attorney General yesterday ruled out leaving the ECHR and claimed it would be counterproductive for Britain to leave the Convention to tackle illegal migration.

Appearing before the Lords constitution committee, Lord Hermer said ministers would leave ‘no stone unturned’ on the issue. Yet he went on: ‘The Prime Minister has been absolutely crystal clear that we will not be leaving the ECHR.

‘There are a number of reasons for that, but at the heart of it is because it would be completely contrary to the national interest of this country were we to do so.’

Lord Hermer said the UK would only be able to tackle illegal migration by cooperating with Europe if it remains compliant with the ECHR.

‘To leave, as some people are now advocating, would be entirely counterproductive if what we are seeking is not rhetorical answers but real, practical answers,’ he added.

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