More on Starmer's Science Secretary who threatened to shut down X earlier this week:
This is Peter Kyle. He's in charge UK tech policy and he may be one of the most conflicted figures in Westminster.
A case in point...
In February, his department awarded a £2,300,000 contract to Faculty AI—the same company that donated £36,000 to him in May 2024.
What was the contract for?
Amongst other things, "analysing social media narratives".
It's linked to the government's infamous Counter Disinformation Unit—the shadowy operation that blacklisted and sought to censor dissenters during Covid.
Worse yet?
Another tech-linked firm, Public Digital, donated £66,000 to Kyle in 2024. The company then seconded an expert, Emily Middleton, to work in his office.
She later became Director General of Kyle’s department—on a taxpayer-funded salary north of £128,000.
So a minister in charge of tech receives tens of thousands from a tech company—then later signs off on a multi-million-pound contract for them.
Not only that, he receives an even higher donation from another tech company (Public Digital) and then gives a job (with a huge salary) to a person from that same company.
It might come as no surprise that Public Digital subsequently received a government contract worth £5,000,000 last month.
The cherry on top?
He's also held meetings with Tony Blair, the former Prime Minister who appears hellbent on introducing digital ID cards for every person in the country.
Incestuous much...
This is Peter Kyle. He's in charge UK tech policy and he may be one of the most conflicted figures in Westminster.
A case in point...
In February, his department awarded a £2,300,000 contract to Faculty AI—the same company that donated £36,000 to him in May 2024.
What was the contract for?
Amongst other things, "analysing social media narratives".
It's linked to the government's infamous Counter Disinformation Unit—the shadowy operation that blacklisted and sought to censor dissenters during Covid.
Worse yet?
Another tech-linked firm, Public Digital, donated £66,000 to Kyle in 2024. The company then seconded an expert, Emily Middleton, to work in his office.
She later became Director General of Kyle’s department—on a taxpayer-funded salary north of £128,000.
So a minister in charge of tech receives tens of thousands from a tech company—then later signs off on a multi-million-pound contract for them.
Not only that, he receives an even higher donation from another tech company (Public Digital) and then gives a job (with a huge salary) to a person from that same company.
It might come as no surprise that Public Digital subsequently received a government contract worth £5,000,000 last month.
The cherry on top?
He's also held meetings with Tony Blair, the former Prime Minister who appears hellbent on introducing digital ID cards for every person in the country.
Incestuous much...
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