Starmer adviser’s secret meetings with US Big Tech

One of Keir Starmer’s closest advisers held sixteen undeclared meetings with US Big Tech bosses to discuss regulatory changes the firms want, and other topics. Varun Chandra previously ran a ‘corporate intelligence’ firm founded by former UK spies. Green Party leader Zack Polanski has called for an investigation into Labour’s relationship with the business.

Data centres near you?

Downing Street business adviser Varun Chandra met no fewer than six major tech firms: Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle and Meta. The meetings took place as the Starmer government offered massive energy subsidies and preferential treatment to US firms willing to build damaging AI data centres in the UK.

Neither Chandra nor the government declared the meetings. Instead of the statutory 20 working days, the government took a full year to provide the information in response to Freedom of Information Act requests. Downing Street claimed Chandra had secured “record” inward investment.

Yeah, right. And at what cost?

The secret meetings are reminiscent of a similarly clandestine meeting Starmer held with toxic AI firm Palantir, along with his disgraced paedophile pal and then-US ambassador Peter Mandelson. Starmer’s government has awarded massive NHS and military deals to Palantir without competitive tender. Starmer recently ‘whipped‘ Labour MPs to vote against an investigation into his own actions and is fighting to keep his job despite the Mandelson-Epstein scandal.