When Donald Trump touched down in the UK in September, it’s fair to say that “prosperity” wasn’t the word on everyone’s lips. In fact, the President’s second state visit was marked by rampant protest, political satire, and even the arrest of popular activist group Led By Donkeys.
But now that the dust has settled and Air Force One is firmly back on US soil, we can finally reflect on what progress was made by the newly signed “Tech Prosperity Deal” – or if this is just another step in the wrong direction for the UK.
What is the UK-US Tech Prosperity Deal?
The technology deal, which amounts to over £150 billion in investment, will see the UK and US increase cooperation in areas including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and nuclear power. Key investors include Blackstone, which is putting in the lion’s share at £90 billion, as well as Microsoft and Google.
This move is also estimated to support the creation of 7,600 jobs – but the stats tell a different story so far. In the year to August 2025, the number of UK payrolls had fallen by around 127,000 – with total vacancies down by 14% that summer. We may not be mathematicians, but 7,600 will have to go a long way before any kind of “prosperity” can be achieved…
Why are businesses worried?
We don’t need to tell you that being a business owner in this economy is not for the faint-hearted. Investors have been losing confidence in the UK for a long time. Recently, AstraZeneca announced that it would halt investment plans in the country due to its “increasingly challenging” environment – particularly around rising costs, National Insurance, and responsibilities to pay minimum wage.
And while the Prosperity Deal is certainly succeeding at channelling more money from across the pond, many aren’t celebrating it as a win just yet. As former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg put it, £150 billion is like “crumbs from the Silicon Valley table”.
As a small country, entrepreneurs from the UK will always look to the US for investment and growth opportunities. And this deal pulls into focus the potential dangers of becoming over-reliant on our North American neighbour – particularly when it comes to data sovereignty.
Are we trading data sovereignty for prosperity?
Donald Trump’s antics in the Oval Office this year have already caused Brits to question what’s happening with their data on American soil. While one such project promised by the Prosperity Deal will see the UK’s largest ever supercomputer built in Essex, using investment from Microsoft, there’s no telling what data sovereignty requirements this will have – if any at all.
By putting all our proverbial eggs in the US’s basket, the fear is that UK companies will be forced to bend to the will of these investors – and, by extension, the President – potentially putting British data in limbo.
Other industry voices have also warned of risks around long-term sustainability and accountability – particularly since Trump’s speech to the UN in which he said green energy was a scam and climate science was invented by “stupid people”.
Don’t put your data at risk
As an independent UK business with data centres across the country, we’re thrilled at the prospect of increased investment. But we’ll never compromise our values for a quick buck – which is why we’ll hold our applause on the UK-US deal for now.
Speaking of our values, we believe that every business has the right to know exactly where its data is being held – and the peace of mind to know that it’s in responsible hands. Our UK data centres are powered by 100% green energy – in fact, we’re so proud of what we’ve built that we even let our customers tour them from time to time.
If your idea of prosperity looks like supporting a homegrown independent business that prioritises purpose over profit, we could be the perfect fit. Get in touch today to discuss our hosting and server packages.
