UK government met 137 businesses on AI datacentres, skipped environmental groups

Spotlight filed 40 freedom‑of‑information requests to 18 agencies and highlighted that the policy, championed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, promises to “turbocharge the economy” with massive new datacentres across five regions. Critics, including MP Chi Onwurah, warn the plan lacks realistic power‑supply assumptions and community input, echoing similar backlash in the United States. A government spokesperson reiterated commitments to jobs, clean power and local benefits, but the report argues the consultations were token and that the UK lags behind Canada, Germany and Australia in environmental scrutiny.

The findings suggest the AI datacentre strategy was shaped largely by industry dialogue, raising questions about transparency, environmental impact and the balance between economic ambition and community involvement.