Ed Davey calls for vote in Parliament on US-UK tech deal to prevent a “Silicon Valley stitch up”

EMBARGO: 2230 Monday 15th September

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has today demanded that the Government puts its proposed US-UK tech deal to a vote in Parliament, warning that failure to do so would amount to a “Silicon Valley stitch up”.

It’s expected the Government will sign the tech pact with the US during Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK this week.

Ed Davey warned that MPs must get a chance to properly scrutinise the deal, and set out his red lines for the Liberal Democrats to support an agreement including no watering down of protections for British children online or slashing taxes for US tech giants. He added that given Elon Musk’s comments over the weekend encouraging violence in the UK, it was particularly important that any deal that benefits US tech barons like Musk is put to a vote in Parliament.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for:

• A binding vote in Parliament before any US-UK tech deal is signed.
• Guarantees that online protections for children will not be diluted.
• A commitment that tech giants will pay their fair share of tax in the UK and that the Digital Services Tax will not be lowered or watered down. 

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

“I am really concerned that the Government is going to agree to a Silicon Valley stitch up that hands tax cuts to tech billionaires while undermining protections for our children online.

“This deal must be put to a vote in Parliament so MPs have a chance to properly scrutinise it and vote it down if they see fit.

“Parents want protections for children online to be kept in place, not traded away in a backroom deal with tech barons.

“We can’t let the Government sign up to a deal that benefits Elon Musk at the expense of the British people.”

ENDS