Tony Blair and Nick Clegg hosted a private dinner at a luxury hotel in London earlier this year, where selected technology entrepreneurs met with a government minister, according to official documents. Blair, as head of the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), emphasized the significance of the tech sector during the event. The dinner included participants from six tech companies, featuring investment minister Poppy Gustafsson, who plays a role in encouraging investment in the UK.
Blair is known for advocating the use of technology to enhance public services and has maintained close ties with industry leaders. His consultancy has published several policy papers promoting the integration of artificial intelligence into government operations. However, some individuals express concerns about Blair’s influence and the extent of public oversight regarding his initiatives. Questions have also been raised about TBI’s funding, which reportedly includes substantial donations from tech billionaire Larry Ellison.
The documents, released under freedom of information laws, indicate that discussions centered on the government’s policies on artificial intelligence. The dinner took place in January and included prominent figures such as Lonne Jaffe from Insight Partners, Alex Kendall from Wayve, and Nigel Toon from Graphcore. A representative for Clegg stated that his engagements with government officials were part of his role at Meta.
TBI affirmed that the event facilitated a dialogue on various issues among tech leaders and government officials and clarified that attending companies did not pay for the opportunity. The companies present have denied any financial ties to TBI. The gathering highlights TBI’s goal of advocating for a technology-friendly agenda. TBI operates in numerous countries, with a workforce exceeding 900 and reported income of $145 million in 2022.
Prior to the dinner, the government provided TBI with a confidential summary of its AI action plan shortly before its official release. During discussions, the government indicated that sharing such information with stakeholders is part of their routine engagement strategy.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/oct/11/tony-blair-and-nick-clegg-hosted-dinner-giving-tech-bosses-access-to-uk-minister