Starmer Unveils £150bn US Investment Deal Amid Protests Over Trump’s UK State Visit

Report by “Safarti Tarjuman” International News Desk

London – Prime Minister Keir Starmer sought to counter mounting political risks during Donald Trump’s second UK state visit with the announcement of a landmark £150 billion US investment package, billed as the largest in British history.

The move came as thousands of demonstrators rallied in London under the Stop Trump Coalition, voicing opposition to the U.S. president’s visit. Trump, however, was kept largely shielded from protesters, spending his first day confined within Windsor Castle, where he joined King Charles III and Queen Camilla for a lavish state banquet.

According to Downing Street, the package represents a greater inward investment than the UK received in all of last year.

• £90bn from private equity giant Blackstone over the next decade, including a £10bn commitment to an AI data center announced earlier this year.
• £3.9bn pledged by logistics investor Prologis.
• £1.5bn from tech company Palantir.

Officials said the deal would create 7,600 high-value jobs in industries such as clean energy, life sciences, and advanced technology.

The announcement followed a separate pledge by Microsoft, which revealed a record $30bn (£22bn) UK investment—its largest outside the United States.

Starmer hailed the commitments as a “bold signal” that Britain is “open, ambitious and ready to lead,” insisting the package proves the strength of the UK–US economic partnership.

Despite the fanfare, critics cast doubt on the true benefits of the deal. Former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, speaking at the Royal Television Society conference, dismissed the package as “sloppy seconds from Silicon Valley,” suggesting U.S. companies were already building infrastructure abroad and simply fast-tracked announcements to align with Trump’s visit.

Concerns were also raised over possible regulatory and tax concessions granted to U.S. tech firms, with opposition voices warning that the deal risks sidelining the UK’s homegrown technology sector.

At Windsor Castle, Trump was welcomed with a horse-drawn carriage procession within the royal estate before attending a banquet attended by global business leaders, including Apple’s Tim Cook, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman.

Guests dined on Norfolk chicken ballotine, Kentish raspberry sorbet, and a whisky sour cocktail with a fireside s’more-inspired garnish—though Trump abstained from alcohol.

In his toast, Trump praised the “eternal bond” between the U.S. and UK, calling the nations “two notes in one chord.” King Charles emphasized the duty of both countries to protect the environment for “future generations.”

While Trump mingled with royalty and executives, protests in London saw 5,000 demonstrators gathered, featuring performances from musician Billy Bragg and satirical stunts by comedian Nish Kumar.

Polling released by YouGov on Wednesday showed more than half of Britons believe Trump’s presidency has been bad for the UK, with only 9% considering it beneficial. Public opinion on Starmer’s handling of Trump was split, with 30% saying he has been “too positive” and 27% believing he has struck the right balance.

The visit comes at a turbulent moment for Starmer, following the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and the sacking of Peter Mandelson as British ambassador to Washington over links to Jeffrey Epstein.

Meanwhile, Trump himself faced renewed scrutiny over past ties to the disgraced financier. Despite the controversies, Starmer is set to host Trump at Chequers on Thursday, where the U.S.–UK tech deal will be formally signed.

In a symbolic gesture, Starmer will present Trump with a red ministerial box adorned with the U.S. presidential seal, while First Lady Melania Trump will receive a silk scarf inspired by artwork created by Ukrainian children.

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