Labour has had a complex relationship with Big Tech since it took power last year.
There have been a few dustups, most recently when the Home Office demanded Apple include a backdoor into its encryption for the sake of “national security”.
But despite the occasional row, the messaging from the incumbents seems to be that if Big Tech can be considered a source of revenue in the country, it is best not to upset them too often.
So, what if it turned out these technological behemoths were costing the country billions?
As economist and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis describes in his 2023 book Technofeudalism, at times the behaviour of Big Tech has been more akin to medieval overlords demanding rents from the serfdom with little to no accountability....