Keir Starmer issued devastating blow by House of Lords as PM backed into a corner

Peers in the House of Lords have forced Keir Starmer to accept a major amendment on a new AI bill or risk being defeated on the whole legislation. Lords have been battling for months to impose an amendment on the legislation that would require greater copyright protections for the creative industries, who fear AI scrapers will steal their work without payment or credit.

The upper chamber has repeatedly voted in favour of the amendment by Baroness Kidron, a film director, who wants to force AI companies to disclose what material they are using to develop their programmes and require them to ask permission from copyright holders in order to use their work. The Government has repeatedly rejected the amendment during ‘ping pong’, the parliamentary procedure whereby a Bill goes between the Commons and the Lords until one side gives in.

This afternoon, the Lords inflicted yet another defeat on the Government and technology minister Chris Bryant, voting by 221 to 116 to once again insist on the amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill.

The House of Lords has now cornered Keir Starmer’s government on the legislation, and means they are forced to either come up with an alternative proposal that satisfies Lords rebels, or risk the entire bill falling.

Yesterday LibDem spokesman Victoria Collins said that while the advance of AI should be celebrated, the government “must also ensure that the creative work that has gone into it is also valued.”

Minister Chris Bryant insisted that his objections to the Bill “are not undermining copyright owners’ control over their work”, and he wants to protect intellectual property.

However he argues the Bill “was never intended to be about artificial intelligence, intellectual property and copyright.

“What we have is a Bill that will harness data for economic growth, improve public services and support modern digital government. We want to get the legislation on the statute book as fast as we possibly can.”

The row over the amendment comes after condemnation by Sir Elton John, who branded the government “losers” over their opposition to the proposed legal protections.

The singing superstar said ministers would be “committing theft” if they allowed big tech companies to use artists’ work without permission or compensation.

Fellow stars including Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox and Kate Bush have also spoken out opposition to AI’s use of art without permission.

Baroness Kidron pointed out: “There's no industrial sector in the UK that government policy requires to give its property or labour to another sector - which is in direct competition with it - on a compulsory basis, in the name of balance.

"The government has got it wrong.

"They have been turned by the sweet whisperings of Silicon Valley who have stolen - and continue to steal every day we take no action - the UK's extraordinary, beautiful and valuable creative output.

"Silicon Valley has persuaded the government that it's easier for them to redefine theft than make them pay for what they have stolen."