Marc Andreessen, one of Silicon Valley’s top venture capitalists, personally reached out to Downing Street last week to complain about the censorious Online Safety Act. Following widespread backlash against the legislation which has already blocked memes, Wikipedia articles, and a picture of Starmer’s head on a baby’s body…
According to the FT, Andreessen even called for Starmer to slap the wrist of Peter Kyle after he insisted critics of the Act were “on the side” of sex offenders and Jimmy Savile. Since that attack line came from Number 10 itself, Andreessen’s suggestion will probably fall on deaf ears…
Tom Baldwin, author of Starmer’s hagiography, spoke to Times Radio:
Tom Baldwin: “I think he’d like to do something. He’s very dutiful and driven by service. That’s why he came into politics. I think that’s characterised his time as prime minister. He hasn’t always sought popularity or been good at being popular. But I think he has some of the necessary qualities that we actually do want in a prime minister. That resilience, that relentlessness, that ability to carry the weight and the job really does weigh very heavily on people and he carries that weight very, very well.”
Jo Coburn: “NATO Secretary-General?”
Tom Baldwin: “I think that’s something that he would be interested in. I think it probably requires Andy Burnham’s government to support him in that and these are some of the questions which Andy Burnham has to resolve quite quickly.”