During U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom, the British government announced that it had secured a record £150 billion in inward investment, marking the largest commercial investment package ever generated by a state visit. The figure includes both newly announced deals and previously disclosed pledges. The headline component is a £100 billion long-term investment commitment by private equity giant Blackstone, accompanied by a £3.9 billion deal from Prologis in life sciences and advanced manufacturing.
The government says that these investments are expected to create about 7,600 new high-quality jobs across the country. In addition, there are major tech investments as part of a “Tech Prosperity Deal” between the UK and US, involving firms like Microsoft, which pledged £22 billion toward cloud and AI infrastructure in the UK, including building a supercomputer, and Google planning £5 billion for AI work and data centres. Beyond tech, British pharmaceutical firm GSK committed about US$30 billion of its research & development investment to the United States over the next five years, a reciprocal flow noted in government statements.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer seized on the announcement as evidence that his administration is delivering on its promise to “revive Britain’s stagnant economy” and improve living standards. He and his government are presenting the deals as proof that the UK remains an attractive destination for major global investment, particularly in cutting-edge sectors like AI, life sciences, manufacturing, and clean energy.
The timing of the announcement underscores a broader political calculation: the investment package follows a day of royal ceremony and precedes high-profile political meetings during the visit, including one with Starmer. The government also faces domestic debates over whether hosting Trump again for a full state visit was appropriate, with public opinion reportedly split.
