The House of Lords just handed the UK government another smackdown over its Data (Use and Access) Bill, doubling down on their push to shield artists from AI companies gobbling up their work like it’s free candy. The Lords had already flexed their muscles once, passing an amendment to beef up copyright protections for creative industries against AI scrapers—those digital vacuum cleaners sucking up art, music, and more. The Commons, the UK’s equivalent of the House of Representatives, shot that down and lobbed the bill back to the Lords, setting the stage for a fiery showdown.
Enter Baroness Kidron, a filmmaker and digital rights warrior, who came out swinging. She accused the government of cozying up to Silicon Valley’s big tech overlords, sarcastically calling them out for trying to “redefine theft” to let AI giants plunder artists’ work without paying a dime. Her amendment? A bold move to make AI companies spill the beans on what material they’re using to train their models and get a thumbs-up from copyright holders first. “This is about basic fairness,” Kidron roared, pointing out the lopsided power dynamic between US tech titans and UK creatives. “No other industry in the UK is forced to hand over its goods to a competitor just because the government says it’s for ‘balance.’ It’s nuts!”
She didn’t stand alone. The rebellion got a boost from none other than Sir Elton John, who, over the weekend, blasted the government as “losers” and warned they’d be “committing theft” if they let AI firms raid artists’ creations. He’s got company—music legends like Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, and Kate Bush are fuming, too, over plans they say would make it a cakewalk for AI to feast on copyrighted material. Kidron didn’t mince words: “The government’s been sweet-talked by Silicon Valley, who’ve been looting—and keep looting—our incredible, vibrant UK creative scene every single day we sit on our hands.”
The Lords chamber turned into a battleground of passion and principle. Labour’s Lord Brennan threw punches, accusing the government of cooking up a “double standard” for AI companies and abandoning the UK’s proud history of championing copyright. “We’ve always set the gold standard,” he said, “dragging the world up to our level, not waving a white flag.” Lord Watson, a former Labour deputy leader and clear Elton John fanboy, peppered his speech with song lyrics, urging ministers to listen to the “siren call of our nation’s creators.” Another Labour peer, Lord Knight, rallied his crew to “stand up for artists’ livelihoods against big tech” while still chasing the “creative and economic wins AI could bring.”
The urgency was palpable. Crossbench peer and composer Lord Berkeley called the status quo “straight-up burglary” and warned, “Act now, or the creative industries are toast.” Conservative Lord Dobbs chimed in, demanding protection for artists who’ve “poured their blood, sweat, and tears” into their work. Liberal Democrat Floella Benjamin gave Kidron a standing ovation for her “guts and grit” in fighting to keep creativity safe from digital pirates.
Technology Minister Baroness Jones tried to cool the room, pleading with the Lords not to override the Commons again. “This isn’t about Silicon Valley,” she insisted, pushing back on claims the government was soft on tech giants. “No one’s cracked this globally—it’s a tough nut. Kidron’s amendment just piles on more uncertainty, layering rules on rules like a bad bureaucracy sandwich.” She argued that rushing in would “tie our hands” on a global issue, leaving the UK stuck in a corner.
Kidron wasn’t having it. “My amendment doesn’t disrespect the Commons,” she shot back, doubling down on her push to make AI companies play fair. The Lords agreed, delivering a crushing defeat to the government—287 votes for Kidron’s amendment, 118 against, a whopping 169-vote margin. The bill’s now headed back to the Commons for another round.
The UK’s creative heavyweights aren’t backing down, and with icons like Elton John calling the government’s AI plans “criminal” and artists dropping silent albums to protest, this fight’s got all the makings of a blockbuster. Stay tuned—this one’s far from over