about how you get a story like that over the line. but first, just as europe gets tough on the big tech companies, does the uk look poised to do less, not more? the financial times reported this week that ministers have ditched plans to empower their newest tech regulator with, well, actual power. the snappily named digital markets unit was announced to great fanfare back in 2020 when we discussed it on the media show. it was billed as the uk s answer to keeping companies like facebook and google in check. but the ft reports that this year s queen s speech won t give the team the legislative powers they need to flex their muscles. with me are philip marsden, one of the treasury s original architects of the digital markets unit, also professor at the college of europe. margotjames is a former digital minister at the dcms, and kate beioley is the financial times s legal correspondent. and, kate, you broke the story, but before we get into that, what is the digital markets unit and why do
hired to do. well, philip marsden, you were with this since the beginning under theresa may. did the news come as a surprise to you? it did because the momentum has been really strong the last three or four years to undertake this initiative, and in fact if i canjust give you a very bad metaphor, antitrust cases against these big tech giants are like, you know, a cowboy on foot chasing a galloping wild horse. this legislation is designed to try to corral that horse and let it do more for others, let these tech giants open up to others. but not putting this bill through in the queen s speech is like locking the barn door well after the horses have bolted, but also locking the cowboys inside and maybe even setting fire to the barn. so, when did you first get the hint that. you know, it s a 60 strong organisation as it is. when did you first get the hint that perhaps the government wasn t quite as excited to get them to work as perhaps you are? well, the hint, in fact, best comes from kat
not going to be able to give them the powers. and they ll inevitably be assigned to other things. 0k, well, philip marsden, professor at the college of europe, and kate beoiley from the ft who broke the original story, thank you so much for coming on the media show. margotjames, i think you re staying on to give us some insights later into the culture at westminster, but before that, this other story. you know, he is one of the biggest names in british music. for nearly a0 years, tim westwood dominated the uk black music scene. the former bbci and iextra dj was for decades able to make or break the careers of up and coming artists. you are a legend, bro. you re a legend. tim westwood! westwood and me, the rap show. the 2007 mobo for best dj, tim westwood! after leaving the bbc in 2013, tim westwood presented a weekly show on capital xtra until last week, when a joint investigation by the bbc and the guardian brought allegations of sexual misconduct to light. he s undone his trousers. h
powers they need to flex their muscles. with me are philip marsden, one of the treasury s original architects of the digital markets unit, also professor at the college of europe. margotjames is a former digital minister at the dcms, and kate beioley is the financial times s legal correspondent. and, kate, you broke the story, but before we get into that, what is the digital markets unit and why does it matter to normal people? the government announced it was setting up this digital markets unit two years ago, and the idea was that this would be able to police big tech and really kind of rein in the dominance of those internet giants like facebook, google and all the rest of it. and the idea was that it would have this sweeping power to set new rules for those big tech companies, bespoke rules tailored to their specific markets and sectors. and it would be able to really heavily enforce against those companies if they fell foul of the rules. so, that s why it matters. it s a very radic
that this bill would unleash in terms of economic diversity, people able to choose different sources rather than just google or apple or whatever, these kinds of things can actually be really, really good. there s things that our little island gets right, and so by delaying this bill, you re delaying that kind of innovation, that kind of investment. and frankly, you know, the government and the digital markets unit, they have a body of men there, body of men and women, who are sitting there ready to work on this stuff and now they re not going to be able to give them the powers. and they ll inevitably be assigned to other things. 0k, well, philip marsden, professor at the college of europe, and kate beoiley from the ft who broke the original story, thank you so much for coming on the media show. margotjames, i think you re staying on to give us some insights later into the culture at westminster, but before that, this other story. you know, he is one of the biggest names in british mus