Post-Brexit tech crackdown will harm UK economy, warns Google UK boss

Matt Brittin, Google's EMEA head

Sweeping tech regulation post-Brexit could hamper innovation and risks damaging Britain’s economic recovery, Google’s UK boss warned at a Telegraph conference.

Matt Brittin, Google’s president of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, told the Technology Intelligence LIVE event that there had "never been a more important time for technology to help with a digitally-accelerated, sustainable recovery that works for everyone". 

He said it was "up to all of us to work together to play our part in an economic renewal and an economic recovery".

Delivering a keynote speech on the first day of the event, the executive said one of the factors that would be really important within the next year would be regulation. Mr Brittin said Google would be working with the Government "as they update the rules of the road". 

However, he warned that, "as the UK works against the clock to define the path we’ll take as we leave the EU", these regulations needed to create an "ecosystem which builds and ensures responsible tech but also enables innovation and growth to ensure the UK can be a digital global leader".

The right approach is "so crucial" to Britain’s economic recovery, Mr Brittin said. 

His comments follow indications that the UK is readying to take a tougher stance on Big Tech following its exit from the European Union. 

Already, Google is facing a crackdown in its home market of the US and is the subject of one of the largest antitrust probes in history in the country over its huge market share in digital advertising. 

Breaking up big tech | Who wants to curb the power of FAANG?

Britain’s competition watchdog recently concluded a probe in this market, and over the summer urged the Government to introduce new legislation to allow for a much firmer crackdown on anti-competitive behaviour in the field.

Similar moves have been taken by EU officials, with Amazon becoming the latest major tech name to be hit with formal antitrust charges on Tuesday. Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission’s competition chief, accused Amazon of misusing the data it collects from third-party sellers on its platform to compete with those sellers.

Amazon said it disagreed "with the preliminary assertions of the European Commission and will continue to make every effort to ensure it has an accurate understanding of the facts". 

Mr Brittin is just one of the speakers at the Telegraph Technology Intelligence LIVE event, which also included talks from Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Sir Nigel Shadbolt. The event continues on Wednesday.