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Over 70 MPs and peers are pushing for a national ban on superintelligent AI as the prime minister's own party demands he pick a lane on regulation
Senior Labour MPs are pressing Prime Minister Andy Burnham to spell out exactly where his government stands on artificial intelligence, a policy area that has become one of the most contentious flashpoints inside the ruling party since Burnham took office on 20 July 2026.
The pressure, which surfaced publicly on 16 September 2026, reflects growing frustration among Labour backbenchers who believe the government’s response to warnings about catastrophic AI risks has been far too muted. Chi Onwurah, one of the most vocal critics, has compared the current level of understanding among AI developers to the blind spots that preceded the 2008 financial crisis.
The bill at the center of the fight #
The immediate catalyst is the Artificial Superintelligence Bill, introduced by Labour MP Alex Sobel on 8 September 2026. The legislation calls for a national ban on the development of superintelligent AI and pushes for an international agreement on the issue during the UK’s upcoming G20 presidency.
More than 70 MPs and peers signed a letter dated 11 September 2026 backing Sobel’s proposal.
But Burnham’s government has signaled it is not interested in blanket prohibitions. The administration’s preferred approach leans on scientific evidence and company-led risk disclosure rather than precautionary bans or statutory measures like so-called “kill switches” for AI systems.
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Between 9 and 10 September, Burnham also rejected a proposed national moratorium on data centers, arguing that the potential benefits from AI Growth Zones and local tax retention outweighed the risks.
Burnham’s institutional shake-up #
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has been dissolved. AI strategy now sits inside the Cabinet Office, a move that effectively elevates the issue from a departmental silo to the center of government decision-making. Kanishka Narayan was appointed as the UK’s first cabinet-level Minister for Artificial Intelligence.
Narayan’s brief reportedly emphasizes tech sovereignty, worker protections, and ensuring communities benefit from AI deployments, positioned against a model dominated by US tech giants.
The financial crisis parallel #
Onwurah’s argument is that the people building the most powerful AI systems do not fully understand what those systems can do, much like the bankers who created complex derivatives without grasping the systemic risks embedded in them. She is essentially warning that a voluntary, evidence-based approach to AI safety could repeat that pattern.
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