Keir Starmer: Amazon’s £40 billion investment adds another major win to Britain’s basket
Thousands of new jobs are set to be created across the UK, as Amazon announces a landmark £40 billion investment over the next three years.
This investment – announced the same week as the Government’s transformational Industrial Strategy – includes building four new fulfilment centres and new delivery stations nationwide, as well as upgrades and expansions to its existing network of over 100 operations buildings across the country.
The investment will create thousands of new permanent, full-time jobs in the UK, with the vast majority outside of London and the South East. These include 2,000 jobs at the previously announced state-of-the-art fulfilment centre in Hull and 2,000 jobs at another in Northampton, plus additional positions at new sites in the East Midlands and at delivery stations across the country.
The investment also includes part of the £8 billion previously announced in September 2024 for building, operating, and maintaining data centres in the UK. This will support the UK’s ambition to increase AI compute capacity and meet the growing demand for cloud and AI technologies, while creating thousands of skilled jobs in the tech supply chain.
Alongside the planned creation of the new operations facilities, the investment will also go towards the redevelopment of the historic Bray Film Studios in Berkshire, continued investment in multimillion-pound skills and training programmes, and landmark original TV and film productions.
This announcement is the latest sign that the government’s Plan for Change is working – making Britain the best place to do business, creating jobs, and putting more money in working people’s pockets.
It follows the publication of the modern Industrial Strategy, which marks a new era of collaboration between government and high growth industries slashing energy bills for industry, increasing skills, and boosting investment to unlock the UK’s economic potential.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who met Amazon’s CEO last week ahead of the announcement, said: ” Amazon’s £40 billion investment adds another major win to Britain’s basket and is a massive vote of confidence in the UK as the best place to do business. It means thousands of new jobs—real opportunities for people in every corner of the country to build careers, learn new skills, and support their families. Whether it’s cutting-edge AI or same-day delivery, this deal shows that our Plan for Change is working—bringing in investment, driving growth, and putting more money in people’s pockets.
Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said: “This investment is a powerful endorsement of Britain’s economic strengths. The world is changing, but this Government is working hand in hand with businesses to navigate that change to create jobs, wealth and opportunity in every corner of the country.”
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will visit Amazon’s HQ in London to mark the announcement. There he will meet apprentices to talk about the importance of backing British skills just days after the Government announced a £275 million skills package to boost training and build a skilled workforce of the future.
Amazon CEO, Andy Jassy, said: ” Amazon has been proud to serve our customers in the UK for the past 27 years. Thanks to their support, we’ve grown to be part of over 100 communities nationwide, from developing drone technology in Darlington to producing world-class entertainment at our studios in Bray. We now employ over 75,000 people and have become one of the UK’s largest private sector employers and taxpayers.
When Amazon invests, it’s not only in London and the South East – we’re bringing innovation and job creation to communities throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, strengthening the UK’s economy and delivering better experiences for customers wherever they live.
