A high-powered network: how Google became embedded in British politics

Tech giant's 'sweetheart' deal with the UK taxman raised eyebrows on Thursday but the company's ties with leading British politicians goes back a decade

The furore over Google's 130m deal with the UK taxman has triggered outrage among politicians, business figures and tax campaigners. It has also raised questions over the search engine group's proximity to the corridors of power in Britain. An analysis of meetings between Google executives and senior politicians, as well as the regular appointments of political figures to major positions within the company's PR machine, shows how the California-based tech company has become deeply entwined within the British political landscape.