Revealed: How Labour business secretary Peter Kyle's young 'gym buddy' was granted extraordinary access to the heart of Keir Starmer's government

By GABRIEL MILLARD-CLOTHIER, POLITICAL REPORTER and DAISY GRAHAM-BROWN, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER Published: 16:52, 18 July 2026 | Updated: 16:54, 18 July 2026 Business Secretary Peter Kyle was last night facing questions over his links to a young lobbyist friend who was granted extraordinary access to the top of Keir Starmer's government. The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Jayden Watson, an American tech lobbyist, brushed shoulders with senior Labour ministers, including the PM and the chancellor, at exclusive events and secured meetings in Kyle's department for the benefit of his clients. Watson, 25, is a friend of the minister, 55, and has accompanied him as his guest to a glitzy invite-only concert. The pair also appear to have shared an exercise session together with a personal trainer at a central London gym. Last night MPs said the findings were 'deeply troubling' and 'raise serious questions' over Kyle's association with Watson. They called for Sir Keir Starmer to trigger an investigation by the independent adviser on ministerial standards as one of his final acts as PM. Kyle's friend Watson runs a London-based political consultancy company, Antinous Advisory, which boasts access to 'key decision makers' in government. Watson claimed on the website of Antinous Advisory that he was Kyle's 'independent advisor' in the lead up to the 2024 election and bragged about having helped shape the government's technology policy as Kyle became Technology Secretary. Then, just two months after the election, Antinous Advisory secured a high-level meeting with the Director General of Kyle's Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). This meeting in September 2024 took place before the company had been officially incorporated and while Watson was still a university student at the London Business School. American tech lobbyist Jayden Watson (left) with Business Secretary Peter Kyle (centre) Business Secretary Peter Kyle was last night facing questions over his links to a young lobbyist friend who was granted extraordinary access to the top of Keir Starmer's government (Pictured: Watson with the Prime Minister) Watson (pictured), 25, is a friend of the minister, 55, and has accompanied him as his guest to a glitzy invite-only concert The other meetings in the Director General's schedule at that time include Google, the Confederation of British Industry and Lloyds bank - raising questions about how Watson managed to secure access at the heart of government. Sources close to Peter Kyle said that his friendship with Watson had been declared to the permanent secretary of DSIT before the meeting and that mitigations were put in place. A week after the meeting, Antinous Advisory had another meeting with the DSIT Director General, this time with one of the consultancy's clients, Northern Data, a global technology company. One of Northern Data's largest shareholders is the German biotech tycoon Christian Angermayer who is the co-founder of the highly controversial Enhanced Games event, which encourages athletes to openly use performance-enhancing drugs. Angermayer also happens to own the £8.7million luxury penthouse apartment in Shoreditch which Antinous Advisory is registered to and which contains a marble bust of the Roman emperor Hadrian next to a picture of his gay lover Antinous, according to a 2020 profile of the billionaire. Just weeks after Antinous Advisory's meetings with DSIT, Kyle told a Lords Select Committee that he wanted to make sure companies including Northern Data 'find themselves in a market that is healthy and which they can bid for, and interact with the state'. Mike Wood MP, Tory shadow paymaster general, said: 'The rules are clear - ministers must uphold the highest standards and not even create the perception of wrongdoing. Clearly, Kyle's 25-year-old gym buddy getting special access to DSIT does not pass the sniff test. 'These findings are deeply troubling and raise serious questions about Kyle's judgement. Starmer should launch a full investigation into potential ministerial code breaches. He'll have to act fast though, and move before Kyle inevitably gets booted out of Cabinet by PM Burnham.' It is awkward timing for the business secretary, coming on the eve of Andy Burnham announcing his new administration. Kyle is a strong favourite to be sacked as business secretary under the new regime, but Labour sources say he is 'desperate' for a top job under the new PM. Watson was also pictured with Chancellor Rachel Reeves at an event Watson has also previously been pictured with OpenAI's Sam Altman These revelations about Kyle's links to Watson may make his relegation to the backbenches much more likely. Watson grew up in Houston, Texas, and studied Applied Science at the University of Rochester in New York before starting his Masters in London in January 2024. It is unclear how or when he met Kyle, but the pair appear to have attended a gym session together in February 2024. On Antinous Advisory's website - which was taken down after the MoS filed a Freedom of Information request to DSIT asking about the company - Watson said that before the July 2024 election he advised Kyle and 'played a key role in shaping technology and innovation policy'. Watson explained that, after this, he had a 'wide network of government connections' which he could use to 'guide companies in sectors such as AI'. Following the meetings that Antinous Advisory held with DSIT, Watson attended two exclusive Government receptions as part of the flagship UK International Investment Summit, at which Kyle was also present. Despite being photographed posing with Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, a disclosure made under Freedom of Information laws shows that Watson was not on the official guestlist. Sources close to Kyle said that Watson was a guest of Northern Data. Watson also attended an exclusive, intimate concert hosted by Sky Arts in November 2025 which was gifted to Kyle and recorded in transparency releases as being worth more than £400 for him and one guest. Approached for comment by the MoS, a spokesman for the business secretary said: 'Peter Kyle was recused from any decisions related to departmental meetings with Mr Watson and the Ministerial Code was observed in full at all times.' Jayden Watson said: 'Antinous Advisory was my previous business. Following the establishment of my current company, I discontinued work via Antinous and focused on my new venture. That - and not the unfounded insinuation contained in your message - is the reason why the website was taken down. I am no longer advising nor representing any companies other than my current one.' A government spokesman said: 'Ministers and government officials meet with a range of stakeholders in sectors for which they are responsible. Meetings with senior officials are recorded publicly for transparency, as was the case here.'