>>PS there was a UK cloud - it was actually called UK cloud - they went bankrupt failing to compete with AWS
Actually no that's not the case.
They went into liquidation principally as a result of Cabinet Office briefing HMG users not to use UK Cloud, but their issues had their root somewhat earlier.
Whilst the HMG data classification policy (the GSCS) placed strong restrictions on the use of Public Cloud and non-UK based Cloud Services for sensitive data (including sensitive personal data); the Government Digital Service (GDS) policy and blog postings increasingly pushed organisations to make more use of Public Cloud.
Crown Commercial Services (CCS) made significant investments in their relationships with both Microsoft and AWS who in turn heavily discounted their services in order to hoover up most HMG business.
(Recently Cabinet Office have been bemoaning the fact that now they have a huge footprint in those cloud providers they can no longer influence them and discounts are much harder to achieve - hardly a surprise...)
UK Cloud expected - realistically, because the Ministerially approved Classification Scheme said so - that some types of UK Public Sector bodies would always have a need for a UK based Cloud service.
After all, Azure was only ever formally approved to process data at Business Impact Level 2 (2-2-4 actually), which was at the old GPMS PROTECT level - so there was good basis for UK Cloud to beleive they qwere on firm ground.
Actually they were on shiting sands - because Cabinet Office removed the functions that would have ensured adherence to the GSCS Cloud requirements, and whole tranches of UK Publice Sector moved to Microsoft and AWS. Some have done so whilst also in breach of UK legislation - the problem is that serious.
So that's really what happened to UK Cloud - like an honest player at a crooked poker game they played by the rules in every expectation that they'd compete in a level playing field with some types of use virtually guaranteed by HMG Policy to come their way.
Turns out that HMG Policy favours the big players more than the little guy.