New business opportunities in Britain attract international investors as Labour tries to woo them.

• On Monday, the U.K. Labour government aims to attract foreign investment to the country through its first International Investment Summit in London.
• Some investors are uncertain about the event and suspected tax changes in the upcoming budget, leaving them in the dark.
• The attendees at the event include former Google chair Eric Schmidt, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, and GSK CEO Emma Walmsley.

The Labour government in the U.K. is aiming to attract foreign investment to the country on Monday through its first International Investment Summit in London.

The one-day event at London's Guildhall, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finance Minister Rachel Reeves, and Business Minister Jonathan Reynolds, is expected to attract approximately 200 executives from the U.K. and overseas.

Eric Schmidt, David Solomon, and Emma Walmsley, along with newly appointed Investment Minister Poppy Gustafsson and co-founder of British cybersecurity firm Darktrace, will be among the guests promoting the U.K. as a business-friendly destination.

The lack of information about the summit's location and timing has caused frustration among attendees and observers, with some saying they would not attend and others still considering flying over, as of late last week.

"The uncertainty of the event is being undermined by speculation, according to Dr. Bruce Morley, an economics and finance lecturer at the University of Bath, as he told CNBC over the phone,"

The timing of the summit, which is happening two weeks before the chancellor's budget, has sparked criticism due to the lack of information on the changes needed to address a £22 billion deficit in the public finances. The summit's date was set according to Labour's pre-election promise to hold a business summit within their first 100 days in office.

Reeves has ruled out changes to corporation tax, increases to income tax, and a top tax rate for private equity bosses, as well as backtracked on plans to abolish the "non-dom" status for wealthy individuals.

The chancellor is reportedly considering raising capital gains tax (CGT) for top-rate taxpayers to as high as 39%, which would be a substantial increase from the current band of 20% to 28%, depending on the asset. This could stymy entrepreneurship in the country, as investors have said. Additionally, inheritance tax (IHT) hikes remain on the table.

In an email to CNBC, a Treasury spokesperson characterized the reporting as "merely speculative."

A pro-business Labour government

Starmer's pledge to lead a pro-business Labour government includes his prime minister's statement that wealth creation is his top priority, as he courted Wall Street investment during a visit to the U.S.

The government has been working to present a more optimistic outlook on the economy after being criticized for its pessimistic predictions in the early months of its term. Additionally, it aims to establish itself as a dependable ally following a period of instability, including Brexit, multiple prime ministers, and a bond market downturn.

The rise in business confidence following the July election was short-lived as uncertainty around the budget caused it to take a hit in September. Despite a slight increase in GDP in August, the economy has struggled to regain the momentum it had earlier in the year.

To revive growth, Morley advised the government to address its low productivity and encouraged the use of the summit to invest in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and robotics.

Our peers are outpacing us in that area, and we need to find ways to attract these types of companies to catch up, he said in a phone interview with CNBC.

He stated that the U.K. cannot experience growth in economic activity unless there is an increase in productivity.

The government unveiled its new industrial strategy and advisory board, led by Microsoft UK CEO Clare Barclay, on Sunday. The strategy concentrates on eight sectors that are expected to drive growth, including creative industries, financial services, advanced manufacturing, professional services, defence, tech, life sciences, and clean energy industries.