What the TECH?
A look at what this election could mean for the technology sector
Cicero Group | December 2019
What the TECH was in the manifestos? Technology and innovation were a theme in all of the major manifestos with each Party professing a desire to take the UK into a future technological revolution. Broadband was almost certainly at the top of the policy charts, with all four major Parties promising the roll out of full fibre broadband and increased internet connectivity to all corners of the UK by 2030. Labour has even promised to renationalise BT in order to deliver this. While the ambition and execution of each Party’s broadband policy may differ, it seems all Parties, whether explicitly or tacitly, believe internet access should now be considered a basic utility available to all. For the digital economy, the promise of increased internet access should be a cause for celebration. More people online means more potential users, customers and shoppers to target. As well as enhancing access and speeds, all major Parties want to ensure our online experiences happen in a safe environment, with each committing itself to tackling the scourge of ‘online harms’, particularly for children. The SNP has even gone as far as to promise the introduction of a new ‘online regulator’ to impose fines and block access to offending platforms, something the previous Conservative Government had only begun to consult on.
89
The number of times ‘technology’ and ‘innovation’ were referenced across the Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem and SNP manifestos.
Away from the internet, it’s clear each Party wants the UK to also lead the world in innovative research and manufacturing. Here, traditional Party ideologies appear to play more of a role. Labour is clear that the adoption of innovation must not come at the expense of the current workforce, whereas the Conservatives are seemingly keener to embrace the jobs “transformation” created by innovation, with promises to make the UK a leading force in future industries such as life sciences, clean energy, space, design and robotics. Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats are the only Party who talk at length about the importance of ‘tech ethics’. Their plans to introduce a code of ethics for artificial intelligence and give the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI) more ‘teeth’ touches on many of the themes discussed by current sector regulators.
While technology and innovation, in the broadest sense, got a warm billing from across the major Parties, the digital services sector may have cause for greater concern. Regardless of which Party gets the keys to No.10 in ciceroelections.com
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