2015 is likely to be a busy year for tech policy. I look ahead at some of the big things to watch out for.
Election fever
It’s exactly four months until the general election – on May 7th the UK will go to the polls and elect the next government. This week saw the start of proper campaigning, with a dossier from the Tories showing a black hole in Labour’s spending plans. Labour hit back with a dossier of their own, and so it began.
While the campaign is likely to focus on the economy, immigration (thanks UKIP), and the NHS, some tech policy issues are likely to be raised.
We will find out which ideas from Labour’s recent policy reviews, including on Digital Government, will make it into official policy. The Conservatives are rumoured to be mulling a ‘digital manifesto’.
The main difference between the parties on digital issues is largely one of emphasis. Labour attacks the government’s record on digital inclusion, and say they would do much more to help ensure the benefits of the digital revolution are widely spread. The Conservatives on the other hand have put more focus on encouraging entrepreneurship and the growth of digital businesses.
It’s the hardest election to predict for decades, with betting markets giving seven different outcomes each an implied probability of over 10% .
Sharing economy and Uber court battles
We’re waiting for the government’s response to Debbie Wosskow’s independent review into the sharing economy that was published in November. It was warmly welcomed by BIS minister Matthew Hancock when it came out, suggesting that many of its ideas will become government policy.
The culmination of Uber’s court battles with the LTDA may also provoke further government intervention. Whatever the outcome, it seems implausible to me that a new government wouldn’t try to clear up the mess of outdated rules on taxi and private hire licencing.
The Budget
On March 18th George Osborne will deliver the final budget before the election. This will be a political affair designed to set the tone of the campaign, but is also likely to have some positive moves for tech.
In almost every budget and Autumn Statement thus far the Chancellor has been supportive of the sector (from SEIS to broadband investment), and that is likely to continue.
A focus on cyber
It looks as though the government is likely to do more to support the UK’s growing community of cyber-security startups. There have already been reports that GCHQ may become an incubator for future entrepreneurs (on the model of Israel’s Unit 8200, whose alumni have founded many successes).
Given the rising prominence of cyber security as an issue, and the UK’s technical talent, this seems like a clear win.
Progress on the ‘digital single market’?
The new European Commission has made the ‘digital single market’ a priority and is going to set out its plans to achieve this in May. They want to make it easier to buy and sell digital goods across the European Union. This should be good for startups and European tech businesses making it much easier to scale fast.
For example it could mean that the next Spotify could launch across the whole of Europe rather than having to negotiate different copyright agreements in 28 countries. Similarly on data protection, there would be just one set of rules, but the devil is in the detail and as I have previously written it’s important we get these right.
Taking tech seriously
As Chi Onwurah MP has said, at previous elections, digital issues weren’t taken very seriously, but this time they will be. Technological change impacts on all parts of the economy and society, so it’s a good thing that our leaders are taking note.