How Will the 2024 UK General Election Shape the Future Tech Landscape?

• Quick Note: As a Managed Services Provider (MSP) operating in the Southwest, we have no pre-obligation or bias towards any parties campaigning for your vote. We will remain impartial throughout this and any other political topics we post about.

Tech-related policies and pledges can have a large influence on the way we work with tech. The Conservative Party has been in government since 2010 and has released several tech-related policies during their 14-year tenure. Some of the most notable ones include:

• The Digital Economy Act 2017: This new law was devised with the consumer at its heart and will be a vital piece of legislation in protecting and strengthening the rights and interests of the individual in an increasingly digital society.
• The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Implementation (2018): The Act seeks to empower individuals to take control of their personal data and to support organisations with the lawful processing of personal data. The GDPR rules were implemented to account for today's internet and digitally led society and provide people and organisations in the UK with a "comprehensive package to protect personal data".
• National Cyber Security Strategy 2016-2021: The National Cyber Security Strategy 2016 - 2021 sets out the government's plan to make Britain secure and resilient in cyberspace. Some key measures included investing £1.9 million in cybersecurity, introducing initiatives to improve public-sector collaboration on cybersecurity issues and establishing the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – an entire organisation dedicated to providing advice and support to organisations on avoiding cybersecurity threats.

Looking back at some of the policies introduced during the past decade, the UK government can have a massive impact on the tech industry. Let's examine what the various political parties promise to deliver in relation to the tech industry ahead of the 2024 UK General Election.

Breakdown of Party Policies

The Conservative Party:

If Rishi Sunak's Conservative (Tory) Party secure the majority of the votes in the upcoming election, they have pledged to deliver the following tech-related policies in their manifesto:

• Increase public spending on R&D (Research & Development): The Tories plan to increase their funding on research and development by £2 billion if they get voted into the next parliament, increasing funding from "£22 billion a year, up from £20 billion".
  
• Maintain UK R&D tax reliefs: If Rishi Sunak's party secure the votes they need, they'll continue to improve the UK's approach towards tax reliefs (reductions in the amount of tax you have to pay) by making positive changes to the tax system which will result in "changes worth £280 million a year" and should bring more SMEs in the technology sector into the "scope of relief".
• Continue Investment in AI Technology: The Tory manifesto also pledges to "continue investing over £1.5 billion in large-scale computer clusters" should they get voted into parliament. This substantial investment would greatly benefit the tech industry by enhancing computational resources essential for AI development. The initiative aims to harness the "potential of AI and support research into its safe and responsible use," fostering innovation while ensuring ethical standards and safety in AI applications.

These pledges signify that if the Conservative Party remains in government, it will focus on increasing funding for research and development and AI research within the tech industry. If they are voted in, small—and medium-sized businesses operating in the sector will also benefit from a reduction in tax.  

The Labour Party:

Sir Keir Stamer appears to be in the driving seat ahead of the impending election. According to senior political analyst Peter Barnes (BBC), the BBC's General Election Poll Tracker indicates that Labour "has a commanding lead" over its fellow parties.

With that in mind, let's look at what the Labour Party will set out to achieve in their manifesto ahead of tomorrow's all-important vote:

• Harnessing AI to Cut NHS Waiting Times: One of Labour's five core missions, forming the backbone of their manifesto, is to “Build an NHS fit for the future.” AI technology to transform the speed and accuracy of diagnostic services significantly.
• Enhanced Digital Infrastructure: The Labour Party is committed to boosting the UK's digital infrastructure with a “renewed push to fulfil the ambition of full gigabit and national 5G coverage by 2030”. 
• Driving Innovation and Industrial Strategy: A key feature of Labour's manifesto is the support for a robust industrial strategy and the drive to foster innovation. The party pledges to advance the “development of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector” by removing planning barriers for new data centres and creating a conducive environment for technological growth.

If elected, Labour promises to support small businesses by cutting energy costs and enhancing digital infrastructure, including nationwide 5G coverage by 2030.

The widespread adoption and accelerative growth we've witnessed AI technology undergo during the past few years has been remarkable. The Labour Party intends to keep a lid on Artificial Intelligence by introducing stringent AI legislation, removing planning barriers for data centres, and supporting AI development, which, in turn, could result in more job creation in the tech industry.

Liberal Democrats:

The Liberal Democrats, or Lib Dems, have focused on promising to create a robust and supportive environment for the tech industry by driving innovation, enhancing productivity and fostering sustainable growth.

They've set out their stall ahead of the upcoming election by proposing to deliver on the following pledges should they be voted into parliament, which have been summarised from their 2024 manifesto below:

• Tackling the Productivity Crisis with Investment in Digital Technology: The Liberal Democrats aim to” tackle the productivity crisis by encouraging businesses to invest in training, take up digital technologies and become more energy efficient, including through our industrial strategy and reform of business rates”.
• Create a Comprehensive AI Framework: Sir Ed Davey’s party aims to “create certainty for AI users, developers and investors in the sector” and wants to establish “transparency and accountability for AI systems in the public sector” and ensure that “the use of personal data and AI is unbiased, transparent and accurate” all of which should promote innovation in the sector while maintaining transparency, assurance and accountability around AI systems in the sector.
• Pledging to Support SMEs in the Tech Sector: The Lib Dems have pledged their “support [for] science, research and innovation, particularly among small businesses and startups” if they get voted into parliament. If they delivered on this promise, it would mean small to medium-sized enterprises would benefit from having more access to funding and would have the opportunity to continue to “participate in Horizon Europe and join the European Innovation Council”.

Each party offers distinct plans to influence the tech industry and support businesses through these next steps:

• The Conservatives promise significant investment in research and development (R&D) manufacturing and AI technologies and also aim to maintain tax reliefs for the businesses that operate within the sector. 
• Labour, currently leading in the polls, has outlined that their tech-related goals revolve around harnessing AI to cut NHS waiting times, enhancing the UK's digital infrastructure and driving innovation and industrial strategy within the sector.
• The Lib Dems promise to foster innovation and ensure ethical AI standards and practices are enforced while promising to provide the necessary resources and infrastructure for growth and development.