1. Focus investment on digital infrastructure
"The coalition government abandoned Labour’s universal broadband commitment for 2012, and then they missed their own targets on having it in place by 2015, and we still have significant areas of the country where you can’t get a even decent broadband signal, never mind a superfast one." Onwurah says a Labour government would drive towards fibre to the home.
2. Cyber security budget a bit of a scam
"It’s great that it’s doubled, and the fact that George Osborne has become aware of the potential cyber attacks to impact our national security is great, but it’s not going to actually do much for consumers and small businesses."
3. Criticism of Ed Vaizey
"Unforunately Ed doesn’t take a huge amount of interest in the digital economy because if he was to do that then we would have a integrated industrial strategy for digital, whereas we have ad hoc measures".
"That’s where he’s letting down the country."
4. Failure of adult education
"What this government misses out totally," Onwurah says, "is improved adult education, which has been hugely slashed." She feels similarly about reduced library capacity too – for some still the best way to access technology and improve their skills.
The full article can be read here.
