Labour wins UK election: top 10 tech manifesto pledges

Digital Infrastructure

• Developing a 10-year infrastructure strategy to boost digital infrastructure, benefiting mobile and broadband networks, AI, and data centres.
• Ease planning restrictions for data centres and designate major projects as nationally important to streamline approval processes.
• Supercharge tech and digital sectors through a new industrial strategy to restart the economy.
• Support the construction of data centres on brownfield sites, overcoming previous planning blocks.

Broadband and 5G

• Make a renewed push to fulfil the ambition of full gigabit and national 5G coverage by 2030.
• Work with Ofcom to encourage greater infrastructure sharing or cooperative building between network operators.
• Support Project Gigabit broadband roll-out program initiated by the current government.
• Address the slow roll-out of gigabit broadband under the Conservative government.

Tech Innovation and Regulation

• Create a new Regulatory Innovation Office to help regulators update regulations and speed up approval timelines for new technologies.
• Set up an Industrial Strategy Council to advise businesses and help harness new technologies.
• Modernise national planning policy to facilitate the construction of laboratories, digital infrastructure, and giga-factories.
• Work in partnership with industry to seize opportunities and remove barriers to growth.

Tax

• Modernise HMRC and tackle tax avoidance by increasing registration and reporting requirements and strengthening HMRC’s powers.
• Support the implementation of the OECD global minimum rate of corporate taxation to ensure multinational tech companies pay their fair share.
• Invest in new technology to build capacity within HMRC.
• Focus on tax reforms that level the playing field between high street and online giants.

AI (regulation/ investment)

• Give the AI Safety Institute statutory footing and introduce binding regulations on companies developing powerful AI models.
• Ban the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes and ensure safe AI development through comprehensive legislation.
• Support the development of the AI sector through the industrial strategy.
• Introduce laws to regulate AI companies and ensure ethical AI practices.

Data

• Introduce its own version of the Data Protection and Digital Information (DPDI) Bill, focusing on innovation and data sharing in Open Banking and Smart Data schemes.
• Explore further measures to keep everyone safe online, particularly on social media, and expand fraud strategies to tackle online threats.
• Establish a National Data Library to support data-driven public services while maintaining strong safeguards.
• Build on the existing Online Safety Act to enhance online protection for all users.

Cyber security

• Conduct a Strategic Defence Review within the first year to address cyber-attacks and misinformation campaigns.
• Modernise policing techniques to keep pace with modern threats, integrating new technologies into law enforcement.
• Develop a comprehensive cyber defence strategy to protect critical infrastructure.
• Ensure the UK is fully prepared to deal with hybrid warfare, including cyber-attacks.

Public sector

• Use AI to improve public services and create a more efficient public sector, standardising approaches to procurement and IT.
• Modernise HMRC to tackle tax avoidance by investing in new technology and capacity.
• Promote the integration of digital technologies to streamline government operations and enhance service delivery.
• Support the development of data-driven public services through the National Data Library initiative.

NHS

• Harness AI to transform the speed and accuracy of diagnostic services, potentially saving thousands of lives.
• Develop the NHS App further to allow patients better control over their health and digitise children’s health records.
• Exploit the revolution in data and life sciences to transform healthcare delivery.
• Invest in technology to enhance patient care and streamline NHS processes.

Energy and Climate Change

• Aim to make Britain a clean energy superpower with zero-carbon electricity by 2030.
• Create Great British Energy, a publicly owned company that will co-invest in leading technologies and support local energy production.
• Capitalise Great British Energy with £8.3 billion over the next parliament.
• Promote the development of new onshore wind projects and nuclear power stations.