Labour manifesto promises fast broadband for UK by 2020 and more IT-led reform of public services
But nothing on IT in education and few other tech industry-bolstering policies
The Labour Party published its 86-page election manifesto yesterday, which included pledges to deliver fast broadband for the entire UK by 2020 and bolster IT-led public services.
However, it contained no policies designed to match recent Tory measures to boost IT in education or any specific measures to support the technology industry.
On fast broadband, the manifesto said Labour "will ensure that all parts of the country benefit from affordable, high-speed broadband by the end of the parliament".
"We will work with the industry and the regulator to maximise private-sector investment and deliver the mobile infrastructure needed to extend coverage and reduce ‘not spots', including in areas of market failure," the manifesto said.
There is also a nod to existing rural broadband schemes, with Labour pledging to "support community-based campaigns" that are set on reducing the "proportion of citizens unable to use the internet". However, the document said nothing about funding such initiatives, which experts say need proper government help in order to develop successfully.
On IT skills, the manifesto said Labour would give help to "those who need it to get the skills to make the most of digital technology" but offered no further detail.
The technology sector does get a mention in a section on the need to bolster business and industry training across the country through the establishment of , "knowledge clusters, especially outside the South East". The party also promises to help "regional economies by forming strong links with industry and creating high-tech clusters".
"Britain's economy is being held back by the culture of short-termism, which is a major obstacle to the development of productive businesses and industries," it said.
"We will reform corporate governance to protect our leading firms from the pressure to put tomorrow's share price before long-term growth potential."
Also in the section on skills, Labour said it will create "new Technical Degrees" which "support part-time study" and will be co-funded, co-designed and co-delivered by employers and given "priority for expansion within our university system".
On the topic of public-sector IT, Labour said it "will use digital technology in reforming our public services".
"People will be able to feed back on services quickly and simply, making sure their voices are heard, stimulating improvement and saving on the costs of service failure.
"We will further develop digital government to enable better communication, more collaboration, and sharing of data between services."
Labour said it would "make services and transactions more efficient and simpler for people to use", thereby creating "a more connected society" and making digital government "more inclusive, transparent and accountable".
"We will continue to back the principle of ‘open data by default', releasing public-sector performance data wherever possible," it added.
However, no direct mention is made of NHS IT services, beyond a goal to make NHS services "more joined up" with regard to local and national systems.
The Conservative Party's manifesto is due to be published this morning, so look out for our report comparing the two parties' IT-related pledges later today.
Read the IT highlights of all the major parties' manifestos: