ConservaTech

Shaping Britain's Technology Future. Conservatively.

[ConservaTech @Conserva_Tech]

Today we launch our first policy paper ✍️

Strategic Openness: A Conservative Doctrine for Digital Sovereignty 🇬🇧

Britain must never become strategically dependent - even on friendly allies - for the technologies that will shape our economy, security and democracy.

Allies are essential. Dependency is optional.

https://t.co/MS0cSskb1m

[Dr Ben Spencer @DrBenSpencer]

There are worrying signs that these cuts are the result of a cost cutting spreadsheet rather than analysis of the impact and opportunities in one of our most critical sectors.

The proposed cuts will not only have an impact on UK Science now but also our ability to train the next generation of talent - the Government must address these concerns before it’s too late.

[ConservaTech @Conserva_Tech]

This is precisely why @RishiSunak established the AI Security Institute.

Britain has been leading the world in independently testing frontier AI models for dangerous capabilities 🇬🇧

Spotting these risks early is how we support innovation while staying ahead of genuine threats.

[Sky News @SkyNews]

UK experts sound alarm after AI caught trying to trick human with malicious code

Read more 🔗 https://t.co/a6xFx53f5h

[Slazac 🇪🇺🇺🇦🇹🇼🌐 @TrueSlazac]

The median voter loves AI and hates data centers the same way they want less taxes, more public spending and less deficit

[Julia Lopez MP @JuliaLopezMP]

On my recent visit to the @HarwellCampus, I stopped in to see @moderna_tx incredible new research hub and vaccine manufacturing site.

The result of a ten year partnership deal we signed while in government, the site means the UK can now ramp up 250m vaccine doses domestically if we face a future pandemic. It’s not just a vital insurance policy - the NHS’s seasonal vaccines are now being spun up here.

The site is also a major research centre. Here brilliant scientists are researching everything from personalised cancer drugs to a jab that keeps the dreaded winter vomiting virus at bay.

We need more life sciences partnerships like this but have seen under Labour too many firms cancel major investments in the UK.

If we are to grow this sector and make sure NHS patients get the very best treatments, not just off-patent drugs, we need to see follow through on the Life Sciences Sector Plan and the economic fundamentals going in a much better direction.

It is no surprise that sky high energy bills, sabre rattling on taxes, onerous new labour laws, NI hikes and impenetrable NHS procurement continue to see the UK lose our lead in this vital industry.

[Tom Tugendhat @TomTugendhat]

He’s right. And given the way mobile coverage is going in Britain, we may finally catch up with Sudan.

[ConservaTech @Conserva_Tech]

If true, this is a welcome move.

The purpose of procurement is simple: get the best outcome for taxpayers.

Every extra procurement requirement is another cost, another form, another barrier for innovative firms - especially SMEs and start-ups.

If we want government to adopt better technology, procurement should be simpler, faster and focused on outcomes, not virtue signalling.

[Lucy Fisher @LOS_Fisher]

EXC: UK govt is “stripping back” onerous public procurement rules in pro-growth shake up of system

Louise Haigh tells @FT the overhaul will make job creation and skills development the only ‘social value’ requirements for businesses competing to win Whitehall contracts worth £90bn annually

Net zero/environmental criteria, and demands as diverse as tackling domestic violence and improving local high streets will be scrapped from new social value model

https://t.co/NVMpdXedaX

[ConservaTech @Conserva_Tech]

566 and that’s with our insane energy prices and overly complex planning system.

Like so many things in this country - if we can just get a few things right our economy can lift off! 🚀🇬🇧

[etn. @etnshow]

UK, Germany and France individually have more data centre's than China.

[Dr Ben Spencer @DrBenSpencer]

This is the wrong question.

The question should be ’What are the barriers to Brits working with AI to build the best trains in the world?’

AI should enhance ambition. Not limit it.

[ConservaTech @Conserva_Tech]

This is a fantastic bit of news to start the week! Congratulations to @jamesdacombe and the team! 🇬🇧

[Seb Johnson @SebJohnsonUK]

BREAKING: Olix, the UK chip start up looking to compete with Nvidia, is now valued at $3.3bn!

The company is run by 25 year old @jamesdacombe who has quickly become one of the UK's most exciting entrepreneurs.

The company has tripled its valuation in just 6 months.

It has accelerated the development of its chips since the last raise, and is expecting to start production next year.

This new $312m round has been led by american investment firm @fundomo.

LETS GO - this is amazing news for the UK and real validation that we build hard things.

Congrats to the team at @OLIXComputing.

Great stuff in the FT from @tim linked below

[Steve Loftus @LoftusSteve]

100 new data centres in the next 5 years would consume enough water to add about 0.1% to current daily demand.

The increase in UK population since 2020, which Caroline fully supports, has added around 2.5% to daily demand. Or 25x more than these data centres.

[James Wise @Jameswise]

Modern data centres require less water than leisure centres or restaurants - so it’s sad to see politicians spread conspiracy theories about them like this. I shared some of this data in an Economist article this week.

However an even bigger issue is the sheer hypocrisy in the Greens’ position here.

The Greens are adamantly against Britain’s reliance on international tech companies like Palantir. Fair enough, let’s support British entrepreneurs to compete with them. But then they campaign furiously against Britain’s ability to build its own software, which requires things like UK-based DCs. You have to conclude their policy is to ban the use of all software and have our hospitals go back to paper and pencils for health records, use moon-cycles to treat cancer patients, and rob a generation of young people the chance to benefit from these new technologies.

Britain can re-industrialise and become less reliant on international partners. New industries like automated labs, robotics, SMNRs, and datacentres can improve our defence capabilities, create jobs and bring down costs.

But you can’t campaign on both lowering our own strategic capabilities by blocking datacenters ( especially using conspiracy theories ) and arguing we should be less dependent on foreign technologies.

[Peter Fortune MP @PeterTFortune]

Great stuff here from Julia. This is a massive own goal for the UK’s place in the science fraternity.

[Dr Ben Spencer @DrBenSpencer]

Great work by @JuliaLopezMP, for the sake of UK Science I hope we can force another Labour U-turn!

[Julia Lopez MP @JuliaLopezMP]

Will @andyburnham step in to save Jodrell Bank and our nation's critical scientific facilities?

Conservatives are calling for a facility-by-facility analysis of the STFC’s cuts and their impact on the UK’s economic, scientific and defence capabilities

If our new Prime Minister wants the public to believe he has the power and will to deliver change, voters will soon judge him as much for those Starmer decisions he chooses not to overturn as those he does. If Jodrell closes it will be as much on him as his predecessor.

Read my article in today's @Telegraph

https://t.co/d0TTuglHqe

[Tom Harwood @tomhfh]

The remarkable success of Silicon Valley has been driven by a simple mantra: you can just do things.

Britain’s turgid stagnation of recent years has been driven by a legion of lawyers, bureaucrats, and ‘stakeholders’ insisting that you can’t.

[Peter Fortune MP @PeterTFortune]

Jodrell Bank Observatory is set to close because of decisions made by this Government. They continue to damage our excellent science reputation with more ill-thought through decisions.

@Conserva_Tech

Read my thoughts here:

https://t.co/2uYZSf9P1e

[Sam Dumitriu @Sam_Dumitriu]

Better technical education is a fine goal, but the evidence so far says the jobs most exposed to AI are where jobs are being created.

(Chart via @pdmsero)

[ConservaTech @Conserva_Tech]

.@griffitha is right.

This is the choice in a nutshell.

Countries and counties that welcome digital infrastructure attract investment, high-skilled jobs and bigger tax revenues.

Areas that make it harder simply watch that investment go elsewhere.

You can't tax growth that never arrives.

[Andrew Griffith MP @griffitha]

In the US, data centre tax revenues are so big that local government are cutting taxes and paying bonuses to teachers.

In Britain, Burnham wants fewer data centres and more taxes.

We have a choice: go forward to a rich future or get stuck in the past.

[Andrew Bennett @andrewjb_]

good news: the BBB is launching a £1bn fund, backed by UK pension funds, to invest in growth-stage companies

bad news: instead of building a fund-of-funds -- which would help deepen LP capability & capital base across ecosystem -- they are appointing a single fund to run it

[Andrew Griffith MP @griffitha]

As former Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, I can state categorically we would never have let this happen.

In my experience, Whitehall officials don’t like ‘big’ science or moonshots and the funding councils are obsessed with process like the REF, not risk taking.