LeWeb 2012: UK Government Welcomes Tech ‘Arms Race’

The technology “arms race” being carried out by nations across the world is something the UK welcomes, according to a senior advisor to Prime Minister David Cameron.

At the opening session of LeWeb conference being held in Westminster today, Rohan Silva, senior policy advisor to Downing Street, said it was a “great arms race” that the UK wanted to win, with the Silicon Roundabout area at the centre of its tech arsenal.

“That kind of arms race is really healthy. If any of you have any stories of countries we should be playing catch up with, we want to hear that,” Silva said.

London ‘a special place’

“London is full of energy, it is full of ideas… the prime minister is so proud this is happening right now.

“Something really special is happening in east London. It is not some kind of arid business park in the middle of nowhere… it is an incredible place to live and work.

“We are trying to do the right thing as a government with transport, infrastructure, tax policies. It is the place in Europe to go.”

Silva pointed to the government’s moves to make life easier for start-ups in the UK, including the reduced corporation tax.

Jonathan Luff, advisor to the prime minister, said 2012 would be a great year for the UK tech sector. “We want to make sure everyone knows this is a great tech year in Britain,” he said.

“The government is doing everything it can to increase investment in early stage start ups.”

The UK is keen to be number one in Europe in various areas of the technology industry, whether that’s in broadband coverage or in start-up support. Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, has repeatedly called for the UK to be the centre of Europe’s technology industry.

“This is a country where the prime minister gets it. It isn’t just rhetoric,” added Brent Hoberman, co-founder of PROfounders Capital.

Yet Jamie Oliver, TV celebrity chef, had some words of warning. He said the UK had to be wary of getting left behind, claiming “we are nowhere near” where the UK should be in terms of competing with the likes of Silicon Valley.

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