Tech stars urge next Mayor to back digital skills

LEADING players in London’s tech industries today demanded the next Mayor does more to champion technology as the city fights to recover from the economic impacts of Covid and Brexit.

In a Manifesto for London technology, the city’s tech trade bodies call for the new Mayor to invest more in digital skills to build on the growing tech workforce.

The manifesto also demands a “diversity tsar” to be appointed to the city, alongside the Mayor’s chief digital officer.

The report’s authors said London’s tech sector had shown “remarkable resilience” through the pandemic, attracting a record £8.6 billion in investment last year, more than any other European country.

But they warned: “Monumental societal shifts in the form of Brexit and Covid-19 have exacerbated existing issues such as access to early stage investment, tech industry diversity, and sourcing international skilled workers.”

This meant the next Mayor would be presiding over a “critical period in the history of UK tech” as the country tries to re-establish its global status post Brexit.

Russ Shaw, founder of Tech London Advocates, said: “While the next Mayor of London will inherit a resilient tech sector, there is significant work to be done to overcome the challenges created by a turbulent year.”

“With more stability on the horizon, the opportunity in front of London tech and UK tech is significant — we must grab it with both hands.”