The Conservative Party has never shied away for technological innovation. It was Benjamin Disraeli, the 19th century Tory Prime Minister and godfather of One Nation Conservatism, who embraced the first industrial revolution and remade conservatism in his time. It is no exaggeration to say the same forces remain alive today. 250 years after the invention of steam-powered machines, we are undergoing another technological revolution. 

From Zoom catch ups and WhatsApp group chats to accessing banking and the latest news on the go, our relationship with technology has already changed so much in the past two decades. In the midst of a global pandemic, thanks in large part to our mobile networks, we’ve been able to stay close to our loved ones, access important services and work more flexibly than we ever imagined we could. 

Digital connectivity is poised to make another monumental leap forward with the advent of 5G.  5G is not simply about speed. Imagine drones co-operating to carry out search and rescue missions, self-driving cars communicating seamlessly with one another and wearable fitness devices alerting doctors in real time in a medical emergency. These innovations will transform our way of life.

The job of the Conservative party and this government is to ensure that all parts of the country benefit from the new revolution that could bring about immense social and economic change. And while this pandemic has highlighted how much some of us benefit from mobile networks, the experience has also shown we have work to do in delivering the benefits of connectivity to everyone in the country. 

To achieve a connected future for everyone, our mobile infrastructure needs a reboot. We need to upgrade existing equipment and install new towers to extend coverage. But the legislation designed to make all this possible – the Electronic Communications Code – isn’t working.  The Code was introduced in 2017 with the intention to make it easier and cheaper for providers to make the changes the UK needs to keep pace with the rest of the world. 

Unfortunately, that is not happening quickly enough. The relationship between industry and its landowner-hosts needs repairing. Disputes over rents are making agreements impossible. Infrastructure isn’t being upgraded or rolled out effectively, and consumers are not getting the coverage they want and need. There’s no doubt we need to get things moving if the Government is going to achieve its 5G ambitions. 

That is why the industry joined together to launch Speed up Britain, a new cross-party campaign calling for action to give Britain the mobile network it deserves. The campaign provides an opportunity for industry, landowners, their representatives and government to come together to find a solution to this problem and make progress towards delivering 5G and other new technologies. Looking again at the law will be an important component of delivering real change.

But this is not just about central government. Poor connectivity doesn’t just hinder our ability to navigate the modern world; it can hold back local businesses and services in parts of the country that need it the most. Councillors, metro mayors and MPs will all have insight into the challenges of mobile connectivity in their area, and what they would like to see change.

We all have a part to play in fulfilling the promise of a truly connected nation. If we work together, we can ensure the Conservative party is once again at the forefront of delivering a digital revolution for all.

You can find out more about the Speed Up Britain campaign by visiting www.speedupbritain.com.