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Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said that life in modern Britain was changing at a pace comparable to the industrial collapse in the 1980s – but he vowed no one would be left behind
Failing to stamp out digital exclusion risks abandoning communities like Margaret Thatcher, a top minister has said.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle warned that life in modern Britain was changing at a pace comparable to the industrial collapse in the 1980s. But he vowed no one would be left behind as he unveiled a new action plan to help more people become tech savvy.
Some 1.6 million people in the UK are currently living offline, as they lack devices, connection or skills, according to Government figures.
Older or vulnerable people risk being locked out of daily tasks like speaking to a GP, applying for jobs, or renting and buying a house – which are increasingly moving online.
Mr Kyle said urgent action was needed to stop people being shut out of vital services and to “put tools in people’s hands that enable them to work their way forward in life”.
He told the Mirror: “If we don’t, we’re in danger as a country of leaving people behind in the same way that the Thatcher Government left communities behind as we transition from one set of industries to another, as life in modern Britain moves forward.
“We’re going to leave no one behind.” Asked if the scale of change was the same as in the 1980s, he said: “I do.”
New funding will be provided to charities and local initiatives to train people to use the internet, and to offer kit such as laptops to people who can’t afford them.
Mr Kyle travelled to Liverpool on Tuesday to see digital inclusion initiatives in action, alongside Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram.
Mr Rotheram said: “Digital inclusion is not just about providing access to technology; it’s about unlocking opportunities for everyone. In the Liverpool City Region, we’ve seen first-hand the transformative power of ensuring that nobody is left behind in the digital age.”
Tech giants including Google, BT and Vodafone have agreed to work with the Government on the scheme. Google and BT are providing digital skills training and Vodafone has agreed to donate connectivity and technology.