Innovation is in the Conservative DNA
Posted by Adam Afriyie on 18th April at 3:06am
To reassert traditional Conservative values we must embrace the progressive concepts intrinsic to science and innovation. Science and innovation can secure the economic growth our country so desperately needs and form the foundation for the Conservative party of the 21st century.
From Peel to Thatcher, the concepts of science and innovation have been interconnected and integral to Conservative attitudes. Indeed, as a respected research scientist, Margaret Thatcher was perhaps the embodiment of science in office.
If science is about building on systematically acquired knowledge to inform our judgements and decisions for the future � a fundamentally Conservative notion - then innovation is its' perfect partner. Innovation, as an incremental and evolutionary process, has always been a mainstay of Conservative thought. It applies, not only, to the public and private sector, but to individuals and society as well. By invoking the past to make sense of present challenges, science and innovation blend the most appealing aspects of the traditionalist and progressive traditions of the party, and offer a convincing route to increasing the nation's prosperity.
Conservatives are natural innovators
Adaptation is the key to survival. Seven billion of us are here today because we have adjusted our behaviour to suit our current environment. To innovate is a human instinct. We are more inclined to seek to improve and modify what already exists. As Conservatives, we take this outlook a step further. We believe that people should be free to adopt new practices, rather than have 'grand ideas' imposed upon them by self-appointed elites in smoke-filled back rooms. We understand the intrinsic risks of radical social and economic change, but we also recognise that to stand still or retreat into the past would be equally destructive.
But what is innovation? It is more than scientific discovery and creativity alone. Innovation is about the introduction of new products, services and ways of doing things that, if adopted, will improve our quality of life.
The Government's role in innovation
If government is to allow innovation to flourish in wider society, it must first look to introduce innovative approaches to the process of government. It must adopt a two-track mindset: first, to actively assimilate innovative practices into the public sector and, second, to establish an environment in which innovation is able to flourish in the private sector.
As we approach the second anniversary of the Conservative-led Coalition, we should be encouraged by the direction of travel. The Prime Minister has shown great leadership in setting out his vision for a more dynamic British society, with bigger people and a smaller state. He is a strong advocate of public sector innovation and is increasing his focus on liberating the private sector from unnecessary red tape. There is undoubtedly more to do, but notable examples of progress include policies in open data, intellectual property, high-speed broadband and deregulation.
Open Data
Francis Maude's efforts to embed open data as an operating principle of government are essential in the pursuit of public accountability and economic growth. Opening access to public datasets will create huge, profitable new markets that will boost economic productivity and lead to better public services. I believe that the time could now be right for all new government IT systems to publish datasets for commercial use as the default position.
Intellectual Property
Given that the Government is consulting on the Hargreaves recommendations on intellectual property � the fourth review in six years � it is my hope that the Coalition can finally deliver an IP framework that promotes innovation and growth. I believe that it is now time to give the Intellectual Property Office a new duty to market the publicly registered intellectual property in its care. This might take the form of a simple email alerting businesses to the IP available in their sector, thereby releasing innovation by unlocking the economic potential of existing protected assets.
Broadband
Under the guidance of my colleague Jeremy Hunt, DCMS Secretary, the Government is committed to delivering the best superfast broadband in Europe by 2015. Meeting this aim will require Government investment but, given the dire state of the public finances, we cannot rely on public spending alone. Innovation holds the key to delivering economic growth in times of constrained public spending. When today's satellites can beam high-speed internet access to every region of Britain, we must be careful not to inadvertently restrict the use of such innovative technologies that can bring jobs and online public services to remote areas.
Deregulation
When I chaired the Deregulation Task Force in 2008, we made recommendations that would stimulate innovation and economic growth by stemming the flow of new laws whilst reducing the stock of existing regulations. Progress has been made - despite stiff resistance from LibDems - but there is a long way to go. Now is the time to re-double our efforts to release private sector innovation, particularly in the area of employment law.
Ultimately, the pace of innovation will determine Britain's place in the world. We must not only embrace innovation but actively remove the obstacles to it. The solutions to our economic, social and environmental problems will not come from the stranglehold of state bureaucracy and top-down control, but from placing our trust in the spirit of innovation.
But let's be honest: even good governments are inherently bad at innovation. We need an economy with a bigger, more vibrant and innovative private sector. The Prime Minister has made an energetic and promising start and it is now time to renew our efforts. Traditionalist or moderniser, science and innovation have the capacity to unite our party and generate the economic growth our country requires. Innovation is in our DNA.
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From Peel to Thatcher, the concepts of science and innovation have been interconnected and integral to Conservative attitudes. Indeed, as a respected research scientist, Margaret Thatcher was perhaps the embodiment of science in office.
If science is about building on systematically acquired knowledge to inform our judgements and decisions for the future � a fundamentally Conservative notion - then innovation is its' perfect partner. Innovation, as an incremental and evolutionary process, has always been a mainstay of Conservative thought. It applies, not only, to the public and private sector, but to individuals and society as well. By invoking the past to make sense of present challenges, science and innovation blend the most appealing aspects of the traditionalist and progressive traditions of the party, and offer a convincing route to increasing the nation's prosperity.
Conservatives are natural innovators
Adaptation is the key to survival. Seven billion of us are here today because we have adjusted our behaviour to suit our current environment. To innovate is a human instinct. We are more inclined to seek to improve and modify what already exists. As Conservatives, we take this outlook a step further. We believe that people should be free to adopt new practices, rather than have 'grand ideas' imposed upon them by self-appointed elites in smoke-filled back rooms. We understand the intrinsic risks of radical social and economic change, but we also recognise that to stand still or retreat into the past would be equally destructive.
But what is innovation? It is more than scientific discovery and creativity alone. Innovation is about the introduction of new products, services and ways of doing things that, if adopted, will improve our quality of life.
The Government's role in innovation
If government is to allow innovation to flourish in wider society, it must first look to introduce innovative approaches to the process of government. It must adopt a two-track mindset: first, to actively assimilate innovative practices into the public sector and, second, to establish an environment in which innovation is able to flourish in the private sector.
As we approach the second anniversary of the Conservative-led Coalition, we should be encouraged by the direction of travel. The Prime Minister has shown great leadership in setting out his vision for a more dynamic British society, with bigger people and a smaller state. He is a strong advocate of public sector innovation and is increasing his focus on liberating the private sector from unnecessary red tape. There is undoubtedly more to do, but notable examples of progress include policies in open data, intellectual property, high-speed broadband and deregulation.
Open Data
Francis Maude's efforts to embed open data as an operating principle of government are essential in the pursuit of public accountability and economic growth. Opening access to public datasets will create huge, profitable new markets that will boost economic productivity and lead to better public services. I believe that the time could now be right for all new government IT systems to publish datasets for commercial use as the default position.
Intellectual Property
Given that the Government is consulting on the Hargreaves recommendations on intellectual property � the fourth review in six years � it is my hope that the Coalition can finally deliver an IP framework that promotes innovation and growth. I believe that it is now time to give the Intellectual Property Office a new duty to market the publicly registered intellectual property in its care. This might take the form of a simple email alerting businesses to the IP available in their sector, thereby releasing innovation by unlocking the economic potential of existing protected assets.
Broadband
Under the guidance of my colleague Jeremy Hunt, DCMS Secretary, the Government is committed to delivering the best superfast broadband in Europe by 2015. Meeting this aim will require Government investment but, given the dire state of the public finances, we cannot rely on public spending alone. Innovation holds the key to delivering economic growth in times of constrained public spending. When today's satellites can beam high-speed internet access to every region of Britain, we must be careful not to inadvertently restrict the use of such innovative technologies that can bring jobs and online public services to remote areas.
Deregulation
When I chaired the Deregulation Task Force in 2008, we made recommendations that would stimulate innovation and economic growth by stemming the flow of new laws whilst reducing the stock of existing regulations. Progress has been made - despite stiff resistance from LibDems - but there is a long way to go. Now is the time to re-double our efforts to release private sector innovation, particularly in the area of employment law.
Ultimately, the pace of innovation will determine Britain's place in the world. We must not only embrace innovation but actively remove the obstacles to it. The solutions to our economic, social and environmental problems will not come from the stranglehold of state bureaucracy and top-down control, but from placing our trust in the spirit of innovation.
But let's be honest: even good governments are inherently bad at innovation. We need an economy with a bigger, more vibrant and innovative private sector. The Prime Minister has made an energetic and promising start and it is now time to renew our efforts. Traditionalist or moderniser, science and innovation have the capacity to unite our party and generate the economic growth our country requires. Innovation is in our DNA.
Note: The views expressed in this post are those of the author, not of the 2020 Conservatives group as a collective, the Conservative Party or the Government.
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