Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn surprised many commentators yesterday by telling business people how important the Internet of Things (IoT) is in his thinking about the future.
“The fourth industrial revolution is being powered by the Internet of Things and Big Data to develop cyber physical systems and smart factories,” the main figure in the political Opposition told the CBI’s annual conference in London yesterday.
Corbyn defined this “Fourth Industrial Revolution”, using a framework he was happy to acknowledge he’d borrowed from the German Government’s high-tech strategy.
Whatever its basis, Corbyn sees an IoT and Big Data-powered next wave of industrial growth succeeding the first three – the first industrial revolution marked by “mechanised production powered by steam”, the second powered by electricity, while the third was “driven by the Internet and digital communication”.
Corbyn then told delegates that he sees both the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the challenge of the UK’s planned departure from the European Union as linked.
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“How we best respond to Brexit and [IoT] will require radical thinking,” he said, adding that it will “challenge yesterday’s received wisdom of private good, public bad”.
The politician then used the rest of his speech to outline how important a potential future Labour government sees investment and training, claiming, “After six wasted years, the government’s failure to invest in infrastructure and scientific research has put at risk our future prosperity.
“British employees are now a third less productive than American, German and French workers – not because they don’t have the drive, talent and spirit to succeed, but because this government prioritised ideological cuts over investing in Britain’s prosperity.
“Who can be content with seeing the US and Germany investing in cutting edge and green technologies while Britain lags behind?”
Go here for a transcript of Corbyn’s full speech.
