Could the UK have its own ‘Silicon Valley’?

A new ‘champion’ for the Cambridge-Milton Keynes-Oxford corridor – an area of the country that the government claims has the potential to become the UK’s Silicon Valley – was announced just before the Christmas break by Communities Secretary Sajid Javid.

That’s in the shape of Iain Stewart, the MP for Milton Keynes South – who Javid says will take on the role of standard-bearer for this important economic area.

He’ll do that by “working with partners to help it fulfil its potential” says DCMS, as well as:

• champion a “vision” for the corridor with stakeholders including local authorities, local councillors and MPs on a cross-party basis, local enterprise partnerships and local businesses
• gather intelligence on local issues and update government to help deliver this vision in a way that is “locally informed”
• attend events and meetings, along with local stakeholders and ministers as appropriate, to promote the corridor, for example to promote trade and investment
• carry out media engagements to promote the corridor.

“We know that this corridor has the potential to transform into globally significant economy, we must grasp this once-in-a-generation opportunity to unlock growth,” claimed Javid.

“The appointment of Iain Stewart as a dedicated champion will help us work in partnership with communities and secure the corridor’s position as a world class economic area, and a key driver of UK prosperity.”

For his part, “As someone who has lived and worked in the region for many years, I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to champion the government’s vision for the corridor,” said Stewart.

“It’s vital that government and communities work hand in hand to deliver economic growth, and I look forward to bringing together stakeholders and working to transform the corridor into the UK’s answer to Silicon Valley.”

You can check out the government’s vision for the Cambridge-Milton Keynes-Oxford corridor here.