Science and technology have been heavily positioned as economic drivers in the government’s strategy of growth at all costs.
In that spirit, top line politicians such as Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Science Minister Lord Vallance have been calling for the creation of “Europe’s Silicon Valley”, echoing the platitudes of Reeve’s predecessor Jeremy Hunt.
As part of that goal, Labour has turned its attention to the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, a research hub that has been identified as an ideal spot to prop up as the country’s answer to Palo Alto.
It is understandable – the area encompassing Oxford and Cambridge has plenty going for it. World-class universities, easy access to the capital and a long-standing history of producing some of the country’s most successful technology companies....