HS2 was right to be cancelled | I propose a new investment strategy for our nation
First, we must address that the cancellation of HS2 has led to financial losses across the country which we should never agree with.
I believe HS2 was right to be cancelled, but I will never agree with how it was cancelled.
The government owes much in terms of reparations and apologies to those who have suffered financially and emotionally, but rather unfortunately, I expect they will never see either.
However, the project should never have started — it was dreary and uninspiring from the beginning.
In 2012, as the world looked to a new age of techpreneurs to bring innovation, the UK proposed spending £32.7B to shave 55 minutes off a train journey from London to Manchester.
Lessened travel time is nice, but in a digitally connected world where distance bears no boundaries, it was never going to change the dial in terms of economic output.
In contrast, by 2013, China was announcing their Silk & Belt Road Initiative, being ‘a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government to invest in more than 150 countries and international organizations’ cite | Wiki
We were still living in the 1840’s, yet the US and China were targeting the 2040’s.
Our government was being provincial.
And now, in 2023, the world looks to robots and flying drones for deliveries, self-driving cars, and maglev technology for logistics (RIP Hyperloop One).
Our government was operating from a place of poor foresight.
By 2023, the original costs of £32.7B had swollen to a staggering £72 — £98B, meaning the final sum would have been inherently higher.
And by the completion date of 2033, we are likely to be travelling domestically in renewably-fuelled airborne pods akin to taxi-drones, leaving much of our rail network a redundant stretch of steel statuary.
Unfortunately, in 2023, all we have to show is a great nation in decline.
Only this week the ONS reported a downgrade of GDP to 0% growth in Q2, and a decline of 0.1% in Q3.
Meanwhile the OBR forecast a growth of 0.1% for Q4 — well done Rishi, you knocked that pledge out the park.
Our government has failed dismally to deliver fiscal policy that stimulates growth of the economy, or better still, invests in a future economy.
Worse, they destroyed all chances of making something momentous from one of its biggest financial opportunities this country has seen in decades — BREXIT.
Whether for or against it, all change brings opportunity and BREXIT could have been a catalyst to creating a new and competitive economy, putting our great nation back on the main stage.
And as, primarily, leaders of the BREXIT campaign, they should have done much better at converting this expansive event into investment, trade, and growth opportunities.
For those who need reminding, they also appointed Rees-Mogg as The Minister of Brexit Opportunities (albeit two years too late), tasked with bringing investment and opportunity into the country. I urge you to search for his extensive list of accolades from this period — the search won’t last long.
Alas, by 2023, our government hasn’t stimulated growth, they failed BREXIT, and are wasting billions on private healthcare to address NHS wait times instead of paying NHS staff salaries that motivate them to stay in their jobs.
So, instead, our government should invest some of the £36bn saved from HS2 into the development of a National AI Incubator Hub, in partnership with Universities across the UK, and major corporations.
Hear me out before you judge this as ‘common AI clickbait’ — it isn’t.
The Education
AI degree programs already exist within many Universities.
Our great government should be working with Universities to promote their programs at a national and international level, inspiring tomorrow’s generations and attracting new talent into the country.
Building AI skills early can position the UK as an exporter of AI professional services, than an importer from the US or China, like we’re currently destined for.
National campaigns which set direction, create vision, and create hope for the future, are critical to inspiring young people to build the new way of work that doesn’t exist yet.
The Incubator
The government should fund the build and development of a central Incubator Hub that all Universities with AI programs can apply to access.
The aims of the Incubator would be:
· To develop research, tools, and programs in AI
· Offer University students direct experience developing AI programs for businesses which helps them scale
· Sell AI programs into UK businesses, making businesses more efficient and providing them the ability to scale, with partial funding available for smaller businesses which have scaling potential
· Sell AI programs to international businesses, positioning ourselves quickly in AI export
Selling AI services would create a self-funded, sustainable model for the Incubator, allowing it to reduce its reliance on government funding.
The Government
The government should act as initial funder to the initiative, covering the first 5–10 years, while using its connection in business to inspire and promote AI change at a national level.
This allows the government to activate the next growth market at speed, while building a revenue pipeline for the Incubator so it can go on to deliver successful innovation for the country long after the initial investment period.
I know, it sounds like blue sky thinking, doesn’t it?
But wasn’t the development of self-driving cars blue sky thinking?
Wasn’t Amazon delivery drones blue sky thinking?
Wasn’t the rapid expansion of an entire railway network in the 1840’s blue sky thinking?
Our great nation has become an uninteresting, apathetic landscape of failed railways lines.
The techconomy has failed to keep pace with the US and China, and we aren’t exactly sporting a long list of start-ups to shout about on the global stage.
The government is poor at inspiring entrepreneurialism and the next generation of leaders.
And our ‘average person’ is mindlessly getting by, because we’re lacking direction of where we are going as a nation.
It is the responsibility of our government to inspire a vision for the country which exceeds our present standard of living and creates a driving force into growth and greater prosperity.
And so here I am, inspiring my own vision.
An idea which:
1. Reinvests funds saved from HS2 into growth opportunities
2. Builds AI programs for UK businesses to help them scale and grow
3. Quickly positions the UK as an exporter of AI professional services
4. Develops a tech-enabled workforce who are inspired for change and keen to be deployed into work with their highly sought-after, highly paid, AI skillset
Instead, Rishi is spending the money on potholes in London.
You can fill the cracks in all you like, Rishi…
But just like potholes, we only need to turn a corner to find your government causing new bumps in the road.
James
anti-clickbait content writer
I write about humans’ potential to activate peak performance
you can visit my website here | wearehumans.digital
