In the social media landscape, the party will push forward with its Online Safety Act to protect children and will introduce further parental controls over access to social media.

The environment for creatives

The party’s manifesto encourages the uptake of STEM and technical subjects in education. There is no mention of creative subjects.

The party plans to crack down on “poor-quality university degrees that leave young people worse off”, particularly those with high drop-out rates and low employment prospects. Instead of pushing these subjects, the party would fund 100,000 apprenticeships. Apprenticeship schemes are a “key pipeline of talent into our world-leading creative industries” (the manifesto mentions the film, TV, gaming and music industries, but not the fashion industry).

The Conservatives promise to ensure there are tax incentives for the creative sector to remain competitive, and will ensure creators are “protected and remunerated for their work” while the government pursues opportunities in AI.

Liberal Democrats: ‘For a fair deal’

Business and retail

The Liberal Democrats are pro-Europe, and aim to rejoin the single market, fix the “broken” UK-EU trade relationship and remove “as many barriers to trade as possible”. Rejoining the EU is the long-term objective. The party is one of the few that promises to increase minimum corporation tax (from 15 per cent to 21 per cent).

Sustainability

The Liberal Democrats say they will invest in green infrastructure, including renewable energy (to ensure 90 per cent of the UK’s electricity is generated from renewables by 2030), zero-carbon transport, industry and housing. Liberal Democrats would also appoint a chief secretary for sustainability in the treasury, “to ensure that the economy is sustainable, resource efficient and zero carbon”.

Technology

The Liberal Democrats want to drive innovation when it comes to AI, but they will create a cross-sectoral regulatory framework for the technology. The framework will create certainty for AI developers, investors and users, while ensuring AI’s use of personal data is “unbiased, transparent and accurate” and protects people’s privacy.

The environment for creatives

If elected, the Liberal Democrats will include arts subjects in the English Baccalaureate (a set of subjects taken by the majority of secondary school students at GCSE). In line with their “internationalist” mindset, Liberal Democrats will also rejoin the Erasmus Plus study abroad programme and extend the Youth Mobility Scheme with the EU and grant full Settled Status to all those living in the UK with Pre-Settled Status.