Industry Forum Spring Reception

Doom mongering about politics and the world was suspended for a few hours this week for the Industry Forum annual spring reception, at the House of Commons. The keynote speaker was Emily Darlington MP for Milton Keynes and a member of Dame Chi Onwurah’s Select Committee for Science, Innovation and Technology. Emily, taking time off from electoral campaigning, was in buoyant form promoting the high tech, city of Milton Keynes and the promise of science and technology for the UK. The event was sponsored by the leading UK telecoms company, newly merged VodafoneThree. George Robinson, Head of Government Affairs at VodafoneThree welcomed guests and said a few cheerful words about the progress of the merger. It is clear that a strong digital communications infrastructure can help meet the government’s growth aims and that a big new player like VodafoneThree will help to achieve this. After the formalities, the reception turned into a party with members, business guests, diplomats and academics networking and making new contacts in the way that they have for done since the Industry Forum was set up 33 years ago.