UK’s £1bn strategy for semiconductor industry lacks ambition, say critics

Under the Hiroshima accord, the UK and Japan will launch a ‘semiconductors partnership’. Photograph: EPA

The UK government has announced an investment of up to £1bn in the domestic semiconductor industry, but has been criticised for declining to join the spending race that has seen the US and EU announce significantly bigger programmes.

Labour accused the government of lacking ambition in its announcement, while one UK startup said the £1bn figure was less than the cost of one basic semiconductor plant.