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Ukie calls on UK government to work closer with games industry in 2017 manifesto

Voices concerns around Brexit and funding in the UK

Ukie calls on UK government to work closer with games industry in 2017 manifesto

UK video games trade body Ukie has released its 2017 manifesto which looks at the ways the UK government could work with the games industry moving forward.

Recommendations include performing a skills review to help educational institutes better tailor programs to the needs of developers and providing new funding for the industry to grow.

Ukie also voiced concerns around Brexit, stating that the government must confirm whether EU citizens working in the UK will be allowed to stay once the country leaves the union.

The trade body also recommended that the government ensures that data can continue to be freely transferred between the UK and EU states post-Brexit.

Becoming a world-leader

Concerns around the EU extend to trade deals too. Ukie recommends that "future trade agreements enshrine existing trade liberalisation", and that the government introduces a more coherent export and inward investment strategy.

"The UK games sector is already world class but with the right support, policies and leadership in place, it can truly become a world-leader - boosting exports, jobs, and growth across the country," said Ukie CEO Jo Twist.

"This manifesto makes top level recommendations for how the new Government should stand behind the sector to help unlock its potential."

The manifesto follows a similar call to action from trade body TIGA, which focuses more on increasing the number of jobs in the UK games industry. It wants to add another 5,000 jobs to the industry by 2022, growing the number of full-time staff to 17,500.

The full Ukie manifesto can be viewed on its website.


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Ric is the Editor of PocketGamer.biz, having started out as a Staff Writer on the site back in 2015. He received an honourable mention in both the MCV and Develop 30 Under 30 lists in 2016 and refuses to let anyone forget about it.