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Brit ministers jet off on a trade mission to tout our digital exports...

...We import two-thirds of our digital. That! is! a! disgrace!

In a desperate attempt to improve our international trade prospects, UK digital minister Matt Hancock has jetted off on a "cyber trade mission" to "tap huge markets in Singapore and promote UK fintech sector in Tokyo."

Meanwhile British culture secretary Karen Bradley will travel to Finland and Sweden, where she will "set out the government’s commitment to growing the UK’s digital economy."

The duo have been sent off to, respectively, promote the benefits of investing in the UK and of collaboration with UK companies.

AI, govtech, gaming and cyber security have been earmarked as the key areas of discussion.

In a canned statement Karen Bradley said: "Britain has become an undisputed European hub for tech investment, with twice as much investment in tech as any other European country, and plans set out in our recent Digital Strategy will help make sure this continues.

"I’ll be in Finland and Sweden to showcase and promote the UK’s booming digital economy and outline how deeper collaboration with our world-leading companies can benefit both regions."

Bradley will hang out with companies at Helsinki’s Start-up Sauna and meet the likes of Ericsson, while part of Hancock's trip to Japan will include a visit to Sega and promote the Blighty's fintech, AI, robotics and 5G sectors.

Earlier this year DCMS finally unveiled its Digital Strategy, which made a number of vague promises about boosting digital skills and the AI sector.

That is not to be confused with the Cabinet Office's long-awaited digital strategy paper, which also made a number of vague promises about improving online public services.

Incidentally, both departments have their very own digital minister. As we have a spare digi minister, perhaps we could export one to Singapore or Finland permanently... ®

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