Dyson appointed as Conservative tech guru

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The Conservatives have named Sir James Dyson – of vacuum cleaner fame – as the head of a high-tech task force.

In a report unveiled at its Manchester conference, the Conservative Party said the taskforce will look to boost high-tech work in the UK. “It will look at how we can harness the fantastic resources of our world-class university science and engineering departments, and at how we can generate a major expansion of high tech product development," the report stated.

Dyson is famous for inventing the bagless vacuum cleaner, which carries his name, as well as those super-fast drying Dyson Airblade hand dryers now popping up in some public toilets.

He used his new role to call for the UK to stop focusing on finance and look to engineering and tech to boost the economy. "As someone passionate about engineering and solving problems, I have a question for you: can Britain now only make money from money? Or can it make money from making things too?"

He added: "We've lived for the thrill of the moment; now we must learn that a greater thrill comes from the slow burn of technology."

"Technology is not just inspirational, it's essential," he said.

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