The all-party European Information Society Group (Eurim) has issued a seven-point IT manifesto that aims to influence UK party policies before the upcoming election, reports vnunet.

Eurim’s list, which is based on discussions with industry and government, calls for better IT opportunities for students and charities, more unified policing, and a commitment for all UK citizens to have broadband access by 2010.

Only those issues which respondents agreed upon were taken into consideration in drafting the manifesto. This excluded topics such as the adoption of open source or commercial software.

Richard Allen, Liberal Democrat MP for Sheffield Hallam, said: “There are significant policy differences between the parties on specific applications of technology, like identity cards, to which the Lib Dems are strongly opposed.

“But what is common to all parties is that any future government will be increasingly dependent on IT to deliver its services and for the overall success of the British economy.”

Phillip Virgo, secretary general of Eurim, sees it important to raise these issues, even if candidates disagree over them.

“The problem with the manifesto is that we are in the business of promoting joint working between parties. As such there is no clear blue water or red blood between the parties,” he said.

Eurim brought these proposals before MPs twice before, first launching them a year ago, and having renewed them at the start of the party conference season.

The manifesto can be downloaded here.