Martha Lane Fox, co-founder of lastminute.com, has been appointed Britain's Digital Inclusion Champion.

UK- Martha Lane Fox, co-founder of lastminute.com, has been appointed Britain's Digital Inclusion Champion by the Government which hopes that such a high-profile name will help encourage the take-up of broadband services.

According to UK media, the Government has also today appointed Anna Bradley - former consumer affairs director of the Financial Services Authority and former chief executive of the National Consumer Council - as the consumer expert in the Digital Inclusion Taskforce that will advise Lane Fox.

Focus on bringing disadvantaged groups online 
Bradley is currently chair of Ofcom's Communications Consumer Panel. She said that

the Taskforce would be focused on ensuring that disadvantaged groups are helped to get online and benefit from digital communications.

"Not having broadband will be a real disadvantage. We know that people on low incomes, people with disabilities and older people are missing out already. They will be increasingly disadvantaged unless we can encourage and support them to get online and reap the benefits."

Bradley added: "I hope that the Digital Inclusion Champion will play a central role in promoting a joined-up, strategic approach to enhancing consumer and citizen participation in the digital age, working across Government and industry.