TORIES PUT RURAL AREAS AT “BOTTOM OF THE PILE” AGAIN AS BROADBAND TARGET CUT

Carmarthen West and Pembrokeshire Liberal Democrats have condemned the decision by the Conservative UK Government to scale back rural broadband connectivity targets.

In last week’s Spending Review, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak backtracked on the Tory’s previous commitment to make broadband internet available to “every home” by 2025, instead promising 85% coverage by that date. Only £1.2 billion of the £5 billion financial support will be made to operators, such as Openreach, for bringing gigabit connectivity to rural homes before 2021.

Commenting, Alistair Cameron, Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire said:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown into sharp relief the disadvantages that households and families with limited or no access to the internet face in accessing education, economic opportunities, public services and vital support at times of crisis.

“I’ve seen first-hand the challenges that a lack of high-quality broadband causes for our rural communities and this pandemic has brought this issue to the forefront once more. This will be particularly hard on anyone trying to set up a new business as we try to recover from the pandemic.”

Preseli Pembrokeshire Spokesperson, Tina Roberts said:

“Since 2010, the Conservatives have consistently made and broken hollow promises about rural broadband.

“Boris Johnson specifically promised to “reboot” left behind Britain with a turbo-charged broadband revolution by 2025. Well we’re certainly being booted – but it’s into the long grass. This is a bitter blow to local communities where the lack of connectivity for educational purposes has been felt keenly over the last 9 months and will continue to drive a widening achievement gap between those that have and those that do not.”