Tories accused of letting North down due to broadband tax plans

The Conservative Party has been accused recently of letting the North down because of its plans to scrap the recently confirmed broadband tax if the party comes into power.

Earlier this year the Labour Party announced that it was planning a new tax that would be levied on phone lines, where consumers would be charged fifty pence a month on their landline, amounting to a total tax of six pounds per landline consumer. The proceeds of this tax are to be used for the rollout of fiber-optic broadband to rural areas, where access to high speed internet is difficult if not impossible.

However, the tax plans have met with controversy from some people, and in particular from the opposition, the Conservative Party. The Tories have now been accused of letting the North down after it announced that if it comes into power after the next general election next year it will scrap these broadband tax plans.

This has angered many people, as it means that there will be no money raised for investment into next generation broadband for rural areas such as the Highlands. One Labour MP said: “The roll-out of broadband for the Highlands and islands is vital for residents and businesses in the area as we already lag behind the rest of the country. If the Tories scrap the 50p levy, it would kill off any chance of getting the digital infrastructure that this area needs so badly.”

In the meantime the Labour Party is hoping to get the broadband tax proposal signed into law before the next general election comes around. The Conservative Party has now been accused of effectively writing off the Highlands after stating that it would scrap the tax as soon as possible after the election if it wins.

Source – Comms-Express