‘Labour to deliver free broadband’

LABOUR has promised a British broadband public ser v ice that w i l l del iver free full-fibre internet to every home and business by 2030, if it wins the General Election.

The party intends to bring parts of BT into public ownership under plans it said will result in a massive upgrade in the UK’s internet infrastructure.

The multibillion-pound plan – one of the biggest announcements of the election campaign so far – will aim to put an end to patchy and slow coverage, boosting 5G connectivity across the country.

Jeremy Corbyn was set to make the announcement in Lancaster today, describing the new free public service as central to Labour’s plans to transform the country and economy, bringing communities together in an “inclusive and connected society”.

Labour said it will be paid for through the party’s Green Transformation fund and taxing corporations such as Amazon, Facebook and Google – adding it will save the average person £30.30 a month.

They said there would be a one-off capital cost to rollout the full-fibre network of £15.3 billion, in addition to the government’s existing and not yet spent £5bn commitment.

The rollout would begin with communities that have the worst broadband access, including rural and remote communities and some inner city-areas, followed by towns and smaller centres, then by areas currently well served by superfast or ultrafast broadband.

In a speech today, Mr Corbyn was to say the internet has become such a central part of our lives, adding: “That’s why full-fibre broadband must be a public service, bringing communities together, with equal access, in an inclusive society.

“It’s time to make the very fastest full-fibre broadband free to everybody, in every home in every corner of our country.”

A BT spokesman said: “It should be a top political priority to supercharge the roll-out of full fibre broadband and 5G right across the UK so we can build the digital economy of the future.