Corbyn releases Digital Democracy Manifesto, 'guarantees' superfast broadband for all
Jeremy Corbyn has released his Digital Democracy Manifesto in which he has pledged that every home and business would have "guaranteed access to superfast broadband".
The manifesto, released in Shoreditch, home to Silicon Roundabout, has seven key points to it, including the pledge of high-speed internet for all. In addition, the manifesto includes a pledge to increase the mobile internet coverage, so that even the remotest areas, for example, the Scottish Highlands, have access.
Businesses have long campaigned for a faster and more reliable internet, and the manifesto pledges £25 billion to ensure that rural infrastructure receives the same speeds as those in urban centres. In a statement released by Corbyn's campaign team, this figure fits with the broadband infrastructure budget already pledged: “The maximum cost for nationwide FTTP [fibre-to-the-premises] coverage is £25 billion, spread over a number of years, which fits easily inside the £500 billion investment commitment already announced. £13 billion would provide 80 percent coverage.”
Along with the pledge for high-speed internet to every home, the manifesto also lists a “digital citizen passport”. This would be a voluntary scheme where digital passports would be provided and give internet users a secure identity when it comes to their online activities. Critics have already pointed out that this has similarities to the previous Labour government’s scrapped ID card scheme.
In response to the manifesto, Conservative ministers have pointed to the new Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband speeds. Announced by the previous prime minister, David Cameron in October 2015, this pledges that every household would have the legal right to request a minimum internet speed of 10Mbps by 2020. Ministers have said that the project is “on track” to connect 95 per cent of all premises by the end of next year.
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