Responding to the Labour Party’s policy pledge on broadband,
Country Land and Business Association (CLA) President Mark
Bridgeman said:
“The rural economy is 16% less productive than the national
average – in part because of poor broadband in huge swathes of
the country. Closing that productivity gap could be worth up to
£43bn for UK PLC.
“So we welcome the political focus on broadband from all parties
which shows we are finally seeing some ambition to become a world
class fully connected digital nation, tackling the digital divide
between rural and urban areas - with all the economic and social
benefits that brings.
“Of course everyone likes things for free. But it is not clear
how nationalisation will speed up the delivery of full broadband
for everyone in the country. Under these plans, investment will
collapse straight after the election and it will not begin again
until the Government is able to complete the nationalisation
process. This could take many years and actually slow down
progress, not speed it up.
The Country Land and Business Association launched its Rural
Powerhouse campaign this week designed to unleash the potential
of the rural economy. Its five key themes are:
1. A fully connected countryside
2. A planning system designed for rural communities
3. Profitable and sustainable farming
4. Investment in skills and innovation
5. A simpler tax regime
More details can be found at: www.cla.org.uk/rural-powerhouse
