Lib Dem MP blasts poor quality broadband connections

A West Country MP has criticised the government's efforts to increase fibre optic broadband access in rural areas.

David Heath, who is a Liberal Democrat MP in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, claimed "a man with a stick" could transmit information faster than his broadband connection.

The Somerton and Frome MP made the comments at a fringe meeting, which was part of the Lib Dem party conference in Glasgow. 

He went on to explain how some of the most rural areas of the country are often excluded from the government's targets regarding fibre optic installations. There is a plan in place to introduce superfast broadband to 90 per cent of premises in Devon and Somerset by 2016. 

Mr Heath said: "It is a fact we have a serious problem if we blithely talk about 90 per cent coverage - that sounds great, except actually we live in the ten per cent in the rural parts of this country."

He also stressed that lack of coverage and slow speeds are as much an economic problem as a social problem - putting some run-from-home businesses in a position where they cannot keep up with competitors from more urban areas.