Why should broadband be free? Promises and rhetoric in the United Kingdom general election of 2019

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyse the promises of the various political party in the 2019 general election in the United Kingdom (UK) concerning the provision of broadband, especially in remote and rural areas.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an analysis of the party manifestos, some interviews and speeches involving party leaders. It identified the various commitments, any costs for those and the reasoning given.

Findings

The UK lags badly on fibre to the premises, both homes and offices. Without analysing the reasons, the two dominant parties proposed to borrow large amounts of money to fund fibre deployment, the Conservative Party without explaining how it would be disbursed. The Labour Party produced a confused proposal to nationalise BT Openreach and probably other operators, without explaining how this transition would work. Nor did they explain why the service was to be free to users.

Practical implications

The UK political parties need to improve their understanding of broadband and digital policies, including means to simplify the governance of markets.

Originality/value

This is the first analysis of the broadband commitments of a UK general election and one of the very few analyses of political offers in an election.

Citation

Sutherland, E. (2020), "Why should broadband be free? Promises and rhetoric in the United Kingdom general election of 2019", Digital Policy, Regulation and Governance, Vol. 22 No. 5/6, pp. 413-435. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPRG-12-2019-0106