Angry MSP tells Scottish Government he is not zipped the back' over broadband claims

The Scottish Government’s business minister Ivan Mckee has been accused of treating opposition MSPs as though they “were zipped up the back” over the R100 broadband programme.

It comes after Mr Mckee claimed “ all homes and businesses across Scotland had the ability to access a superfast broadband connection” referring to the voucher schemes in place to patch the years of no superfast internet for rural areas.

And because R100 is years behind schedule having been promised to be delivered before the 2021 Holyrood elections, Mr McKee’s statement drew and angry response from Willie Rennie.

“The minister must think that I am zipped up the back if he expects me to believe that answer,” he said. “It was not delivered by the end of 2021. I personally do not have superfast broadband in my house—and I am not alone.

“Hundreds of thousands of other people across Scotland do not have superfast broadband either, and therefore it is not at 100 per cent.

“A new freedom of information release found that it will not be delivered until March 2028—almost seven years late.”

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.