Sir, – Predictably, Jeremy Corbyn’s free (at the point of use) broadband proposal has triggered the usual knee-jerk scoffing from the church of the very serious people.
Let’s test the logic here.
For decades, roads have been an infrastructural asset without which businesses and communities would struggle to survive. Without roads, we can’t easily get to the office, or shop, or socialise, etc.
Today, without broadband, we are similarly impeded. Both assets fulfil a very similar set of social and business purposes.
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At the risk of excommunication, let’s then ponder why an ideological inconsistency is hiding in plain sight.
Why are those who scoff at the notion of free (at the point of use) broadband not similarly exercised by our current system of expensive public roads which are (largely) also free at the point of use?
Where is the clamour for thousands of nice new private enterprise toll barriers on our miles of “crackpot” and “Communist” free (at the point of use) roads?
If free (at the point of use) broadband offends against fiscal responsibility, then why are free (at the point of use)roads acceptable? – Yours, etc,
SEÁN MacCANN,
Trillick, Co Tyrone.