Tories would cut broadband tax

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If elected, the Conservatives would ditch plans to tax phone lines 50 pence a month to pay for a superfast broadband rollout.

Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt told the Financial Times that the tax, proposed as part of the government’s Digital Britain plans, would be scrapped “as soon as possible.”

The Digital Britain plan looks to increase broadband speeds across the country and ensure everyone has a minimum 2Mbps. The broadband tax would raise £175 million annually towards that goal.

Hunt also said his party would force the BBC to share some of licence fees to other TV stations and change the structure of the trust which runs the government broadcasting body.

Ofcom would survive a Tory government, but would see its "policy-making powers" go back to ministers, he added.

The Conservatives have previously promised to end controversial IT projects such as ID cards.

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