A RENEWED appeal to Chancellor Philip Hammond to review the Government decision to scrap tax relief on a scheme to bring high speed broadband to rural areas has been made by MP Tim Farron.

Mr Farron insists the Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN) scheme, which played a key part in the programme currently rolling out broadband to remote areas north of Kendal, will be crippled by the decision to end the 30 per cent tax relief presently enjoyed by investors.

The Westmorland and Lonsdale MP’s previous appeal to Mr Hammond led to a short reply from HMRC saying that they would not comment on a private company’s affairs, so he has now made a direct request to the Chancellor for the decision to be reversed.

“I am astonished you could condone this decision which might overturn the capacity of B4RN to deliver your policy on rural broadband at minimal cost to the Government,” said Mr Farron in his letter to Mr Hammond.