South Lakes MP Tim Farron is demanding the Government clarifies how rural communities will receive broadband access.

Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has welcomed the Government’s announcement to extend broadband into rural areas but believes that more details are required.

Prime minister, David Cameron, has announced that a "universal service obligation" will be introduced for broadband, giving the public a legal right to request an "affordable" connection with a view to almost 100 per cent coverage by 2020.

But Mr Farron believes more details are required about how the Government’s commitments would be funded and how they would be delivered.

Mr Farron said: “I am delighted to hear the Government commit to providing broadband for rural communities.

“However, it is essential that the Government set out in detail how they plan to deliver this. At the moment here in Cumbria there are numerous community broadband projects which have been left up in the air by this announcement.

“The Government needs to provide the detail so they know where they stand.” The party leader wants to ensure that people in local area are able to maximise their use of the internet and not receive a second class service and believes that a minimum broadband speed of 10Mbps in rural areas is insufficient. He said: "If the Government is going to provide broadband to the most rural areas and to provide the funds to do this, then it should be more ambitious than at present.

“In the modern day, 10 mbps is simply not fast enough – they should have the same speed as urban areas 24 mbps.

“By settling for 10Mbps for rural areas, the Government is deciding that our communities are second class and don’t deserve the same service as urban areas."