Lib Dem Rural Broadband spokesman castigated the long-running delays to Superfast Broadband's rollout

Commenting on confirmation that the Highlands & Islands superfast broadband rollout will not be finished until 2026, five years later than planned, Liberal Democrat Alan Reid said: "The previous minister for connectivity promised to fall on his sword if superfast broadband wasn't delivered by 2021. It looks like he got out of the job just in time.”

"Absolutely no one in the Highlands & Islands will be surprised that the Scottish Government's promises have turned out to be all hot air.

"The pandemic has exposed the glaring digital divide that exists between rural and urban parts of Scotland.

"Scottish Liberal Democrats want our remote and rural communities to be great places to live, work and study. That's why we are setting out new proposals to put power in the hands of local community managers and prioritise investment in catch up zones to ensure that everyone has access to the digital services they need to prosper."