He added: "In the last 12 months the whole of Norway has been connected to 100Mbps and we are still messing about. What I have called upon them to do is use the money intelligently. Don't just think you have to have a big contract deal with one company."

Farron is keen for the council to work with Network Rail to allow communities to get connected to superfast broadband using cable and connections along some of its lines running through the region. BT would then be allocated some money to work on regions where this is not possible.

"You can make a whole bunch of smaller schemes come to fruition by working with people like Network Rail. This will create a sense of 'neighbourhood envy', whereby other surrounding communities will want to follow suit," he said.

"The idea that BT should be handed the entire £24 million is nonsense. It's quite clear that BT was planning to use some of that money to do things that it would do anyway. The idea that a penny of that money should go into deploying broadband in Carlisle, for example, is outrageous."

Farron also complained that the prime minister's plan to allow councils to be in charge, rather than being pressured by plans from Whitehall, has resulted in little action.