Labour Hypocrisy Over Post Office Closures Condemned

5.58.59pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 23rd Aug 2004

Opposition Liberal Democrats have hit out at the Labour Party's apparent u-turn in support of keeping open local Post Offices under threat of closure.

Deputy Leader Cllr John Leech said, " Labour Councillors and Manchester MPs say that they want to keep open profitable post offices but the Labour Government is taking away £400 million of business from the Post Offices from 2006 with the transfer of benefit payments and pensions and they are giving financial incentives to sub postmasters to close."

The Post Office Reinvention Programme provided £180 million to close Post Offices while only providing £30 million to improve those that remain. Manchester Labour MPs, including the MP for Withington, voted to provide money to push through the closures. Liberal Democrat MPs voted against the scheme.

Cllr Leech said, "Over 90% of local post offices are currently profitable, but the Government wants to close about a third. Sub postmasters are understandably taking the money being offered because they know that the Government's plan to take away £400 million of business will make it increasingly difficult to run a viable business. Our MP should be ashamed of himself that he voted to help close the Post Offices and then he turns round and says that profitable ones should not close! This is breathtaking hypocrisy."

Cllr Leech ran a campaign last year against the closure of Barlow Moor Road Post Office in West Didsbury. He added, "We got no support from the Labour Councillors, and they failed to write to the Post Office National Consultation Team, even though they agreed to do so in the Council Meeting last April. When it comes to Post Offices, Labour Cllrs and MPs say one thing and do another. They can't be trusted to help save the Post Offices."

Ends

For further information, or to arrange a photo at one of the affected Post Offices, please contact Cllr John Leech on 07753 659 487 or 234 3002