Leech takes Prime Minister to task over Chorlton Post Office

5.02.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 25th Oct 2006

John Leech MP challenges Tony Blair to safeguard our Post Offices

John Leech, Liberal Democrat MP for Manchester Withington, has used Prime Minister's Questions to challenge Tony Blair to take action to prevent the privatisation of Crown Post Offices, such as Chorlton.

Using Chorlton Post Office as an example, John asked the Prime Minister to put an end to the scandal of profitable Crown Post Offices being privatised by Post Office Ltd without any consultation with local residents or stakeholders.

The Prime Minister in his answer refused to commit to government intervention. Tony Blair said that Post Office Ltd must be allowed to conduct their business without government interference.

Speaking after Prime Minister's Questions, John Leech MP said:

"The Prime Minister is wrong to refuse to take action. The Crown Post Office in Chorlton is used by thousands of local residents and businesses and its privatisation has outraged people in the area. What is so wrong about it is that there was absolutely no consultation to find out how local people felt about the proposal: Post Office Ltd are just steamrollering it through."

"Post Office Ltd is wholly owned by the state - it is ludicrous for Tony Blair to say that the government should not influence what they do in cases like this."

"This is yet another example of an arrogant Labour government showing total disregard to the views and interests of ordinary people."

John Leech MP has also tabled a parliamentary motion, Early Day Motion 2687 "Franchising of Chorlton Post Office", which calls on the government to halt Crown Post Office sales without consultation.

End

Notes to editors:

Early Day Motion 2687

FRANCHISING OF CHORLTON CROWN POST OFFICE 09.10.2006

Leech, John

That this House is appalled that Post Office Ltd has decided to privatise Chorlton Crown Post Office without consultation with local people; regrets that the Government, as majority shareholder, has not intervened to stop the closure; and urges the Government to introduce a moratorium on Crown Post Office sales without full and proper consultation with local residents.