Government Fails to Listen on Post Office Closures (North Bedfordshire Liberal Democrats)

North Bedfordshire Liberal Democrats <bedford@bedfordlibdems.org>

Government Fails to Listen on Post Office Closures

May 18, 2007 10:38 AM

Liberal Democrats in Bedford & Kempston have hit out at the government's failure to listen to the concerns of people in our area over post office closures. The Government announced on Thursday (17th May) that they will continue with their plan to close at least 2,500 post offices across the country.

Liberal Democrats have been campaigning against post office closures and are today stepping up the fight against the Government's plans.

The Government have not published the list of post offices to be closed, but with one in five post offices nationwide set to shut it is unlikely that Bedford & Kempston will escape.

Local Campaigner, Michael Headley said,

"It is outrageous that the Government have ignored the concerns of local people and are continuing with their plan to close at least 2,500 post offices. That means we could lose yet more post offices here in in Bedford & Kempston.

"Liberal Democrats have been campaigning against the Government's post office closure plans and will now be stepping up the fight once again."

"Five post offices have closed in Bedford & Kempston since 1999. That's just short of a quarter of the 21 post offices we had in 1999. We cannot afford see more of these valuable local resources closed."

"If, instead of initiating a further round of cuts, the Government were to adopt Liberal Democrats plans for the Post Office then they would be able to invest an additional £2 billion in the network and safeguard the future of local post offices for years to come."

"The Conservatives have nothing to offer our post offices. Only the Liberal Democrats have a fully-funded plan to save the post office."

For further information on the Lib Dem plan to save the post office network see http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/issues/postoffice.html