Government must come clean on Post Office hit-list

2.35.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 25th Apr 2007

The Government is yet to announce which Post Offices are earmarked for closure

Jo Swinson has accused the Government of trying to hide the impact of its Post Office closure programme on local communities ahead of the May Scottish and Local elections.

The Government has announced it will close 2,500 Post Offices, but has delayed its response to the consultation on the proposals until after the elections on 3rd May.

Jo said:

"The Government is deliberately concealing the details of its Post Office closure plans from the electorate until after the Scottish elections.

"Local communities across the country are very concerned about losing their local Post Office, and the Government should come clean by producing details of planned closures immediately.

"Time and again the Government has stripped business away from the Post Office - road tax, television licences, pensions and more. They have failed to support the network and should be held accountable for this at the ballot box."

Commenting on the news that Kirkintilloch Post Office is to transfer to WH Smith, Jo said:

"The Bishopbriggs experience, which saw Morrisons pull the plug on the local Post Office, shows that housing Post Office services in larger chain stores is not the way to provide them with a secure future. A guarantee is needed that Post Office staff and customers in Kirkintilloch won't be left in a similar position to those in Bishopbriggs 2 years ago."

Currently, over 300 post offices close every year. There have been 4,000 post office closures since Labour came to power and there were 3,500 closures under the last Conservative Government. Four Post Offices have closed since in 2004 in East Dunbartonshire: Courthill, Westerton, Auchinairn and Killermont.

Related Links:

Save Our Post Offices

BBC News: 2,500 Post Offices face closure

Post Office

WH Smith press release on Post Office move