Government attacked on Post Office closures

4.49.00pm GMT Thu 29th Nov 2007

Hundreds of petition signatures were colleced from those opposed to Kirkintilloch Post Office's move to WH Smith

Jo Swinson has attacked the Government's planning of Post Office closures in the West of Scotland in a debate in Parliament.

Speaking in a Westminster Hall debate on Post Office restructuring, she said:

"On nonsensical urban post office closures, may I draw my hon. Friend's attention to Kelvindale post office in Glasgow, which the Post Office asked the Postmaster General to take on just 18 months ago and which is nearly half an hour's walk from any of the alternatives? A great campaign run by Katy Gordon has collected more than 700 signatures against that. Does that not show that the Post Office has not done its homework on these closures?"

Jo also raised the issue of a lack of public consultation on Kirkintilloch Post Office's move to WH Smith:

"I wanted to ask the hon. Gentleman whether his experience of the lack of consultation over the WH Smith move was like my experience; it seemed that things were almost being kept secret from people, apart from the fact that a few key politicians were written to. One of the most obvious places at which to consult seemed to me to be the current post office; there could have been a board up, and leaflets, saying "This is what we are planning." That did not seem to occur to those responsible. It was swept under the carpet and the move at Kirkintilloch happened just last week."

Related Link:

Read the full Post Offices debate here