Published: Wednesday, 2nd April, 2008 12:00
MSP blasts Labour MPs over Post Office closures
By Kevin McRoberts
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POST OFFICE customers in Clackmannanshire are being told to point the finger of blame at their Labour MP Gordon Banks if their local branches are cut as part of the national closure programme.
Keith Brown, the county’s SNP MSP, launched a scathing attack on Mr Banks and his Labour colleague in Stirling, Anne McGuire MP, after a campaign to save the post office at Stirling University ended in failure.
Mr Brown – whose Ochil constituency includes the university – played a major role in the campaign and was “appalled” by the decision to close the post office.
With closures in Clackmannanshire due to be announced next month, Mr Brown has vowed to fight any cuts to the post office network in the Wee County – and has attacked the area’s Labour MP for supporting the closure programme.
Campaign
He said, “I was proud to be part of the fantastic campaign to try to save the university branch, and I cannot believe that the Post Office has not taken on board the responses they received from over 500 members of the community who regularly use this valuable resource.
“I will continue to stand against any future closures in my constituency when Clackmannanshire’s neck goes on the line in May.”
As previously reported in the Advertiser, Dollar Community Council has already warned it will strenuously oppose any proposal to close its post office.
And Colin Falconer, who runs Alloa’s Fairyburn post office from his newsagents shop in Lornshill Crescent, has revealed he fears his branch will close.
He has already been looking at other ways to keep his business afloat and last month had a planning application approved for a sandwich shop at his premises.
Last week at Westminster, the Conservatives proposed a motion to “suspend” the programme of 2500 post office closures throughout the UK. However, this was defeated.
Sham
Mr Brown continued, “The whole consultation process has been a sham. It was completely undermined by local MPs Anne McGuire and Gordon Banks, who both voted for the closure programme in 2005 and voted to keep it going just last week.
“That gave the green light for the closure at Stirling University and any that may be proposed in the future in Clackmannanshire and throughout Scotland.
“I am just astounded by the hypocrisy of Scottish Labour MPs on this.
“They are more than happy to pay lip service to their constituents and get their photographs taken, but do nothing to save local post offices when they have the opportunity at Westminster.
“When given the opportunity to save our post offices, every single Scottish Labour MP voted no. Now we are paying the price.”
However, Mr Banks defended his decision to vote with the Government on the Post Office closures, and hit back at politicians who were “ only prepared to criticise without acknowledging the full facts”.
“Facts such as fewer than 16 people per week use the 800 smallest rural post offices, that 1600 branches serve less than 20 customers a day, and customers are choosing to use the Post Office less and less in favour of internet transactions,” he said.
“The Post Office network has lost four million customers a week in the past few years, and the network is running at a loss of £3.5 million each week.
“Even the General Secretary of the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters agrees that closures are necessary to ensure that remaining Post Offices are able to thrive in the future.”
Subsidy
Mr Banks went on, “This Labour Government has pumped £2 billion into the network since 1997 and is committed to a further subsidy of £1.7 billion up until 2011 – a subsidy that did not exist under the previous Government.
“The motion I supported recognised the important social and economic role of Post Offices and commended the Government’s action to support the Post Office network with £1.7 billion of subsidy.
“The Nationalists fail to recognise the economics of Government and that is clearly shown by their inept decisions taken in the Scottish Parliament since last May.
“Perhaps the SNP MSPs will lobby Mr Salmond for investment to keep all the Post Offices scheduled for closure – if not they have no real credibility in this matter.”
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