Kingston's three Post Office closures linked to 120 nationwide

28.01.03

Davey pushes 'Save our Post Offices' Campaign

New research by the Liberal Democrats has shown that the three closures of Kingston Post Offices are just part of a disturbing first wave of 120 closures across the country. Local MP Edward Davey has stepped up his Post Office campaign and is this week urging local people to log on to his website and show their support for the 'Save our Post Offices' campaign by signing the online petition.

The first 120 local post offices facing the axe under the Post Office closure program, quietly underway since November, can now be revealed thanks to new research by the Liberal Democrats. Bowing to pressure the Post Office has now agreed to provide the Liberal Democrat Party with regularly updated lists of the closure programme. Meanwhile the Lib Dems are continuing to speak out against Labour's plans for the Post Office - including the closure of 3,000 post offices and the sack for 40,000 post staff.

Edward Davey MP commented

"Last year the Liberal Democrats predicted that the current Government policies on the post office would lead to seven closures in Kingston alone. Already two have been announced. This latest analysis of the national picture shows that they are part of the first 120 urban PO's to be targeted.

"In the last three years Labour have closed over 1,100 post offices. Now Royal Mail are threatening that deliveries will be scrapped and the cost of posting a letter will rise. This is not acceptable. It is essential that Parliament is able to hold the Post Office to account for its closure program. This list of the branches 'at risk' across the UK has been hidden until now.

"Post Offices are often the backbone of local communities. There is a lot of local opposition by residents in Kingston and Surbiton who feel their needs and concerns are being ignored in favour of savings being made by the Post Office.

There is also a national 'Don't K.O the P.O' campaign on the Liberal Democrats' website.