MEP HITS OUT AT LIST OF STAFFS & SHROPSHIRE POST OFFICES BEING CONSIDERED FOR CLOSURE

6.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 2nd Apr 2008

Local Euro-MP Liz Lynne has reacted to the release today of the list of post offices earmarked for consultation on closure in Staffordshire and Shropshire. The consultation programme is part of the government's wider post office closures plan and could see many of the 53 listed close along with up to 2500 nationwide.

Liz Lynne, who has campaigned against the closures across the region, said:

"The closing of local services anywhere will inconvenience people but the removal of post offices, especially in rural areas of these two counties, could literally be the death knell for some communities.

"The majority of rural post offices are also combined with the village shop. Without the post office counter to keep them going, these shops may also be forced to close, many of which provide vital goods and services for people on low incomes.

"Local people must make sure their voice is heard and sign petitions where possible. There is an alternative to these closures and the Liberal Democrats have a fully-costed plan which would revive the post office network."

On the claim sometimes made that the EU is behind the closures, Liz added:

"Some politicians would have you believe this is all the EU's fault, but I assure you it is not so; the closure programme comes directly from UK government decisions to remove services from post office counters and the resultant fall in customers."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

For information on the Liberal Democrats £2bn plan to revive the post office network, and to sign the petition against closures, please see: http://www.libdems.org.uk/commerce/issues/postoffice.html

4000 post offices have already closed under the Labour government since 1997, not including the 2500 possible branches included in the current closure programme. Under the previous Conservative government some 3500 post offices were closed.

While often directly blamed on the EU's liberalisation of postal services, the loss of much of the business that post offices used to enjoy has been caused by successive government decisions to remove services from post offices, from benefit payments to the sale of TV licences.