Why I voted for post office closures – MP
Last updated 11:41, Thursday, 27 March 2008
COPELAND MP Jamie Reed has voted FOR Government plans to close post offices.
In last week’s Commons vote, he rejected a Conservative motion that would have suspended the programme to close 2,500 branches across Britain, including eight in Copeland.
The only Cumbrian Labour MP to defy the party whip and vote against the closure plans was Carlisle’s MP Eric Martlew.
Speaking after the debate, Mr Reed defended his decision to vote with the Government for the closures.
He said: “It’s absolutely clear that the Tory motion was an insult to the intelligence of my constituents. Far from calling for an end to post office closures, the Tories simply sought to postpone them by a few weeks. They made it clear in the debate that they do not support the Government’s subsidy for the Post Office – a move which would put all of our post offices under threat, rather than some.
“In contrast, I voted for the Government amendment, which makes provision for further subsidies to keep more of our post offices open. The Tory motion was the most dishonest gimmick I have seen in my time in Parliament.’’
After the vote Mr Reed called on Copeland Council to help out with threatened post offices.
of course the labour party wants the local councils to take the post offices over... but you know what that means, of course: a bigger council tax hike. Who said labour politicians had no brains? and of course it wont count as inflation like a lot of other things.
i was only educated at moresby county council school but i know inflation is more like 15% than 2.5%
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Like Whitehaven Beverley has been hit by Post office closures. MP Graham Stuart who is Tory is fighting against the closures because he thinks they are against the interests of the people of Beverley. He like myself, is from Cumbria. He says the closures are against the needs of the individual. Especially in the rural areas
Posted by Paul King on 28 March 2008 kl. 00:02