Bates pays tribute to over 4,000 Post Offices closed by Labour (Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats)

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Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats <montlibdems@gmail.com>

Bates pays tribute to over 4,000 Post Offices closed by Labour

October 1, 2008 12:00 AM

Photo: Mick Bates AM and Lorely Burt MP pay tribute to 4,000 Post Offices closed by the Labour Government

Montgomeryshire AM Mick Bates has today paid tribute to over 4,000 Post Offices closed across the UK by Labour, as he vows to continue his campaign to protect local services and rebuild the sense of community which has been stifled by Labour leadership.

Mick comments: "I have long campaigned to make Post Offices more sustainable, with a wider range of products and services. Sadly, under a Labour Government we have seen huge amounts of work, including TV licences, vehicle excise duty and passport authentication, be sucked away from our Post Offices.

"This year alone the Labour Government has directed the closure of over 2,500 Post Offices across the UK with the resulting loss of hundreds of jobs to local economies. The ensuing decline in our local communities from the loss of such valuable local services has a devastating impact, as our communities are left more fragmented than ever before.

"Post Offices and other local services lie at the heart of our towns and villages and are often the vibrant hub of our communities. It is time to empower local people, to stand up to Labour and fight to save our local services before they disappear completely.

"I believe that people can work together to protect local services and I will continue to lend my full support, to fight against the closure of our local shops, community halls, schools and payphones, so that we can rebuild the sense of community which has been stifled by Labour leadership."

Notes:

The Post Office Development Fund is due to re-open on January 1st 2009.
Since Labour came into power in 1997 over 4,000 Post Office branches have closed.
3,500 branches were closed under the last Conservative Government.
The Liberal Democrats, at Spring 2006 conference, agreed a policy to separate the Post Office from the Royal Mail Group and free the network from Royal Mail controls that limited the business of branches whilst raising £2 billion for investment in branches from the sale of shares in Royal Mail.

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