Lib Dems challenge Post Office over closures

12.00.00am GMT Thu 20th Nov 2003

Sarah Teather MP and local Liberal Democrats campaigning to save local post offices

At a Post Office seminar held at Brent Town Hall on Monday local Liberal Democrats challenged the Post Office to defend post office closures in Brent. Both Sarah Teather MP and Lib Dem group leader Cllr Paul Lorber asked the Post Office to justify its closure plans.

The Post Office has recently closed Brondesbury Post Office and now the post office on Wembley High Road faces an uncertain future. Both Sarah Teather MP and Cllr Paul Lorber strongly criticized the Post Office's consultation program on Post Office closures

Sarah Teather MP said:

"The Post Office backed by the Labour Government is continuing its programme of tearing up our local post office network.

"The consultation exercises they are carrying out are a sham. I collected hundreds of signatures protesting about the closure of Brondesbury Post Office however the Post Office simply ignored the views of local residents.

"What we are seeing with these closures are vital community services being lost and not replaced. It is local residents who are suffering as a result of this Government endorsed closure program. "

Cllr Paul Lorber added:

"The Liberal Democrats will continue to speak up for the residents of Brent by saying 'NO' to these Post Office closures. How many more local residents will have to suffer their local post office closing?

"The Post Office have refused to listen to the countless pleas of Brent residents asking them not to close their local post office. The people of Brent are simply being ignored by the Post Office and the Labour Government."

At the meeting the Post Office revealed that it would be announcing a list of all the post offices under threat in Brent in mid-January. Anyone wanting to sign a petition against the Post Office closures can do so at www.brentlibdems.org.uk/petitions.php