MSP blasts Post Office closure decision

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Posted by 1163639 Thu, 27/03/2008 - 18:09

He commented:
 
"I cannot believe that the Post Office has not taken on board the responses they received from over 500 members of the community who regularly use this valuable resource. The response was overwhelming, but it has been totally ignored.  

"I am proud to have been part of this fantastic campaign and I will continue to stand against any future closures in my constituency when Clackmannanshire's neck goes on the line in May.

"The whole consultation process has been a sham. It was completely undermined by local MPs Anne McGuire and Gordon Banks, who both voted for the closure programme in 2005 and voted to keep it going just last week.

"That gave the green light for this closure and any that may be proposed in the future to go ahead. It has sounded the death knell for Stirling University's post office and many others throughout Scotland.

"I am just astounded by the hypocrisy of Scottish Labour MPs on this. They are more than happy to pay lip service to their constituents and get their photographs taken, but do nothing to save local post offices when they have the opportunity at Westminster.

"When given the opportunity to save our post offices, every single Scottish Labour MP voted no. Now we are paying the price."

Ends

Notes:

1. Keith Brown conducted a consultation, including a mailed out survey to collate responses, of the entire population of Stirling University campus, and submitted those comments to the Post Office consultation; attended a series of meetings with representatives of the university, Students' Association, council and community council to organise representation; spoke at himself and questioned Post Office representatives at a public meeting; proposed motion S3M-01322 'Save Stirling University Post Office' in the Scottish Parliament; and submitted a full consultation response himself outlining his objections to the Post Office closure.

2. Post Offices in Clackmannanshire are currently being reviewed and proposed closures are due to be announced at the end of May 2008.