Labour playing politics on Post Offices

SNP Business and Enterprise spokesperson, Mike Weir MP, has reacted angrily to reports today (Sunday) that the Department of Work and Pensions are to award the contract for the Post Office Card Account to one of the Royal Mail's competitors, but plan to delay the announcement until after the Glenrothes by election.

2,500 Post Offices have already closed over the last year, and Mr Weir said the latest move would be a disaster for the remaining Post Offices in Scotland and could see hundreds of new closures.

Mr Weir said:

"The dust from the last round of closures has barely settled, and now it seems the Westminster Government is set to force even more Post Office's out of business.

"Labour's jiggery pokery in delaying the decision over the contract for the Post Office Card Account until after the Glenrothes by-election smacks of desperation.

"The future of local Post Offices is very much an issue on doorsteps in Glenrothes, as it is across the country, and voters will have the chance to send a message direct to Gordon Brown on this. 

"The Department of Work and Pensions were largely responsible for the mess in which the Post Office network finds itself due to their decision to pressurise people to get pensions and benefits paid into bank accounts, slashing 40% of sub post office business.

"The Post Office card account was only introduced after fierce pressure and has proved to be a huge success, despite the obstacles put in its way by the UK government.

"It would be the ultimate act of vandalism if the DWP now compounded its original disastrous decision by removing the Card Account contract from the Post Office.

"Many areas of Scotland have recently gone through a destructive and divisive closure programme. If the card account is removed then hundreds more Scottish sub post offices could close.

"At a time of economic difficulty this would be a horrendous attack on the High Streets of towns and villages across Scotland."