POL: Government Consultation - Post Office Banking

[TrueBlueTerrier]

No. 1068/09
Ref: 132
Date: 4th December 2009


TO: ALL BRANCHES WITH POSTAL MEMBERS




Dear Colleague,


POL: Government Consultation - Post Office Banking


Further to LTB 1065/09, we are pleased to advise that a fresh Early Day Motion (EDM) has now been tabled by Kate Hoey, MP, which reads as follows:


EDM 344 Post Bank


"That this House welcomes the Prime Minister's recent announcement on the extension of banking services offered through the Post Office; further welcomes the Government's consultation on providing such services; notes that proposals for a Post Office Bank present a unique opportunity to return trust to the banking sector by creating a fairer institution to tackle financial exclusion, boost the economy by lending to small businesses, improve the sustainability of the Post Office Network and re-establish a local bank in areas affected by bank closures; regrets however, the limited scope of the consultation, which will not cover the appropriate structure and funding model necessary for its delivery; further notes that the Business and Enterprise Select Committee urged the Government to review the current strategy for the delivery of financial services; and calls on the Government urgently to support the delivery of a Post Bank."




As previously reported, we hope this EDM will attract equal, if not more, support than EDM 1082, which was signed by 219 MPs. In order to keep up the pressure on the Government, we would urge Branches to write to their local MPs, asking them to sign EDM 344. Attached to this LTB is a model letter, which can be amended where appropriate to address those MPs who signed EDM 1082 and those who did not. In order to clarify whether their local MP signed EDM 1082, Branches can use the following web link:
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetai ... ESSION=899" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;




Press Articles following the Formal Announcement of a Consultation

Lindsay Mackie from the New Economics Foundation, a Post Bank Coalition partner, wrote an article for The Guardian on-line on Wednesday 2nd December, in which she reaffirmed the coalition's view that this consultation does not go far enough and that Government should be addressing the fact that the Joint Venture with the Bank of Ireland ensures that 50% of profits from financial service sales emanating from the JV are received by BOI. Branches can review this excellent article by using the following link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... on-banking" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


An interesting article also appeared in the late edition of the Telegraph on-line on Wednesday 2nd December which highlighted the Conservative's view of the consultation, and echoed our concerns that any proposals may not be implemented before the general election. This article can be accessed by using the following link:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... -says.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Next Steps

The Post Bank coalition partners are due to meet on Monday 7th December in order to discuss our joint response to the consultation and next steps with regards to progressing our campaign for a state-owned Post Bank. Further developments will be reported in due course.


All enquiries on the above should be addressed to Claire Bowers on cbowers@cwu.org or 020 8971 7361.


Yours sincerely

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

edm344 std letter.doc

The EDM - http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetai ... ESSION=903" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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