Labour MPs urged to rebel to save post offices

[britwrit]

(from The Telegraph)

Labour MPs urged to rebel to save post offices
By Christopher Hope Home Affairs Correspondent
Last Updated: 1:24am GMT 17/03/2008

Labour MPs are coming under intense pressure to vote against controversial Government plans to close thousands of post offices.

Ministers say 2,500 branches must close to preserve the network's £150 million-a-year subsidy and cut its estimated losses of £4 million a week.

However the plans have proved deeply divisive, with tens of thousands of people backing a campaign by The Daily Telegraph to save their local branches.

The Tories have called for the closure plan to be suspended and are putting the matter to a vote in the House of Commons next week.

Labour MPs and ministers who have campaigned against post office closures were coming under pressure from their constituents to vote against the closure programme - or risk the wrath of local campaigners trying to save their local post offices.

Last month, The Daily Telegraph disclosed that 20 Government ministers - including seven members of the Cabinet, were battling to save their local post offices prompting accusations of "rank hypocrisy".

Chirav Dalal, who runs the Pontnewynydd Post Office in Pontypool, Gwent, said he hoped that his local MP, Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, would support the motion in next's week's vote.

He said: "I would hope that Mr Murphy would support the two local post offices in the area. We would urge his office to help as much as he can."

Meanwhile, Riaz Bibi, who works in Jack Straw's local post office in Blackburn, Lancs, said that the Justice Secretary should "definitely" be in the Commons to support the motion calling for the closure programme to be suspended.

She said: "We would want him to support the motion. He has come in and opposed it himself. He should be supporting us."

The Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents postal staff and provides financial support for 10 Labour MPs, is also pressuring the Government over the closure plans by calling for a judicial review of the whole programme.

Andy Furey, the CWU's national officer, said: "We now call on the government to suspend the deeply unpopular closure programme and provide lasting investment to secure the future of the Post Office network. This is a vital and valued public asset which can no longer be neglected."

Last night, Labour Party insiders insisted that they were relaxed about the vote next week. Although it is potentially embarrassing for the party leadership, it will have no legal force.

The Conservatives would have to try to construct a broad "post office alliance" of MPs from the Liberal Democrats, and nationalist parties in order to inflict a bloody nose on the Labour Government, sources said.

The Tories want to call off the closure programme because they are worried the time allowed for people to complain about a closure is too short, and that the criteria used to decide if a post office must close is too strict.



Commons vote on post office closures
By Christopher Hope, Home Affairs Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:36am GMT 16/03/2008

MPs will get their chance next week to vote on controversial Government plans to close thousands of post offices.

Ministers announced last year that 2,500 branches must close to preserve the network's £150 million-a-year subsidy and cut its estimated losses of £4 million a week.

However, the plans have proved deeply divisive, with tens of thousands of people backing calls to save their local branches and thousands more supporting a campaign led by The Daily Telegraph to save their post offices.

Yesterday the Conservatives formally called for the closures to be suspended and said they would put the matter to a vote in an Opposition Day debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

The vote means that Labour MPs will finally have to reveal publicly whether they support the unpopular plans. They have not had to disclose their views previously because the decision was taken at Cabinet level.

The CWU postal union, which provides financial support for at least 10 Labour MPs, backed the call.

Wednesday's debate will give MPs their first chance to vote on the closure programme, which was approved by the Cabinet last May.

Although having no legal force, the vote could see Labour MPs delivering an embarrassing snub to Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister.

A separate Commons motion laid late last year which criticised plans to close the post offices has been signed by 110 MPs - 35 of them Labour.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The torygraph went overboard today as they have 4 stories in total and 1 Blog - 3 stories are at this thread http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/forum/vi ... hp?t=10147

[britwrit]

Duh. Sorry. I was so excited about reading them that I didn't notice the other post.

[DGP1]

Duh. Sorry. I was so excited about reading them that I didn't notice the other post.

Never worry about it, Teebs beats us all for Royal Mail stories

[norbert]

The torygraph went overboard today as they have 4 stories in total and 1 Blog - 3 stories are at this thread http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/forum/vi ... hp?t=10147

I would not trust Jack Straw , superficially he's a good operator but he hasn't stayed in both Blair & Brown's camps for nothing . There's people in Blackburn who aren't stupid and have got him worked out .

It's different when the Mail/Express/Telegraph start campaigning on issues be it the truckers and the fuel crisis , countryside alliance & hunting etc but better than no support at all on a my enemies enemy is my friend basis .