Labour seats at risk over post office closures

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... ost108.xml

Hundreds of Labour councillors could lose their seats in the local elections because of the Government's controversial plans to close thousands of post offices, it has been claimed.

The Telegraph has found evidence that Labour candidates in the local elections are attacking the closure plans in defiance of Government policy, in a bid to win votes.


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.

Yet the plans have proved deeply divisive with tens of thousands of readers backing a Daily Telegraph campaign to save their post offices.

The Government narrowly defeated a Tory motion last month which had called for the closures to be halted. At least 20 Labour MPs, including two former ministers, failed to support the Government.

Anger boiled over in the House of Commons last week when 35 Labour MPs met John Hutton, the Business Secretary, and Pat McFadden, the postal affairs minister, to protest about the closures.

One Labour MP at the meeting said: "There is great anger, and people do not understand, if this is seen as a public service, why are we talking about the cost of it all. We should be investing in the social cohesion of our community."

Opposition party co-ordinators at the Local Government Association, which represents town halls across the country, say hundreds of Labour councillors are likely to lose their seats in next month's local elections.

Ed Fordham, head of office of the Liberal Democrats' group at the LGA, said: "It is the single biggest issue in the May elections. Passions are pretty high. "Hundreds of Labour councillors could lose their seats."

Will Brooks, the Conservatives' organiser at the LGA, added: "It is one of the key issues - local voters are very concerned about it."

The Telegraph has found evidence that Labour councillors are speaking out against the closure programme and criticising the Government publicly.

Val Shawcross, a Labour representative for Lambeth and Southwark on the London Assembly, said: "I can't think of one assembly member who is not against the closures.

"This round of closures will be much more politically damaging to the Government. It is generating a lot of anger amongst Londoners."

Alistair Bradley, Labour candidate for Chorley East, Lancs, added: "The issue is undermining people's confidence in Government.

"We can't solve the whole post office issue from Chorley but we can listen to people's concerns and make their voices heard."