Northampton Conservatives have today launched a campaign to save Post Offices marked for closure by the Government.

Next month will see the release of the names of those Post Offices in Northampton threatened with closure and the launch of a six week consultation process.

Brian Binley MP said of the planned closures, "Labour plans to shut 2500 post offices across Britain could devastate communities and seriously impact upon the elderly, who rely on the services Post Offices provide. Local post offices provide a focus for the community and are often the only shop accessible to those without private transport.

"I have always been in favour of trying to give Post Offices more services in order to make their businesses financially viable, but since Labour came to power they have done exactly the opposite and taken services away!

"The Government tells us that Post Offices have to close because they are losing money. Yet I am aware of a planned closure of one that turns a profit. Why is that being closed? The truth is that the closures are indiscriminate and thoughtless on a number of levels."

Michael Ellis, the Conservative Spokesman for Northampton North, agreed, "Under Labour we have already lost 25% of Post Offices in Northampton North since 1999 and we cannot afford to lose any more. I believe that Post Offices should be given greater freedoms to offer a wider range of commercial products and this way they can expand rather than continue to be closed by this Labour Government."

20th October 2007