WEST WORCESTERSHIRE'S LIBDEM CANDIDATE RESPONDS TO GOVERNMENT POST OFFICE CONSULTATION

9.50.54pm GMT Wed 28th Feb 2007

West Worcestershire's Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate, Richard Burt is continuing the fight to prevent local post offices from closing.

Mr Burt has submitted a response to the government's consultation on the post office network. The government's proposals call for the closure of at least a further 2,500 local branches, on top of the 4,000 that have already been axed since Labour came to power in 1997 and the 3,500 that were closed by the previous Conservative government.

Richard Burt said,

"From 1999 to 2005 five branches in West Worcestershire were closed.

"I am seriously concerned that we will lose many more post offices in coming years under the Labour government's new plans. The post office needs to be put on a stable footing, but Labour continue to manage its decline and the Conservatives have no plans to improve the situation.

"I have called on the government to publish the full implications of their plans so that we know exactly how they will affect post offices in the constituency.

"Liberal Democrats have already published our proposals that would see an additional £2billion raised for investing in post offices in areas like Worcestershire.

"We will go on fighting to protect our local post offices."

Mr Burt's West Worcestershire Save Our Post Offices petition will be handed to the government next week by Susan Kramer MP, the Liberal Democrat Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary.