PRESS RELEASE
Issued by:
Councillor Paula Southwood
Date of Issue: November 7th 2007
Contact number:
07718 582397

BATTLE TO SAVE SPITAL POST OFFICE CONTINUES

The Liberal Democrats' campaign to save Spital Post Office has received huge local support with latest figures showing that over 750 signatures have already been collected. The team of local Clatterbridge councillors have been delivering flyers to local houses as well as campaigning and collecting signatures outside the post office itself.

Robert Earl, local Clatterbridge campaigner said,

“Local people are furious about this closure, and rightly so. Older residents in particular are worried about the loss of such a crucial local service, and many others have expressed concern about the detrimental impact the closure will have on the neighbourhood as a whole.

“The problem we're facing is a government which doesn't understand (or doesn't want to understand) that there is a difference between post offices and other high street businesses like hairdressers, or winebars, or whatever.
“The fact is that post offices are a lot more than money making enterprises to be closed down if the profits aren't good enough. They are intrinsic parts of our communities, and a lifeline for many people who depend on the services that they provide. That's why we're putting everything we've got into this campaign. We want to keep our post office where it belongs, which is at the heart of the community".

Paula Southwood, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Wirral South commented,

“It is hypocritical of the Tories and Labour to launch local campaigns to save these post offices, when the Conservatives presided over the closure of 3,500 post offices and the Labour Government currently has plans to close another 2,500 in addition to the 4,000 already closed”.

“The Liberal Democrats are the only party to offer a clear and fully funded plan to save the Post Office, rather than simply managing the decline.

“Our plan would keep Post Office Ltd in the public sector and enable Royal Mail employees to get a share in their company through a radical employee share ownership Trust, similar to the John Lewis Partnership. Royal Mail would take a new ownership model, with the sale of some of its shares providing the investment needed by our post offices.”