Save Our Post Offices!

Stockport Lib Dem MPs Andrew Stunell and Mark Hunter Campaign to Save Local Post Offices

Nearly quarter of our local Post Offices have been shut in the past few years, following a decision that came after months of cloak and dagger secrecy by Post Office Bosses. This came after I received a copy of a leaked letter saying it would be better to delay the announcement until after the May elections, which is as cynical as you can get.

Shortly after the announcement, strong rumours came out of Westminster that the Post Office Card Account (POCA) that many pensioners rely on was being put out to competitive tender. On top of that Royal Mail came up with a plan to close Stockport's main mail sorting office and move it to Manchester. The Hazel Grove Delivery Office is also under threat, with plans to move all operations to the delivery office in Stockport. This means my constituents will now have to make a five-mile round trip to collect any undelivered mail.

And that's not all. I wrote to Royal Mail Chief Executive Adam Crozier objecting strongly to the loss of Stockport Sorting Office and its move to Manchester, asking for a guarantee that Stockport's postmark, stamped on all outgoing mail for decades, would not be lost. However, they've now come clean, and said that will go too.

It is an outrageous decision, and simply adds insult to injury. The Royal Mail want to take away the posties' jobs, delay the post, and now take away our postal identity as well. This is a slap in the face for our area. We are not a suburb of Manchester, but a proud and successful town. I intend to fight them hard on this insulting proposal.

If all this had come from Mrs Thatcher it wouldn't be such a surprise. Shutting down key services and then charging you for it comes naturally to the Tories. Giving away public assets to commercial firms, and making profit the way to judge success, not service to the community, has always been their hallmark. The real shock is that it is all being done by a Labour government. And by a Prime Minister who tries to project an image as the bread-and-butter leader, in touch with ordinary people. Gordon, you've lost the plot.

And, yes, seeing you asked, the Liberal Democrats have got a rescue plan that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, and that would allow the Royal Mail postal business to flourish in the future, and leave money over to invest in our local Post Office network. Efficiency isn't all about cuts and closures - and when it comes to a public service like this, local should mean local, and we should be using the network to support communities, not undermine them.

I'm pushing for the Lib Dem rescue plan to be taken seriously in Whitehall, because it isn't good enough only to protest about closures - any mature opposition party must also say what it would do instead. That, of course, is exactly where there is such a deafening silence from the Conservatives, both locally and nationally. They haven't a clue what they'd actually do to save Post Offices, they just want your votes, please.

It has been a hectic campaign, and at times seemed like the entire Post Office Network would be gutted. However, thanks to the hard work of campaigners, and a good national campaign led by Liberal Democrats, the government were forced to back down over their plans to contract out POCA, instead renewing the contract - saving 3,000 Post Offices from the chop.

Further Post Offices could still face closure, as the Government have yet to offer a plan to allow the network to remain viable. Plus the fight is now on to save the Stockport Post Mark, and our sorting office. If you want to join in the continuing fight to save local Post Offices, now is the time to get in touch, or you can sign our petition online via the link below!

Save Our Post Offices Petition.

Latest News from Andrew's "Save Our Post Offices" Campaign:

"Stockport Postmark To Go", Royal Mail Tell MP.

Stunell Backs Campaign to Keep Hazel Grove Delivery Office Open .

Government Bows to Opposition Over Post Office Card Account.

Local MP Warns of Threat to 18,000 Stockport Card Holders.

New Round of Post Office Closures on the Cards as Government Scraps Card Account - Stunell.

Closure of Stockport Sorting Office will cause further delays - Stunell.

MP outraged at Post Office cuts.

Post offices closures provoke public outcry - Stunell.

Stunell slams new round of post office closures.

Stunell steps up pressure against post office closures.

Stunell attacks Government over Latest Post Office Let Down.

Stunell takes post office battle to Parliament.

Post office closures hit the most vulnerable.

Post Office closures damage communities - Stunell.

Government tactics leading to more post office closures - Stunell.