Clive Sneddon highlights Labour threat to Dundee Post Offices
Dundee East Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson Dr Clive Sneddon has today (Tuesday 3rd October) warned of the continuing dangers to Dundee's post offices posed by Tony Blair's New Labour Government.
Dr Sneddon said, "Tony Blair has refused to extend his Government's contract to make pension and benefits payments through the Post Office card account, and will cease supporting community post offices after March 2008.
"The latest Age Concern report shows that many older people fear financial and social isolation if Royal Mail is forced into a major closure programme. Dundee would inevitably suffer if another round of closures occurs on top of the 4,000 which have already taken place under Tony Blair.
Dr Sneddon concluded, "The Liberal Democrats would stop taking business away from Royal Mail, and ensure Royal Mail had the commercial freedom to open new post offices where the local community needs them.
"By selling a minority shareholding to staff and the general public, Liberal Democrats would in addition keep Royal Mail in public ownership while giving its staff a stake in the successful expansion of its business free of government interference. This will provide a firm basis to maintain and develop existing services to all customers, in particular maintaining uniform postage rates across the country and sustaining the local office network."