Leader’s plea to borough MP over post office

11:38am Sunday 17th February 2008

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A ROW has broken out between a borough's MP and council leader over the fight to save post offices.

The Conservative leader of Hyndburn Council, Peter Britcliffe, has questioned the commitment of Greg Pope, the borough's Labour MP, in an open letter to him.

But Mr Pope said that Coun Britcliffe was being "childish" and that they had a better success of saving the post offices if they stuck together.

Coun Britcliffe believes Mr Pope and Labour should do more to help save the 24 East Lancashire branches threatened with the axe as the Post Office bids to stem losses of £4million a week.

In the letter, Coun Britcliffe calls into question Labour's record on campaigns.

In it he states: "Are you aware that since the Labour Government came to power in 1997, over 4,000 post offices have been forced to shut down? When you think of the devastating impact that this is having on local communities, I find it difficult to see how anyone in Government could have allowed this to happen.

"I know it won't be convenient for you to face the facts, but the truth is that since Labour came into power, you having presided over something like 10 post office closures a week. Frankly, that is an appalling record.

"In this context and given your own personal voting record, it is difficult for me to see what value should be placed on your recent expression of 'support' for the council's campaign to save the borough's post offices from the latest round of cuts.

"If you mean you are prepared to stand up publicly in Westminster and argue against these closures, then I am sure that your support would be welcome.

"If, however, your support' is just a way of jumping on the bandwagon now that you can see how angry local people are about this issue, then please don't waste your breath."

Mr Pope, who has also backed our campaign, hit back and said: "I will be raising an early day motion about the post office closures in Westminster.

"I wrote all the councillors in Hyndburn to work together in a cross party non political campaign to save the post offices that have been threatened with closure.

"I have read his letter and I think he is being childish, sometimes we ought to put our politics to one side.

"I am committed to this campaign.

"I think we have got a good chance of having success if we stick together. "

The Lancashire Telegraph is running the Save Our Village Post Offices campaign to fight the closures.

And the people of East Lancashire have shown their commitment to the cause, with nearly 600 people signing our petition.