Euro-MP takes Post Office campaign to Church Stretton

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 3rd Oct 2002

Shropshire MEP Liz Lynne will be meeting a delegation of concerned local campaigners in Church Stretton on Friday to discuss the threatened mass closure of sub-post offices. She will be meeting them at 6.30pm in the Co-op car park.

Commenting on the threatened closures, Liz Lynne commented:

"Consignia must carry out a proper assessment of the social factors and local levels of provision before introducing widespread closures of sub-post offices – the national network must be protected. But the government must also take steps to ensure that its proposed reforms in things like pension and benefit payments do not render post offices unprofitable."

"In the European Parliament we worked hard to stop a plan to open postal services wholesale to competition which would have allowed private companies to 'cherry pick' the most profitable services and effectively end universal provision by the back door. It is distressing to now see the government in the UK press ahead with reforms going much further than any of those proposed by the EU without paying attention to effects it will have on thousands of people's lives."

"You can support the Liberal Democrat campaign against post office closures by clicking here