MP votes to suspend all Post Office closures
20th March 2008
Mike Penning backs Commons attempt to prevent closure of 2,500 post offices.
Hemel Hempstead MP Mike Penning, voted in the House of Commons yesterday (19th March) to suspend all post office closures.
The Conservative-led move was backed by a number of Labour MPs.
Mike Penning said:
“The crisis hasn’t hit Hemel yet as the Post Office is implementing the consultation in stages and our area is not due to start until the Summer.
“But I feel for those communities – typically in more rural areas but it can be equally devastating in areas such as ours as well – who are very concerned about the future of their post office. In many areas the post office is the only access people have to essential services such as banking.
“Often the post office acts in support of the local shop, so people have real fears that if the post office closes the shop will close as well.
“I believe that the post office could be more viable if it were able to offer a wider range of services and be allowed to work with carriers other than Royal Mail.”
