WEIR SUPPORTS SUB POST MASTERS LOBBY OF PARLIAMENT

“Post Office must be viewed as more than just a business”

Mike Weir MP has voiced strong support for Wednesday’s lobby of parliament by the National Federation of sub Post Masters to highlight the growing concerns over the future of the post office network.  The Federation are set to present a petition to 10 Downing Street with more than four million signatures. 

SNP spokesperson on Trade & Industry, Mr Weir criticised the government for regarding the post office purely as a business.

“The present government are obsessed with looking at the post office purely as a business venture, whilst the Liberal Democrats have come up with a hare-brained scheme to privatise the mail delivery, which will undermine the universal service obligation and lead to further loss of services in rural Scotland.

“In recent years we have seen the loss of sub post offices in Forfar, Montrose, Friockheim and Arbroath.  Many of the sub post office in the rural areas of Angus are dreading what will happen when the rural payment subsidy ends in 2008.

“The loss of more sub post offices will inevitably lead to loss further services in many areas and will, ultimately, jeopardise the continuation of postal deliveries.”

SNP Leader Alex Salmond MP added:

“The size of the petition eloquently demonstrates the place that post offices have in the hearts of people, a fact the government ignores at its peril.

“Next May the people of Scotland will have the opportunity to elect an SNP-led government that will ensure post offices have a future by opposing Westminster’s privatisation and competition plans.”