TORY CUTS THREATEN TO CLOSE 2500 POST OFFICE BRANCHES
SNP DEMAND UK GOVERNMENT PROTECT POST OFFICE NETWORK
The SNP has demanded the UK government properly fund the Post Office network for the future, after successive Tory policies now threaten the future of 2,500 branches across the UK according to the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters.
The UK government Post Office Minister is expected to appear at the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee today (Tuesday), where SNP will raise the future of the Post Office Subsidy. Nearly 2,500 Post Offices are threatened to close as a result of successive cuts from the UK government.
The Post Office Subsidy was put in place to ensure the Post Office network remains there to provide vital services to local communities, particularly to rural areas. The Tories have already drastically reduced the Subsidy, with its future existence now under threat, and have failed to make any commitment to protecting the Post Office network.
Speaking ahead of the evidence session, committee member Drew Hendry MP said:
“With Tory cuts threatening to close 2,500 branches across the network, it’s more important than ever that the UK government put up the funding to secure the Post Office network and commit to funding the Post Office Subsidy, protecting the service for the future.
“It is now imperative that the UK government steps in to ensure that vital services that the Post Office network offers, which so many people rely on, are not lost. Initiatives like the Post Office Subsidy were put in place to protect local communities especially in rural areas – this fund is now threatened by deeper Tory cuts.
“The local Post Office plays a huge role in public life – it is both a symbol of the community and a lifeline on everything from pensions and benefits to vital day-to-day banking services.
“In many small and rural towns in Scotland, like those in my own constituency, the local Post Office is the last place where a face-to-face service is available, making it essential for the elderly and those with additional support needs.
Communities face the loss of 2,500 post offices unless action taken say campaigners.