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Councillors and MP David Heyes campaign to keep open Manchester Road post office in Droylsden
Fight goes on to save post offices
18/ 6/2008
CAMPAIGNERS converged on post offices across Tameside as the fight to stop the axe falling on half-a-dozen branches began in earnest at the weekend.
Two in Droylsden and one each in Ashton, Hyde and Stalybridge are earmarked for closure in the latest batch of government-backed shut-downs.
MP David Heyes and Droylsden’s Labour councillors protested outside Manchester Road post office as the battle to save them ignited.
Councillor Kieran Quinn said: "Clearly the people I spoke to who were using the branch shared my disgust at the Post Office’s decision. Consultation runs until the 21 July and I’m asking residents to join our campaign otherwise these branches will be lost.
"Some of the post offices under threat will be saved so it’s certainly not a foregone conclusion."
Meanwhile, Tameside Conservatives launched their ‘Keep Our Post Offices Open’ petition outside Denton Road Post Office, Audenshaw — another of those under threat — on Saturday morning. Afterwards, they visited other branches to collect signatures from residents keen to see them kept open.
The petition is backed by an online version, available round-the-clock. And a group has been set up on the social networking website Facebook to highlight the proposed closures.
Councillor Derek Baines, Tory deputy leader, said: "We have received a fabulous response from residents eager to support our campaign and keep our post offices open, with about 500 people already signing the petition. We only have until the 21 July to register our opposition to the proposed closures so we need as many residents as possible to make their feelings known and sign up.
"Twenty four post offices have closed in and around Tameside since 1999. These closures will hurt the vulnerable the most."
Log on and sign the online petition at www.ipetitions.com/ petition/tamesidepostoffices
Most recent 2 of 2 user comments
The reasons these Post Offices are closing is because since 1999 the Labour Government has introduced policies that included:
Pensioners and those on state benefits have being forced to have their monies paid directly into their bank accounts;
TV licences being withdrawn from sale at Post Offices;
Driving licences being withdrawn from sale at Post Offices; and,
Postage stamps being supplied to other outlets.
This has lead to a reduced income - upto 40% in some cases - for postmasters.
THIS IS NOT THE POST OFFICE'S FAULT.
Then we have the sight of hypocrit-in-chief, David Heyes, standing outside Manchester Road Post Office.
On 19th March 2008, Heyes - along with his two Labour Tameside cohorts, Andrew Gwynne and James Purnell - voted AGAINST a motion to suspend the closure plans for these Post Offices.
How he has the gall to have his photo taken as part of some campaign to save them is frankly appalling.
How can he vote to allow something to be closed, then campaign to keep it open?
Please tell us Mr. Heyes.
Like the Labour Party, Heyes appears to have no shame.
Shame on you.
18/06/2008 at 20:03
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This isn't unusual however, Labour is no longer ashamed to brazenly say one thing and do something quite different. Locally, Labour campaigns against policies that their government creates and our local MPs vote for - they have ceased to be a serious political party. We all remember Hazel Blears campaigning locally against the hospital closure that she herself voted for.
The pattern is that Labour makes the wrong decision, it's hugely unpopular, and afraid of being on the wrong side of public opinion they then switch sides of the argument. How long before we see Labour campaigning against their own policy of the Congestion Charge too, now that David Cameron has said that a Conservative government would introduce the transport improvements without the 'toll tax'?
Rob Adlard
19/06/2008 at 11:11