Closure decision for all threatened Southwark offices 'cuts the lifeline for many local people and communities' - Hughes

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 7th May 2008

Simon Hughes MP responding to the announcement that 4 post offices in his constituency and 8 post offices in Southwark will close this year said:

A combination of post office management and a Labour Government have now cut off the lifeline for many of our people and many of Southwark and Bermondsey's communities.

Following earlier closures of large offices at the Elephant and the Bricklayers Arms, and local post offices in Abbey Street and Bermondsey Street, the Post Office has ignored local opinions and local needs and is now ripping out vital public services from the heart of our communities in Bermondsey, Rotherhithe and Walworth.

Today is also a very sad day for the families who have run the Post Offices in Dockhead and Ilderton Road for so long and so well.

At every occasion between now and the next general election local residents and businesses will be reminded by me that the run-down and closure of so many local post offices is in entirely the responsibility of the Labour Government.

ENDS