MPs Post Office Petition goes to Downing Street

4.10.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 7th Apr 2003

MP Vincent Cable delivered a nationwide petition to 10 Downing Street on Friday seeking to alert the Prime Minister to widespread unease at the closures of urban post offices, the first wave of which has already been announced in the borough (Stanley Road in Teddington and two in Richmond).

Vincent Cable said: "By closing a third of urban post offices, the government is forcing through changes that even Mrs Thatcher shied away from. There has, of course, to be change but the currently planned closure programme is unnecessary and derives from an aggressive programme of encouraging those who use benefit and pension books to switch to banks. "

"Many who wish to continue using the post office are being actively discouraged. John Prescott admitted to me in parliament last week that there are too many obstacles being created: