Post Office blames Labour for Goswell Road closure

11.42.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 6th Aug 2008

Councillor Lucy Watt receiving her consultation form

Post Office customers receiving new consultation forms about the proposed closure of Goswell Road Post Office were told in no uncertain terms by the Post Office that: the Labour Government is to blame.

The first paragraph of the consultation document reads: "The Government has decided that up to 2500 Post Office branches across the UK will close. This local public consultation will not change the Government decision but aims to help Post Office Limited identify if the appropriate branches in this area have been proposed for closure."

Councillor Lucy Watt, Islington's executive councillor for Communities, Skills, and Business, and a key player in the Lib Dem Save Essex Road Post Office Campaign, commented:

"The Post Office are clearly fed up with being given the blame for an unpopular Labour decision, so now they've stated in black and white that the Government are behind these plans.

"Islington's Labour politicians having been thrashing around for anyone to blame but themselves - the council, the Post Office itself. In reality the Government and our local Labour MP have been behind the plans all along."

Islington South and Finsbury's Labour MP Emily Thornberry voted in March this year against a motion tabled in the House of Commons that could have stopped the closures, but has never taken responsibility for her vote.

Cllr Watt added:

"Emily Thornberry had the chance to stop this closure programme, but chose not to. Even if we stop the Goswell Road closure, another Post Office will have to close in its place, because the Post Office are under strict orders from the Labour Government to close more branches. Save one - another one will go. It's clear to everyone now that if Goswell Road Post Office closes down the blame will lie squarely with Gordon Brown and his loyal Emily Thornberry. "

Read more on this story at the Islington Gazette website: http://tinyurl.com/5ods5f