MP under fire over post office closures
Erewash Conservatives have slammed Labour MP Liz Blackman after she failed to back an amendment to delay the closure of post offices.
A Conservative motion to suspend the closures in Parliament last week sparked a Labour revolt that saw the Government's Commons majority slashed to only 20 votes.
Now Jessica Lee, Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Erewash, is calling for Mrs Blackman to explain why she voted to close some community Post Offices in Erewash.
She said: "This is a real loss for local communities in Stanton by Dale, Ilkeston and Long Eaton.
"Post Offices are the heart of our communities and residents need their services. Whilst collecting signatures in Ilkeston to help save the Park Road Post Office, I had local residents, of all ages, queuing up to sign the petition.
"We have seen an accelerated and aggressive scheme of Post Office closures under this Labour government, and Liz Blackman has supported this."
Mrs Blackman described the Tory motion as "a hypocritical and opportunistic stunt" which would only delay the eventual closure of the offices.
She said: "Had it succeeded not one post office would have been saved. Throughout the debate the Conservatives wouldn't commit any money to the network."
In December the Post Office announced plans to press ahead with the closures of the 34 branches in Derbyshire it had originally listed to close and it added Park Road in Ilkeston, which it has recently announced will also close.
It has been looking at its services across the East Midlands as part of a national review which will see 2,500 post offices across the country being put forward for closure.
The plans have been criticised by Derbyshire County Council which says its views and those of local people have been ignored.
Mark Partington, Post Office Limited's network development manager for the East Midlands, said: "These are difficult decisions which have not been taken lightly.
"We have considered very carefully all the comments made during the public consultation."We believe that the amended plan announced today offers our customers across the East Midlands area the best prospect for a sustainable network.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Ilkeston
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
