Post Office closures already decided by Government claim local Lib Dems

4.02.03pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 21st Jan 2008

David Gray has campaigned to keep Landport post office open.

The decision on post office closures due on January 29th has already been decided according to local campaigners after the Post Office refused to release the financial reasons for the closure.

Ann De Vecchi, Leader of Lewes District Council says: "It seems that the government have forced the hand of the Post Office on these closures. We made clear the massive objections to the closure locally, then we asked the Post Office to let us know what the running costs and losses of these offices were. Even when we offered to pay rent and rates on the Landport branch, we were ignored."

As the landlord of the Landport branch, and due to its position as the only shop in a large residential area, Lewes District Council had offered to cover its running costs.

Before this round of 2,500 closures, Labour have already closed 4,000 branches on top of the 3,500 closed by the previous Tory government. In a bizarre twist, the Post Office's consultation team are counting the thousands of signatures on each petition as only one objection to the planned closures.

Ann adds: "This is further evidence that the Post Office's mind has been made up by the Government's unwillingness to provide funding for the post office network."

Local MP Norman Baker commented: "The Government have spent billions on Northern Rock but are not prepared to spend a fraction on local post offices."