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Camden New Journal - By TOM FOOT
Published: 27 March 2008

MPs’ concern at impact of closures

BOTH Camden’s Labour MPs have spoken out in the House of Commons against proposed post office closures which will see four branches in the borough shut.
Holborn and St Pancras MP Frank Dobson and Hampstead and Highgate MP Glenda Jackson called on the government to ensure the Post Office properly consulted customers over closures.
But the MPs both refused to back a Conservative motion, defeated by 20 votes, which aimed to halt the closure of 2,500 post offices nationwide.
Mr Dobson voted against the motion while Ms Jackson abstained, arguing that she could not back the Tories.
Ms Jackson told the commons: “I have no intention whatever of voting for the Conservative amendment, which comes from a party that when in government had absolutely no compunction in closing post offices, schools, hospitals, mines and heavy industry.”
But she added: “However, there is real concern in my constituency about the proposal to close three highly-efficient and consistently well-used post offices. I accept the usage of post offices has changed, but the people who use them most consistently and will be most severely affected if they are closed include the elderly, the disabled and single parents with small children.”
She called on the Post Office to “put forward a proper cost-benefit analysis” to make the consultation genuine.
Mr Dobson told MPs: “The post office that serves the most deprived ward in my constituency is now threatened with closure. What a lot of people find most disturbing is that when other closures were pushed through, during previous consultations, they were assured things would be all right, because they could always go to the Crowndale Road post office. However, that is the one proposed for closure.”

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