‘Hypocrisy’ storm over post offices

The Conservatives fiercely criticised five North-East and North Yorkshire MPs who failed to vote to halt the closures pending a review, in a crunch vote that cut Labour's majority to 20.

They said the MPs - Vera Baird (Redcar), Hugh Bayley (City of York), Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland), Dari Taylor (Stockton South) and Phil Wilson (Sedgefield) - had campaigned against axing post offices in their constituencies.

All five were vociferous in their defence of local post offices.

Mr Wilson, who succeeded Tony Blair as the MP for Sedgefield, said: "I'll do the best I can to represent the views of my constituents.

I will do everything I can to ensure it stays open."

Ms Baird said closure of a post office in her constituency would leave many constituents with too far to travel, adding: "Many will struggle to easily access an alternative service."

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar said of plans to wield the axe at Moorsholm and Charltons in his constituency: "I am very concerned about these proposals, as I feel that they may mean the cutting of a lifeline for those reliant on post office services and who may not have their own transport."

York MP Hugh Bayley said at the time of the closure announcements: "I hope we avoid further closures in York, as it is important to retain access to post offices in all parts of the city."

Ms Taylor vowed to help people living in Oxbridge, Stockton, keep their Post Office.

She said: "This Post Office should not be closed and I have arranged to hold a meeting in London with a representative of Post Office Ltd."

Four of the five MPs voted with the Government to continue the closure programme, while the fifth - Ms Taylor - abstained late on Wednesday night.

Alan Duncan, the Tory business spokesman, said: "The hunt will now be on for all those Labour MPs who have pretended to support their local post office and then done a runner when they had a chance to make a real difference."

But the Labour MPs accused the Conservatives of "playing political games" - pointing out that the opposition had no funding proposal to make little-used outlets financially viable.

Instead, the motion merely proposed suspending closures while the access criteria was reviewed, the consultation period was lengthened and "business opportunities were explored further".

Worst of all, the Labour MPs said, the Conservatives refused to back the £150m Government subsidy that ensured no more than 2,500 sub-post offices would close.

They also insisted there was no hypocrisy in recognising the need for some little-used outlets to close, and argued that Post Office Ltd had picked the wrong ones in some circumstances.

Nineteen Labour MPs defied a Labour Whip to vote with the Conservatives to suspend the closures, including John Cummings (Easington).

The revolt reduced Labour's majority from 67 to 20, in a result Mr Duncan described as "astonishing"

and hailed as proof that his party had won the argument.

It came despite a last-gasp Government plea for the Post Office to give "serious consideration" to proposals for councils to run post offices earmarked for closure. Up to 50 councils, including Durham County Council, are thought to be interested.

After the vote, Mr Duncan targeted 90 Labour MPs, including the five in the region, who have campaigned to save threatened branches in their constituencies.

But Mr Wilson said: "I have been consistent in the letters I have written to constituents.

"There needs to be rationalisation because some post offices get fewer than 20 visitors a week, which is daft.

"But, if I can build a case for a particular Post Office to stay open, then I will do it. I see no hypocrisy in that."

Ms Taylor said she refused to support the Government in the vote - for the first time in ten years as a Labour loyalist - but condemned the Conservative position as "purely political".

She said: "They have come late to the debate on supporting Post Offices - they are flag-waving on an emotional issue, but have no practical long-term answers."

Ms Baird said: "In order to protect the national network, some post offices must be closed, but the Lazenby branch, which I have campaigned for, is not an acceptable branch to close because it will leave some residents more than one mile from a branch.

"This is the Post Office's own rule and I am arguing that they have assessed matters poorly in this case."

Dr Kumar said: "I reject the charge of hypocrisy. I am working with the Post Office on a rescue plan for at least one of the local post offices affected, by boosting throughput."

And Mr Bayley said: "I most certainly did not vote for the Conservative motion, because it did not commit to the £150m subsidy, without which there would be substantially fewer branches."

The Government argues it has invested £2bn in the Post Office network since coming to power in 1997 and is committing a further £1.7bn until 2011.

This week, Gordon Brown said post offices were losing £500,000 every day and argued the 2,500 planned closures would still leave 11,500 oulets.

Inquiries on takeover

DURHAM County Council is to investigate whether it can keep some Post Office services going if branches are closed.

The Post Office plans to shut outlets in Bolam, Hutton Henry, Jubilee Fields, Leeholme, Romaldkirk, Boldron, Hutton Magna, Kirk Merrington, Page Bank, Simpasture, South Church, Tudhoe Colliery, Toft Hill and Winston.

The council voted yesterday to investigate whether some of the services could be provided in places such as mobile libraries and community buildings.

Rachael Shimmin, the director for adult and community services, said councillors would be informed about costs.

Council treasurer Stuart Crowe said the move to a unitary council for the county next year could be a good opportunity to provide services in a new way.