MP defends vote on post office closure
Helen Goodman, Member of Parliament for Bishop Auckland, has defended her decision to vote against a Conservative motion that would have postponed the proposed closure of post offices across the country.
Helen, who has been consulting with local residents for the last six about the proposed closures, said:
‘The Government is providing £1.7 billion investment in the Post Office, which is the largest subsidy ever. The Conservatives have refused to match this figure – thereby putting a further 7,500 branches at risk – and I could not therefore support their motion.
I also believe that the Post Office should be able to maintain services without closing so many branches.
From past experience we have seen that public consultations tend to result in 10-15% of branches being saved from closure, and I am now reviewing the representations I have had from across the constituency and deciding which evidence I should submit to the consultation process’.
