Brown blames closures on post Office (From The Northern Echo)

Brown blames closures on post Office

7:34pm Monday 31st March 2008 in News

GORDON Brown tried to shift the blame for unpopular post office closures yesterday, by insisting the plan to axe 2,500 outlets was put together by Post Office managers.

In a Downing Street intervew, the prime minister the government was saving - rather than shutting - vulnerable branches, with an expensive subsidy programme over the next few years.

Mr Brown also insisted 99 per cent of people would either be unaffected by the closures, or would still live within one mile of a post office.

The comments will be attacked by critics who will point out that the government changed the access criteria to enable post offices to be axed, including scores in the region.

It relaxed rules laid down in 2000, so that only 90 per cent of the population must now live within one mile of a branch. In rural areas, 95 per cent must be within three miles.

Furthermore, just two weeks ago, Labour MPs voted against halting the closure programme, pending a review - sparking accusations of hypocrisy against those MPs fighting to save local branches.

During the interview, Mr Brown also said claims that above-inflation Budget tax rises on alcohol would send many pubs to the wall were scaremongering.

And he pointed to recent spending announcements - on neighbourhood policing, free bus travel for the elderly, more NHS check-ups and insulating homes - as proof that Labour was still putting public services first On post office closures, which have sparked protests up and down the country, Mr Brown said "This is a decision that is being made by the Post Office itself.

"They have come to us, and got more money from us, to enable them to carry out a programme that will cost us £1.7bn over the next few years.

"Remember, when they were thosuands of closures under the Tories, that no government money was ever provided for transitional help. We are providing £1.7bn to help these changes in way that is more sensitive to the needs of people."

Pointing out that four million people had deserted their post office in just two years, Mr Brown added: "Thousands of post offices remain in existence as a result of the help that we are giving."

That help included 500 "mobile post offices" - or outreach services - that would replace many of the outlets being lost, he said.

On higher drink taxes, Mr Brown defended the decision to impose across-the-board increases, rather than target supermarkets selling cheap booze as loss leaders.

Asked if pubs would close if drinkers stayed at home, he said: "When you look at the situation for pubs, clubs and hotels, many of them have done well in recent years as a result of the expansion of the economy.

"It's the standard of living and the stability of the economy that are probably more important than some of the things that you are talking about."

On Labour's spending plans, the prime minister said previous governments had axed spending programmes in economic downturns, but insisted: "We think it is right for the economy that we go ahead with them."