Labour MPs Let Down Southampton

Last night MPs rejected a Conservative motion in Parliament protesting at Labour plans to force the closure of 2,500 post offices by just 288 votes to 268, slashing the government's majority to 20.

Southampton’s two Labour MPs, Alan Whitehead and John Denham are being accused of hypocrisy for having campaigned to save post offices in the city whilst voting last night for the post office closures.

Our MPs are not standing up for the city. Once again when it comes to the crunch they are simply Gordon Brown’s voice in Southampton. Local communities in Southampton will be hit hard by these closures which will be very damaging and disruptive, particularly for elderly people.

The Conservatives are calling for the government’s closure programme to be suspended to allow a full revaluation of the process and work to be done to see where more business can be put into the post office network. For example this might involve working with Royal Mail or local councils.

The government is simply managing the decline of the post offices and we are arguing that they should be focused on building up the post office network so it becomes dependent more on its business rather than government subsidy.

Read more about keeping our post offices open.

Millbrook Lib Dems Have Lost the Plot!

Millbrook's Lib Dems have just put out a leaflet for the local elections campaigning to stop "Tory Cuts" to the fire service and to "Save" the local Post Office in Regents Park.

A few facts about both...


Redbridge Fire Station

They say that Tories are axing a fire engine from Redbridge Fire Station.

Here is what is hapenning.

A large fire engine from Redbridge is being redeployed to St Marys Fire Station. In its place a smaller 2 man fire engine will operate out of Redbrige.

The fire service say that 90% of fires in the area covered by Redbridge are very small - cars and burning rubbish and a smaller vehicle is better suited to dealing with such fires and they argued that it was a better use of resources to have a smaller vehicle in Redbridge. Also a smaller a vehicle can access areas more easily.

The Fire Authority has representation by all 3 political parties. No party objected to the set up described above. A consultation meeting was held at Bellemoor school. No Millbrool Lib Dems turned up. The Lib Dem representative on the Fire Authority, Peter Galton, did not object or comment.

The fact that the Lib Dems are trying to stir up fear on this issue shows how desparate they are and that they have nothing else to say.


Regents Park Post Office

This post office is not closing. Other post offices around the country and indeed in Southampton have closed or are under threat of closure. This one isn't though. If in doubt ask a member of staff in the post office! Again more Lib Dem drivel. They have nothing meaningful or accurate to say about the area. A sure sign of a party that has lost the plot!