Post Office closures announcement

Yesterday Trade and Indusry Secretary Alastair Darling made the expected announcement about closing post offices. These will number 2500 but we don't know at this stage which ones in Devon and Cornwall will come under the axe. Many of our postmasters and postmistresses will have a less than happy Christmas this year.

But of course it isn't just those on the list that could go. At present individual post offices are getting a government subsidy; if this is reduced or worse still removed then more POs will go. And of course the post office card account is going, to be replaced with what? Because these additional post offices will disappear in their ones or twos no doubt HMG are hoping that the general public wont really notice and, even if they do, the government wont take any responsibility that's for sure. As usual we have been subjected to Labour spin: Tony Blair says the public are to blame for using them less. Hardly surprising is it when the government takes business away!