| NEW MP MUST FIGHT TO KEEP POST OFFICES OPEN |
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ANTHONY FAIRCLOUGH, Press Officer, Merton Liberal Democrats, in the Wimbledon Guardian, Thursday 2nd June 2005 "I was pleased to read that Stephen Hammond, our new MP, has called an 'urgent meeting with Post Office bosses and the council' about the closure of the main post office in Morden (Guardian, 26/05/05), presumably to seek out an alternative site for the branch. The closure of a post office has an immense effect on a local community, especially on pensioners and more vulnerable members of society, many of whom depend on its services. However, to offer these services, post office branches also need to be viable businesses - yet Government policies, like direct payment of benefits, have made this increasingly difficult as they reduce the number of people regularly using post offices. Therefore, it's not just Post Office officials and the council that Stephen Hammond needs to be talking to - he must question the Government about its role in undermining this vital public service. Merton's town centre branches are being closed because they are not perceived to be making enough money for the organisation or any franchise holders. And unless changes are made, the same thing could quite easily happen to any new branch that is set up. Post offices need to be able to offer new services and products that will attract people back into branches to help replace the income that has drained away - if our MP is going to be 'Wimbledon's voice in Westminster', like he promises, then he should be making the case for this in Parliament."
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