Backlash grows against closure threat to Post Offices in London

Transcript

00:00Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. The Lady will be aware of the news yesterday that 115 post offices

00:06are subject for closing, which will have a massive impact on our high streets that are already

00:11struggling. The Kennington Park branch in my constituency is one of those facing possible

00:16closure, in addition to the Brixton branch and the Vauxhall Bridge branch, which are

00:21bordering my constituency. Our post offices are the cornerstone for many of our residents.

00:26A number of them cannot walk, a number of them cannot use online services. The dedicated staff

00:31that work in our post offices know those constituents. Does the Leader agree with me

00:35that we should have a debate in government time on making sure that if these post offices are

00:39going to close, we have a full equality impacts assessment and the post office consider their

00:44decisions? Well she's absolutely right. The government inherited a post office that was

00:50simply not fit for purpose following a lot of disinterest from the previous government and the

00:57post office does need serious culture change. I would assure her that no decision, as I understand

01:05it, has been taken around the future of Crown post offices. But I know for my own constituency,

01:11where recently the Spring Gardens Crown post office in Manchester was closed, what a big

01:17issue this is for local communities and I would encourage every constituency MP, like her,

01:22to raise these matters here and directly with ministers.