Liberal Democrat candidates boycott 'sham' post office meeting.

7.39.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 18th Sep 2008

Kevin Lang and Alex Cole-Hamilton hand out leaflets outside the 'sham' meeting in Inverleith.

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidates Kevin Lang and Alex Cole-Hamilton today protested outside the sham consultation meeting organised by Edinburgh North & Leith's local Labour MP on the proposed closure of Goldenacre Post Office.

Post Office bosses have begun a formal consultation on the proposed closure of three branches - Goldenacre, Elm Row and Pilrig Toll. The closures are part of a mass post office closure programme being forced through by the Labour Government, in which 2,500 branches will be closed across the UK. Edinburgh North & Leith's Labour MP has backed the closures and voted in favour of them in the House of Commons.

Despite backing the closures, Edinburgh North & Leith's local Labour MP set up a meeting in Inverleith as part of his 'campaign' to save the Goldenacre branch from closure. In spite of the concern amongst local residents at the planned closure of the post office, the public meeting was poorly attended compared to others held in the city, a sign of the anger people have had towards the local Labour MP for backing the post office cuts.

Westminster candidate, Kevin Lang said, "People are astonished that our local Labour MP has launched a campaign to save the very post offices he voted to close just a few months ago in the House of Commons.

"This is why Alex and I boycotted the meeting tonight. After all, how can you have an independent public meeting when it is both organised and chaired by someone in favour of the closure of the post office? No wonder so many people stayed away from the meeting. They knew it was a sham.

"Only the Liberal Democrats can be trusted to protect our post office network. We have a clear plan to invest in post offices, stopping Labour's cuts and opening new branches."

Scottish Parliament candidate, Alex Cole-Hamilton said, "We have been inundated with responses since we launched our campaign a few weeks ago. Many local residents have signed out petition and written formally to Post Office bosses to register their objection.

"There is still time for local people to object and we would encourage as many as possible to do so. The more people who speak out, the more chance we have of saving Goldenacre Post Office as well as the branches at Pilrig Toll and Elm Row."

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