Our local MP, Geoffrey Cox, is behind the campaign to save rural post offices from closure. He has dedicated part of his website to the campaign.
Whilst the Buckland Brewer post office supporters will want to remain out of party politics, it is very encouraging that our local MP supports our cause.
A difficult aspect of the closure programme is that it can have the effect of pitting one rural community against another. I am sure that Mr Cox has had contact from every village threatened by the closure programme.
I believe that there is a strong case to keep our post office open. However, success in this campaign could be at the expense of another village’s post office.
Government and the Post Office have made clear that an organisation losing £4 million a week (though I feel that we need to return to the veracity of this claim) cannot continue to function in a competitive commercial market. Closures are part of the restructuring process. And, nothing looks likely to stop the closure programme, unless a beleaguered government sees this as a vote winner.
So, our campaign is focused on Buckland Brewer. I am sure that Mr Cox will fight to keep every post office open or at least mitigate the effects of closure where the evidence is overwhelming.
