Norman Baker MP Member of Parliament for Lewes constituency
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Contact Norman at:
Norman Baker,
23 East Street,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN7 2LJ.
Tel: (01273) 480281.
Fax: (01273) 480287.
Email: info
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2003 (and previous) press releases
10,000+ Signature Post Office Petition Reaches Downing Street. Culmination of 8 month campaign as local MP hands petition in to Number 10.
Local MP Norman Baker has delivered a petition signed by over 10,000 local people - a sizeable proportion of the Mr Baker's electorate - to 10 Downing Street calling on the government to reverse plans to close urban sub-post offices and safeguard daily rural postal services.
The petition was launched on 26 April throughout the Lewes constituency in the face of threats from postal group Consignia to close local post offices. The business is running up losses of £1.5m a day and up to 10 urban sub-post offices in the constituency now have the axe hanging above them.
Government plans to sell the most lucrative postal routes to private firms are also afoot. Mr Baker is concerned that private firms will buy up the best delivery routes, leaving the Post Office with loss-making rural areas.
Speaking about the petition, Norman Baker says:
"I have been overwhelmed by the popular response to this petition. Over 10,000 people in my constituency have backed the campaign to protect their post offices from closure and safeguard daily rural deliveries. This reflects an enormous depth of feeling on this important subject."
"The Post Office, which has a virtual monopoly, was turning in a very healthy profit until recently. Now disastrous management changes have brought the postal system to its knees. Closing post office branches and making staff redundant is no response to this crisis. The government must ensure that local post offices remain open and rural deliveries are protected. This is an investment in the postal group's future and would also keep a service alive in my constituency and nationwide, which a great deal of people rely on."