Post Office closures delayed until after the election!

12.00.00am GMT Mon 7th Jan 2008

In what has been described a cyncical ploy, the Government has postponed controversial post office closure plans until after the local elections in May.

The Post Office Ltd has sent every postmaster in Greater Manchester a letter from stating: "As you will be aware, the closure of any post office can potentially become a local political issue. For that reason we have been asked by the Government to introduce a freeze on some elements of the Network Change programme during the run up to these elections."

As a result of the delays, post offices will be told whether they are likely to close on 28 May and following a public consultation will receive the final decision on 15 August.

Paul Rowen MP, the Lib Dem Work and Pensions Shadow Minister, said: "This is a cynical ploy by Gordon Brown's spin Labour Party. Everyone knows that 2500 post offices face the axe and I don't believe that anybody will be fooled in this opportunistic and clumsy attempt at manipulation.

"Our Post Office campaign continues to gather momentum and this will make us more determined to stop Labour's plans.

"Make no mistake - post offices in Rochdale are under threat by Labour's plans and fighting to save them will be one of the central planks of our local election manifesto."