News Update
I see that some Conservative MPs (perhaps found elsewhere on this page) make bold claims they’re fighting for local Post Offices which have closed or are threatened with closure.
It’s like an arsonist returning to the scene with a leaky bucket of water, when the house is already well ablaze, but demanding that folk appreciate him as a heroic firefighter!
It’s no coincidence that since 2015 there’s been an epidemic of Post Office closures here in the west. Carbis Bay, Leedstown, Newlyn, Lizard, Heamoor, Mullion, St Keverne, Gulval, Long Rock, Porthleven and many others have either closed or have or are threatened. This is a direct result of the policies of the Conservative Government since they were free to govern alone.
Let’s take our hats off to those who provide these vital services. Many are forced or perhaps choose to do the job for love. The remuneration is so low that many operate with no reward at all. Most have income far lower than the minimum wage.
The Post Office network subsidy was £130million in 2015 but has been slashed to about £46m. The latest estimate of Post master/mistress pay showed a quarter of them took NO pay at all – effectively doing the job as volunteers; the average pay was just £750 a month.
Rather than asking people to sign petitions and harvesting their emails so he can tell them how hard he’s trying to put out the fire his Government ignited, it would be better to question one’s own Party loyalty.
The Country faces a period of grave and very serious decision making. In the coming weeks the UK Parliament will vote on matters which will have very significant consequences for decades to come. So locals deserve clarity from their parliamentary representatives. Decisions could be knife-edge. They could go either way.
This is no time to continue highlighting soft photo-opportunities with cuddly animals and popular charities.
Our local MP has supported the hard Brexit Tory extremists, by signing the so called ‘Ransom note’ to the PM earlier this year. But has also promised his devotion to the PM’s ‘Chequers’ proposals; which have been so viscously detested by the very same group of extremists he signed up to previously.
He faithfully promised to fight for the UK to stay within the European Medicines Agency, but then voted against it when it came to Parliament. Perhaps he’s being clever and inscrutable rather than just forgetful and confused?
Either way, there are very important votes coming up. Local people deserve clear answers as to where their local representative stands… or if it just depends on which way they’re told to vote, …or perhaps which way the wind blows?