Farron presents post office petitions to Number 10

3.00.00pm GMT Tue 4th Mar 2008

Local MP Tim Farron has presented over 6,000 signatures to Gordon Brown today in the hope that the Prime Minister will put a stop to the planned assault on our post office network - leading to over 2,500 branch closures. The signatures have been gathered over the past few months and are a vivid representation of the strength of public feeling against the closures.

Mr Farron has recently called on the Government to declare a moratorium on post office closures until the Sustainable Communities Act, which passed into law late last year, has had a chance to take effect. The Act would require the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to write to all local authorities requesting a 'sustainability statement' that would identify the most crucial local services.

Tim Farron said:

"I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to sign the petitions or write to Post Office Limited over the past few months. The level of support shown for local post offices shows what utter folly the Government's plans are.

"I hope that the Prime Minister will take into account the sheer number of signatures we have collected. Post offices are so important to our communities and I will continue to do everything in my power to prevent the closures."