I've lost count of the number of people who, since the 16 closures were announced for Sheffield, have told me that they will never vote Labour again.

No-one believes Post Office minister Pat McFadden when he tries to make out that closing 2,500 branches is really to "stabilise the network."

Not when it's his government that has taken services away from post offices and has now put the Post Office Card Account out to tender (which could lead to another 4,000 closures).

They say that the government can't keep subsidising post offices but they soon bailed out the fat-cats of Northern Rock. And privatised railways get far more taxpayers' money. So the government have got the money, they just prefer to look after their rich friends (PO Ltd boss Alan Cook will get an extra £1m bonus for carrying out these closures!) rather than ordinary working-class people who rely on the post office.

It was clear from the Post Office manager who spoke about "profits, the market-place and new financial products" at 'consultation' meetings last week that their real agenda is to cut back the network until what's left is profitable, then it'll be a going concern for privatisation.

Deregulation of postal services has already seen private companies cherry-pick the profitable parts of Royal Mail, which used to subsidise the universal service and post office network. Creeping privatisation already means later deliveries and will lead to a decimated post office network.

The campaign waged by Sheffield Communities Against Post Office Closures (SCAPOC) over the last 10 weeks is not just about saving 16 post offices but about the future of post offices as a public service and community resource.


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