Reading West Conservatives delivered a local petition to 10 Downing Street on 6 July, signed by 630 residents of Southcote, Tilehurst and Purley calling on the Labour Government to reconsider its plans to close local post offices. Across the country Labour plan to close 2,500 local post offices from the network by 2009.

Alok Sharma, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Reading West said: “We have delivered this petition of the residents of Southcote, Tilehurst and Purley to the heart of Gordon Brown’s Government at 10 Downing Street because we believe local post offices in Reading and West Berkshire play a vital role in the community and are an essential lifeline for many people, especially those with poor access to transport. We want Labour to start listening to local people and take immediate action to ensure a long term future for our local post offices.”

Local campaigner Alan Hawkins who co-ordinated the petition in Southcote added: “The public response to our petition, which has been signed by people of all ages, has been fantastic and we will continue the fight to keep local post offices in Southcote open.”

Photo: Alok Sharma, Alan Hawkins and Emma Webster hand in the Post Office Petition at 10 Downing Street