Glasgow Labour MPs have been slated for their continuing shameful conduct over Post office closures in Glasgow. It has been revealed that at last Thursday's House of Commons debate on Post Office Restructuring not one Glasgow Labour MP even turned up to represent the concerns of their constituents. This comes on the back of the revelation that despite their very vocal public stance against the closures all Glasgow Labour MPs voted for the closures back in 2002.

Commenting Sandra White MSP said: "We have recently completed a consultation with those who will be affected by the closures and over 99% of the respondents said that it was an essential service for them.

"The Post Office has just announced that they will be stopping the closures in England due to the local elections, citing the closures as highly sensitive, demonstrating that once again the Labour Government has saw fit to interfere in what is essentially a public service.

"As if this isn't bad enough to make matters worse Glasgow Labour MPs have shown blatant disregard for their constituents by firstly voting for these closures and secondly not even bothering to turn up to debate the issue in the House of Commons last Thursday this shows they couldn't care less about the people of Glasgow"

Bob Doris added: "Glasgow Labour MSPs say they are against Glasgow's post office closures.

"Not only have they previously voted for the process that is leading to our post offices being closed by Labour, but they cannot even be bothered to attend the debate at Westminster that discussed the issue.

"They should be ashamed of themselves"

And Bill Kidd summed up the anger felt by adding: "It shows the hypocrisy of Glasgow MPs that they will put out worthless petitions, as the post office won't accept them, about the Post Office consultation but won't bother to turn up at the consultation in Westminster and that is why we have consulted the people directly"

Note:

Motion lodged for Member's debate:

S3M-970 Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): Labour Failure to Act Against Post Office Closures

That the Parliament shares the continuing concern of Glasgow MSPs Sandra White, Bill Kidd, Bob Doris and Bashir Ahmad at the uncertainty and distress created by the proposed post office closures in Glasgow; further notes the recent consultation presented to the Post Office and the Scottish Government on behalf of the Glasgow SNP MSPs, which found that over 99% of respondents felt that their local post office was an essential service and that they would have difficulty accessing post office facilities if their local post office closed; condemns the behaviour of the Glasgow Labour MPs for their failure to even turn up for the debate on Post Office restructuring on 29 November 2007 in the House of Commons; considers that this further compounds their earlier disingenuous stance of informing Glasgow residents that they were against the closures when in fact Glasgow Labour MPs voted in favour of recommendations for closure, and believes that the people of Glasgow have been let down by their elected representatives and that actions such as these and others by the Labour Party serve to further erode public trust and confidence in politicians.