Oxford's Labour MP votes to close city Post Offices - Huzzey

12.00.00am GMT Thu 28th Feb 2008

Holywell councillor Richard Huzzey has challenged Labour MP Andrew Smith's vote to axe city post offices in a letter to the Oxford Mail. After posing for the paper's photographer with a readers' petition against the closures, Andrew Smith MP voted for the government cuts.

Richard Huzzey said, "Oxford residents deserve an MP who will stand up for Oxford and stand up against Gordon Brown's Post Office closures in the city. Lib Dem Steve Goddard is less than 1,000 votes from replacing New Labour's man."

In the letter, Richard wrote:

"What's the difference between the Oxford Mail and the House of Commons?

Andrew Smith MP says he's against post office cuts when he's in one and for them in the other.

Christmas cracker jokes aside, you reported in 2007 that councillors had backed my proposal for the city council to respond to the Government's "consultation" on post office closures, opposing them.

In the Town Hall, Labour councillors suggested that Oxford wouldn't be hit by the cuts and they accused me of scaremongering.

Where are we in 2008? Three Oxford post offices are going to be axed, and 2,500 nationally.

Mr Smith posed for an Oxford Mail photograph, with petitions against the closures.

But in the House of Commons, he chose New Labour over Oxford, and supported the cuts.

The Labour Party recently posted - yes, posted - hundreds of expensive leaflets to Oxford residents, pre-printed with a pledge that they cared about "community facilities".

At the same time, they are stripping community facilities - post offices - from Oxford, meaning many older residents will find it harder to post Labour a letter back telling them to get stuffed! Who says irony is dead?

Labour think their councillors and MP can praise post offices in Oxford, then secretly axe them in London.

Labour must be laughing at the joke they've played on Oxford residents. I'm not.

RICHARD HUZZEY (Councillor) Liberal Democrat Oxford City Council"

See Oxford's Labour MP tell the Oxford Mail he supported the Post Offices, shortly before he voted to close them:

http://www.oxfordmail.net/search/display.var.2123650.0.post_office_petitions_taken_to_downing_street.php