Dave Thompson MSP

Highlands and Islands MSP Dave Thompson has called on Lib Dem politicians elected to Westminster on promises to protect rural Post Offices to remember their pre-election principles and vote against the  Westminster Government's plans to impose changes which threaten the existence of Post Offices throughout the north of Scotland.

Mr Thompson highlighted the stance on Post Offices taken by Lib Dem candidates before last May's General Election when they were trying to convince as many Highlanders as possible to vote for them and  contrasted this with the current position where plans to privatise the Royal Mail being pushed forward by two Lib Dem ministers threaten to remove much of the guaranteed business small Post Offices rely  upon.

"While they were confident they would never be in power and have to back up their warm words about protecting small Post Offices in their target constituencies, Lib Dem press release after Lib Dem press  release urged communities to vote for them to protect their local services," Mr Thompson said.

"Sadly many people were taken in by the oft-repeated cries of opportunist politicians such as Danny Alexander and these people must now find it galling that proposals which risk the very future of their  local Post Office are being steered through parliament in London by two Lib Dem ministers - Vince Cable and Ed Davey."

Mr Thompson continued: "While I am sure this latest example of double dealing, and the many other broken promises we have seen from the deceitful LibDems, has already assured voters will be less ready to  accept them at their word in future, I would call on those who pledged that Post Offices were safe in their hands to back their words up with actions and vote down these plans which will damage the survival  chances of rural Post Offices."

The SNP politician's comments followed coverage of the committee stages of the Postal Services Bill at Westminster, which seeks to prepare the way for the privatisation of the Royal Mail.

Many fear this step will allow a new private sector owner of the Royal Mail to cut ties with Post Office Limited by further weakening the ties between these two private sector branches of the formal public  Royal Mail business.

Concern that Royal Mail would be free to award contracts to other retail businesses have lead to fears for the future of existing Post Offices in many communities so Mr Thompson urged all Highlands and  Islands Westminster MPs, of whatever party, to join with SNP MP Angus MacNeil and other SNP MPs in pressing for an assumption that existing Post Offices would be preferred to carry out this type of work.

Mr Thompson's call echoed similar concerns from SNP Business and Enterprise spokesperson Mike Weir who warned that LibDem Postal Minister Ed Davey is “throwing post offices to the wolves” with his refusal to  include in the Postal Services Bill any guarantee of future business from a privatised Royal Mail.

Speaking in the committee stages of the bill, Mr Weir raised serious concerns about the lack of any future protection, and said that the current Royal Mail management’s attachment to the Post Office Ltd was not sufficient safeguard.

Mr Weir said: “The current management may well have a very considerable attachment to Royal Mail, but will a new owner of the business necessarily feel the same way? What happens when the commercial profit  motive really kicks in? How much will sentimentality govern the actions of Royal Mail?

“The rationale behind the privatisation is to make the new company look for efficiency savings and cut costs. It is inconceivable that the new company will not look at how it can do so with its relationship  to Post Office Ltd.

Mr Weir added that, “Unless there is protection written into the bill for the Post Office limited the minister could be throwing our much treasured local Post Offices to the wolves following the  privatisation of Royal Mail.