Danczuk pleased that Post Office proposals are being considered

Date published: 12 March 2008

Rochdale’s Labour Parliamentary Candidate Simon Danczuk has welcomed the Lib Dems decision to listen to proposals put to them by Rochdale’s Labour and Conservative Parties to consider taking over the running of post offices that could be earmarked for closure.

"I am pleased that they are now looking at solutions," he said.

"People want politicians to tell the truth," he added. "Post offices are losing £3.5 million a week and the government has pumped massive amounts of public subsidy into the network. Even the National Federation of Sub Postmasters has admitted that some closures are necessary."

Mr Danczuk finally added that he welcomed the Council leader, Alan Taylor’s announcement that he "would do anything to retain this valuable service’ but warned that locals would not countenance a large rise in council tax to subsidise these services.

"Rochdale Council recently got the best settlement in Greater Manchester from our Government, receiving an extra £5.9m, an increase of 5.4 per cent," he said. "And yet still the Lib Dems increased council tax by 3.8 per cent when our neighbours in Oldham had a zero per cent increase. We cannot afford any more big council tax rises."