CHANGES to the way Government pays benefits - and the EU drive to liberalise postal services - have already begun to wreak havoc on local communities, according to London's Green Euro-MP Jean Lambert.
Her comments came as Mrs Lambert added her voice to a growing local campaign fighting the closure of the Park Road sub-Post Office in Haringey.
Mrs Lambert says the planned closure is merely a sign of things to come as universal service is undermined by privatization - despite a Green campaign at the European Parliament.
"The European Union has set in motion a process that will see the full liberalisation of the post office service across Europe by 2009," Mrs Lambert said.
"Local communities are now fighting to secure their services for the most vulnerable against the collective wishes of the UK Government, the Post Office Regulators and the European Commission."
She fears this latest closure will result in local residents - including the elderly, disabled, and young mothers - having to travel up to hour by bus to reach their next closest service.
Mrs Lambert is calling on the Post Office to accept an alternative plan to incorporate the service into a local Londis supermarket and to guarantee it a minimum term licence to avoid future closures.
She also joined locals in demanding a fair deal for the Park Road sub-postmaster and his family.
Under current policy, the Park Road sub-post master would lose all his termination entitlements if the post office is saved.
Mrs Lambert said: "If the community is successful in retaining the post office provision, the Post Master will lose his due entitlement to compensation for termination of contract. This will, of course, affect his quality of retirement and ability to provide for his family."
"It
is unbelievable that the community has to debate the moral dilemma of either attempting
to keep the post-office service, which is in the interest of the local community,
at the expense of the Post Master's
entitlement to compensation."
She added: "That the liberalisation of postal services is against the interests of people living in rural communities is well known - the fact is it works against the interests of urban communities too."
"The protection of the existing network of Post Offices and mail delivery arrangements should be strengthened by giving added commercial freedom to the national services delivers such as Royal Mail, Parcel force, and Post Office Counters Limited."
ENDS
For
further information or to arrange an interview with Mrs Lambert contact Ben Duncan
on 020 7407 6280, 07973 823358 or at press@greenmeps.org.uk