Coventry fights post office closure

THE SOCIALIST Party and its councillors in Coventry have collected 5,000 signatures against the closure of Hertford Street Crown post office and the transfer of its business, by a national privatisation deal, to WH Smith.

Socialist Party councillor Dave Nellist said: “Labour should never have promoted privatisation and opened the post office to competition with private businesses. The post office should be recognised for what it is, a national asset which should remain fully in the public sector.

“If it’s serious about preserving the post office and the Royal Mail network, the government should start by putting its own house in order and give back the contract to carry DWP mail to Royal Mail. That could be one step towards removing some of the uncertainty over the 600 jobs at Bishop Street sorting office. If it’s really serious the government could simply instruct the post office to retain a full mail centre in Coventry.”