SIMON HUGHES BACKS LOCAL POST OFFICE CAMPAIGN

11.54.35am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 29th Jul 2008

Stephen Gilbert and Simon Hughes MP with over 200 people campaigning to keep Charlestown Post Office open

Simon Hughes, the MP for North Southwark & Bermondsey and the President of the Liberal Democrats, was in St Austell & Newquay on Saturday July 26 and gave his backing to the campaign to save local post offices from closure.

Mr Hughes was visiting Cornwall to speak at the local Liberal Democrats annual dinner (held in Grampound Village Hall) but also made time in his schedule to visit Tywardreath and Charlestown, two of the local post offices threatened with closure.

Stephen Gilbert and Simon Hughes with residents in Tywardreath campaigning to keep the local Post Office open

Simon Hughes said: "There are a few things that help make a thriving village community like a church, a school, a good pub, a village shop and, of course, a post office. The post office is often part of the social hub of the village with the postmaster or postmistress able to keep an eye out on the more vulnerable residents, as well as being a much used facility for local businesses. Government needs to listen to local residents when they say no cuts here."

Stephen Gilbert, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for St Austell & Newquay, which includes Tywardreath and Charlestown, said: "I am really pleased that Simon has had the chance to see for himself the support that the local post offices have here in Cornwall. In both Charlestown and Tywardreath we met elderly residents who simply won't be able to travel to another branch if their local one closes, we need to make the post office listen."

Mr Gilbert added: "While I welcome the Conservatives support for the campaign to keep these Post Office open, I can't help feel that they need to apologise for shutting 3,500 across the country when they were last in power before I can take them seriously on this issue."