POST OFFICE PETITION POSTING: THE LAST PUSH

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 8th Aug 2008

Liberal Democrats from across Newcastle today came together in the fight to save Newcastle Post Offices, just days before the consultation period is due to end, and the fate of nine Post offices in Newcastle is finally decided.

Assembling at the Walbottle Village Post Office - one of the nine under threat - Fiona Hall MEP for the North East, Lib Dem parliamentary spokesperson for Newcastle North Ron Beadle and nine Newcastle City Councillors, posted 1,000 petitions and signatures collected across Newcastle since the closures were announced in July, in order that they reached Post Office Ltd by Monday 11th August, the deadline of the consultation.

"Posting these 1, 000 signatures today has been an appropriate way we can show Post Office Ltd that people in Newcastle want their post office services to stay open. Many local people need, and in some cases depend on their post offices." said Fiona.

Ron Beadle, spokesperson for Newcastle North said, "The way the consultation works is that at the end of all this, even if one of the 'Newcastle nine' post offices are saved, another post office - not necessarily on the current target list - will be forced to close in its place. "It is a frustrating catch 22 and just shows that the past six weeks have been nothing more than a sham consultation."