Will Greg Pope remain a rebel?

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Gayle

He didn't vote for the closures - that's just Tory spin. What actually happened was that the Conservatives put in a motion that they claimed would save the post offices, but Greg did not believe that it was feasible so voted against it. It was then claimed that he voted for the closures when in fact hasn't.

So he voted for closure then? The original reason was that it isn't feasible to keep post offices open. If he voted against keeping them open, because the Conservatives proposals were not feasible, then is that not voting for closure?

[lindsay ormerod]

No doubt you can ask him yourself , he will be watching with interest !

[Lilly]

Originally Posted by Cyfr

So he voted for closure then? The original reason was that it isn't feasible to keep post offices open. If he voted against keeping them open, because the Conservatives proposals were not feasible, then is that not voting for closure?

As Meatloaf said......You took the words right out of my mouth.

[Gayle]

No, he voted against a plan that wasn't workable that is not the same as voting for closure.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by lindsay ormerod

No doubt you can ask him yourself , he will be watching with interest !

May well be lindsay but I don't think he will take any part in this debate, that is unless he votes against the Government next week that is

[Greg Pope]

Why would I vote to close post offices, indeed why would anyone vote for such a thing? To the best of my knowledge there has never been a vote on post office closures as they are, in fact, being closed by Post Office Ltd rather than directly by the Government (this is not to excuse the Government from all responsibility, just to point out that the Government is not actually doing the closing).

Some facts: there are 14,000 post offices of which 9,500 lose money and are subsidised by the taxpayer to the tune of half a million pounds a day, every day; many postmasters want to leave as they, understandably, don't want to run what are in effect failing businesses; fewer and fewer of us actually use post offices - 4 out of 5 pensioners get their pension paid into the bank for example, and like many people I renewed my car tax online. As a result of all this 2,500 post offices are closing.

At the end of this process the Tories tabled a motion saying how terrible it all is. It didn't propose saving any post offices, nor did it suggest how we might pay for saving post offices, or even propose who might run them, nor did it mention that 3,500 post offices closed when they were in office. In short it was stunt and I didn't fall for it. It is simply untrue to say that I voted against a plan to save post offices.

Come on, it's bad enough being blamed for what I have done without adding to the charge sheet stuff that's not true!

[lindsay ormerod]

Thank you Greg !

[Stanleymad]

Greg really is the ONLY mp i would turn to without a doubt - people forget what he actually does for his local constituants & goes out his way to help, whereas PB or anyone else from other partiesv wouldnt give a monkeys, like dentist issue, CT, etc etc.

Would like to express my sincere thanks to him & his lovely staff, whom are brill & always happy to help

[entwisi]

Originally Posted by Greg Pope

Why 4 out of 5 pensioners get their pension paid into the bank for example, and like many people I renewed my car tax online.

errr please correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't it this goverment that actually FORCED pensioners to open accounts to have their pensions paid into. My mother being one of many that didn't want to change from the giro slip but had no choice in the matter. I know of a dozen others from a very small sample group as well so please don't start telling me she was one in a million. Quite simply Chip and Pin and electronic transfers of money confused a heck of a lot of them and was widely reported in the press and not just the tabloids.

Please don't start blaming businesses for failing when its the goverment policy that robs them of one of their core services. Yes road tax is available for some online but not all, with PO's shutting its becoming more and more inconvienient for those who do have to visit to get one.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Greg Pope

Why would I vote to close post offices, indeed why would anyone vote for such a thing? To the best of my knowledge there has never been a vote on post office closures as they are, in fact, being closed by Post Office Ltd rather than directly by the Government (this is not to excuse the Government from all responsibility, just to point out that the Government is not actually doing the closing).

Some facts: there are 14,000 post offices of which 9,500 lose money and are subsidised by the taxpayer to the tune of half a million pounds a day, every day; many postmasters want to leave as they, understandably, don't want to run what are in effect failing businesses; fewer and fewer of us actually use post offices - 4 out of 5 pensioners get their pension paid into the bank for example, and like many people I renewed my car tax online. As a result of all this 2,500 post offices are closing.

At the end of this process the Tories tabled a motion saying how terrible it all is. It didn't propose saving any post offices, nor did it suggest how we might pay for saving post offices, or even propose who might run them, nor did it mention that 3,500 post offices closed when they were in office. In short it was stunt and I didn't fall for it. It is simply untrue to say that I voted against a plan to save post offices.

Come on, it's bad enough being blamed for what I have done without adding to the charge sheet stuff that's not true!

Big brother is watching you

[garinda]

Originally Posted by entwisi

Yes road tax is available for some online but not all,

I renew mine on the phone, as it's easier for me than physically going to the P.O.

I've not hasd the need to go to a Post Office since the one in Oswaldtwistle moved into the Co-op, which I think is over two years ago.

Anyway, this thread is really supposed to be about the changes to the tax system.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Stanleymad

Greg really is the ONLY mp i would turn to without a doubt - people forget what he actually does for his local constituants & goes out his way to help, whereas PB or anyone else from other partiesv wouldnt give a monkeys, like dentist issue, CT, etc etc.

Would like to express my sincere thanks to him & his lovely staff, whom are brill & always happy to help

The dentist issue is of this governments making and no one else, and what the hell has PB got to do with dentist anyway

[garinda]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Big brother is watching you

Or just our elected Memeber of Parliament taking an interest in local people's concerns via a forum.

He could answer our questions on the council run forum, you remember the one that we got £700,000 to set up, but which through either apathy, or incompetence, folded?

Nevermind Big Brother, it'd be nice if Big Peter, our council leader, felt able to communicate on this forum with the people whom he represents

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Greg Pope

Why would I vote to close post offices, indeed why would anyone vote for such a thing? To the best of my knowledge there has never been a vote on post office closures as they are, in fact, being closed by Post Office Ltd rather than directly by the Government (this is not to excuse the Government from all responsibility, just to point out that the Government is not actually doing the closing).

Some facts: there are 14,000 post offices of which 9,500 lose money and are subsidised by the taxpayer to the tune of half a million pounds a day, every day; many postmasters want to leave as they, understandably, don't want to run what are in effect failing businesses; fewer and fewer of us actually use post offices - 4 out of 5 pensioners get their pension paid into the bank for example, and like many people I renewed my car tax online. As a result of all this 2,500 post offices are closing.

At the end of this process the Tories tabled a motion saying how terrible it all is. It didn't propose saving any post offices, nor did it suggest how we might pay for saving post offices, or even propose who might run them, nor did it mention that 3,500 post offices closed when they were in office. In short it was stunt and I didn't fall for it. It is simply untrue to say that I voted against a plan to save post offices.

Come on, it's bad enough being blamed for what I have done without adding to the charge sheet stuff that's not true!

May I ask why you did not attend the debate on the the matter that you voted against?

There were many ideas put forward by both the Conservatives and the Lib Dems, in fact even Labour. It's simply not true that the ideas had no substance. Here are just a few, many more were mentioned in the debate: Keep our Post Offices open - Campaign - Conservative Party

You say postmasters don't want to run them, well no wonder, what's the payoff they get again, 60k? and threats to not give them the payoff if they resist closure, which they have no real choice in, hence its better to take the 60 grand option.

You might say its a 'stunt'. If this is a reason to vote against it, then I think its a very poor show. You should be voting for the constituents, to save their post offices, not voting against it because your party might look weak.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by garinda

I renew mine on the phone, as it's easier for me than physically going to the P.O.

I've not hasd the need to go to a Post Office since the one in Oswaldtwistle moved into the Co-op, which I think is over two years ago.

Anyway, this thread is really supposed to be about the changes to the tax system.

Yes Rindi there is a bit of thread wandering here, so if Greg is still watching are you still going to oppose the Government or not, I certainly hope you do Greg, as it doesn't look like Mr Brown and Mr Daring are going to budge on the issue