Post office closures petition is presented to Downing Street

Since we launched our Cut The Closures campaign in late November petition signatures and letters of support have flooded into our Walmgate offices.

Yesterday, we took our 5,300-signature strong dossier to Prime Minister Gordon Brown's London residence.

Reporter Gerran Grimshaw was joined by Clifton campaigner Les Marsh, Aasif Rabbani, owner of Fulford and Haxby Road post office branches, Selby Labour MP John Grogan and Julian Sturdy, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for York Outer.

Mr Grogan said: "The evidence of the areas that have gone through similar consultation is that there will be some changes to Post Office Ltd's proposed closures. I would hope that - partly thanks to The Press's campaign - we have made enough fuss that there will be amendments to it."

Mr Marsh said: "I am grateful to The Press for the interest taken in local matters and with its response in organising this petition. I didn't expect anything to happen other than a very local concern around Clifton, but the response has been terrific and it shows local people want the community to exist."

Mr Sturdy said he did not think the post office had taken account of the Germany Beck development, which would add 700 homes to the Fulford branch's catchment area.

Mr Rabbani said he hoped the campaign was successful and the Fulford branch would be saved.

While in Westminster, The Press received heavyweight political backing. Charles Hendry, Shadow Business and Enterprise Minister for Energy, Industry and Postal Affairs, said sub-postmasters should be given more control over the businesses.

He also said the consultation process had been a "disgrace".

"The Government's own rules say the consultation period should have been three months long, but it only lasted six weeks," he said.

Speaking in light of the consultation process already completed in other parts of the country, Mr Hendry said: "There's very little room for manoeuvre coming out of the consultation process."

Mr Grogan criticised current Government policy, saying: "It's a pity the policy that operated for a decade against closures in rural areas has now been dropped."

Before our appointment, the delegation from The Press delivered a copy of the Cut The Closures petition to post office bosses at the company's Old Street headquarters.

Leaving Westminster, Mr Marsh said: "Now we must wait to see how the Government and Post Office respond and hope they take on board our concerns."