It beggers belief that this Government appears as determined as ever to further undermine the Post Office, as letters in the Wigan Evening Post indicate.
They intend to replace the Post Office Account with something called Poca2, allowing cardholders to use other outlets for cash and payments.
This, coupled with the continued erosion of services, will no doubt lead to further post office closures an
d to a point where they serve no purpose.
The Royal Mail once ran the best postal system in the world, provided a service second to none and was very much part of the community.
However since the EU Postal Directives, which were intended to create competition in the industry (which would mainly benefit the Dutch TNT and the German DHL companies) thousands of post offices, along with jobs, have been lost, with more in the pipeline. And it now costs more to send parcels and letters.
The first EU Postal Directive appeared in 1997 under New Labour MEP Brian Simpson, who appears to have suffered a memory loss as he recently denied that the EU had any part in our post office closures and accused UKIP of being anti-EU.
The facts are that the three mainstream partyies remain in denial that the real power is now in Brussels, where more than 80% of our laws are now made and will continue as long as the UK remains a member of the EU and which the Conservative, Labour and Lib Dems all support.
The only way to stop the closures is to continue to pressure the Government and the opposition parties. And at the next election vote for a party that will get our powers and our country back.
Alan Freeman, UKIP, Wigan
Saving rainforests the best way to goIt has been my impression lately that in all the (perfectly justified) interest these days in alternative power, recycling and conscientious eco-living, many people have been overlooking one of the most effective things we can do for the environment.
The continued cutting down of the great rainforests, releases more CO2 than all of the world's planes, trains and automobiles combined.
Admirable as the individual actions we might take at home with lightbulbs and cars may be, uniting to stop deforestation is one of the best ways to reverse climate change.
I'm very proud to be a part of the Rainforest Foundation UK's new initiative Hot & Bothered, which is reminding people of these simple and devastatingly important facts.
The RFUK is calling on everyone to create an acre of online rainforest at www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/vforest Each online acre will help RFUK protect real rainforests and the people who live in and depend on them.
Stephen Fry, actor
Enter contest for co gas awarenessThank you very much indeed for reporting the events at the House of Lords concerning the tragic loss of Christi and Bobby the two young children who died of carbon monoxide poisoning in Corfu in 2006. We admire their courage. The event was to publicise our charity poster campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide, a deadly gas which can be emitted from faulty cooking and heating appliances.
We are looking for entries from students aged 10-11 and 16-17. All details are at www.co-gassafety.co.uk/ competition.html including a booklet with colourful pictures by illustrator, John O'Leary, also a CO victim. Regional winners will receive an iPod and £500 for their school plus an all-expenses paid trip to the Houses of Parliament. Every entry means a family will learn about the dangers of CO.
Closing date for entries is August 15.
Mrs Stephanie Trotter OBE,
CO-Gas Safety
The full article contains 624 words and appears in Wigan Evening Post newspaper.
