Greens accuse Lib Dems of bare-faced cheek over support for post offices

Published on Wednesday 27 April 2011 16:11

A ROW has broken out between Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott and his Green rival Patrick Harvie over support for post offices.

Mr Scott was accused of "bare faced cheek" after a visit to a post office in Oban to outline plans to continue the Post Office Diversification Fund.

The Lib Dem leader was at Connell post office which has expanded to become a local shop and cafe, as well as a post office. Mr Scott said: "We want to see more post offices growing their businesses and cementing their place at their heart of their local community.

"They are a genuine lifeline for many vulnerable and older people in particular. We need to protect these services.

"For the last two years, Liberal Democrats have secured money in the Scottish budget to help post offices grow. We want to see this funding continue."

The Post Office Diversification Fund for Scotland was given 1 million in the 2011-12 Scottish budget.

But Mr Harvie, the Green co-leader, said Lib Dem UK Business Secretary Vince Cable is championing the privatisation of Royal Mail.

Legislation enabling the postal service to be privatised is currently going through Westminster.

Mr Harvie said: "It's bare faced cheek for Liberal Democrats to be posing outside post offices pretending to care about them while Uncle Vince in Westminster is getting ready to sell off the Royal Mail for a short-term profit.

"It's time for the Lib Dems to understand that we are talking about a genuine public service, not just some indistinguishable commercial operation, and that if they had any principles whatsoever they'd be opposing these daft plans."

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