The Conservatives have played a blinder tonight with an Opposition Day debate on Post Office closures. Copying the exact wording of a Labour MP's EDM on stopping closure of local post offices, which was signed by 35 Labour MPs, the Tories called for a halt to this divisive programme of closures. Alan Duncan was assured and measured leading the debate for our party, taking interventions and leavening his remarks with both common sense and humour.
Result? the Conservative proposal was defeated by a mere twenty votes. At least 19 principled Labour MPs voted with us. A serious rebellion and a great credit to our party's fight for the Post Office network.
My opponent, whom I like and respect, has been portraying himself locally as fighting against Post Office closures at Barnwell, in Corby and elsewhere. He is a government minister and defended the Post Office closures programme in Parliament today against Francis Maude. It was pointed out to him by Mr. Maude that whilst supporting this programme in the Commons, he was "fulminating" against it in our local paper. He defended himself. I have no idea as yet how he voted, but a mere 20 Labour MPs prevented the Post Office closures from being stopped. If he was one of those twenty, or if he failed to vote at all, we will hold him to account locally in all areas that are to lose their post office. Other candidates facing junior and Cabinet ministers will, no doubt, wish to do the same.
